April 15th, 2013

Fickle April

 

The Goldfinch has returned, along with his mate and lots of cousins and other relatives.  I have borrowed a photo from Google to share his lovely goldenness!

 

His arrival, of course, instigated a search for the long, slim thistle feeder.

 

The one hanging in the back garden seemed a likely fill-in until the other bags were found.  When I last looked it had been ignored by all small birds, but when I went to retrieve it I found it half full and the centre of attraction for a number of very small birds, which I haven't identified yet.

 

Back to looking for the nyger feeders!  I have seen them just recently, - I search all the likely places inside without any favourable results, and then decide I must go out again into the cold, miserable morning and look in the garden shed.

 

Well, where else, - they were there, of course, and now are filled with with seed and hanging seductively on a limb of the willow where all the other birds congregate.

 

 

 

A nice surprise after a fitful night and another morning of damp cold, low clouds

 and threatening rain.

 

Nevertheless, despite the weather the garden plants are growing by leaps and bounds - oh look, there - see the lilies leap - they must be 15 inches high!!!!

 

There are fat pink buds on the Oriental Peony and tiny white ones on the anemones

in the little garden outside the fence at the front, promising to make a nice showing with the tulips.

 

I had planned to go to the garden on the hill to steal away some of the prolific

barn flowers that would fill that corner along the lane with gorgeous yellow bloom

all summer long, but alas, it looks like an all day rain!

Up on the hills the Balsomroot is thirsty for all those wonderful spring nutrients
sent along with each shower, and in return present a beautiful sunny picture to passers-by.

 

I think this is a weaving day, rather than a gardening day,  - or maybe I could even go and make some muffins and fill the house with fragrant baking smells
and the promise of a nicer day tomorrow, - although the weatherman
is most discouraging of this and it seems the best we can do is look forward to May.

 But then, isn't April famous for its fickleness!!!