Sunny Spring

A week of contrasts. At the start of the week it was very warm and I got sun burnt when I was on my allotment on Tuesday. I have been doing a lot of gardening this week planting seeds both flowers and vegetables in my greenhouse.

Just a few seeds are beginning to show

I have started to extend my allotment beds. We have just acquired a border collie and she is occupying a lot of our time. She is very timid but I manged to coax her onto the allotment on Tuesday. Once she settled in she was happy.

Candy looking pensive

So many spring flowers are in full bloom. Daffodils come in many different varieties and sizes.

Daffodils on West Walls in Carlisle

Daffodils in the Artful Garden

I love the flowering red currant it has its own unique perfume.

It smells slightly of blackcurrants

The grape hyacinths in my front garden.

Tiny darts of blue

I have several large hyacinths that have a strong perfume.

They flower for a long time

The drumstick primulas stand up straight.

Drum roll

My sprout plants on the allotment have blown.

Ready to be thrown away

The rhubarb will soon be ready to harvest.

It will soon be ready to harvest

I am still restoring my art work. The chicken and the cat.

Cock a doodle doo, miao

My Rock Chicks.

Chick, chick, chick, chicken

I love this symbol on the ladies door at Shap Memorial Hall.

A ghostly image

Look at the unique gifts I make on my Etsy site.
magscreatesandmakes

Canal Cruising

Last week we spent on the Oxford Canal. It is surrounded by countryside. The canal dramatically meanders with huge bends and wonderful stone bridges. You are very close to nature and wildlife. We heard larks singing, saw many wild birds collecting nesting materials and eating newly formed leaves from the trees. You can't beat working in a narrowboat kitchen with an ever changing view. There are many locks on the route and the maximum I did in one day was 16.

We passed through Chesterfield and saw it's famous crocked spire.

Bend it shake it

There are many historic buildings that survive along the canals.

The Toll House collected tolls from the Grand Union and Oxford canals

Ridge and furrow.

A medieval form of farming

The beauty of travelling on a canal is that you stop at villages that you would not do if you travelled by car. A windmill at Napton on the Hill.

There is an amazing view from the top of the hill

Napton parish church.

Donations to the poor. Interesting reading

The hedges are starting into come into leaf.

A hawthorn

Violets on the towpath.

Delicate violets

The white thorn is in blossom.

A froth of white

Cropedy is a lovely village made famous by Fairport Convention.

An attractive sign

Canal workers looking for employment.

Any odd job will do

A stone gateway at Wormleighton.

Look at the sun dial

I love the name of this house.

Can you see the toad?

A wide beam boat.

They are restricted as to which bridges they can pass through

Look at the reflection.

An almost perfect circle

  Have a look at the lovely products I have for sale on my Etsy site. 

magscreatesandmakes

Pennine Perfection

I had a walk along part of the Pennine Way last weekend from Alston to Garrigill. The scenery follows the South Tyne. It was tranquil and beautiful. The curlews and oyster catchers were calling and their song floated across the hills without any other man made noise to compete with.

The water in the South Tyne river is very peaty.

Fast flowing

In places there are large banks of shingle and the river diverts into small channels.

Rivulets in the South Tyne

The air quality is very good as there is lichen on the tree branches.

A tree smothered with lichen

Beautiful

Ferns are growing in the branches of this tree.

So many ferns

Moss covers the dry stone walls.

Green walls

The roots of this tree grow down the bank.

It is amazing how far down the bank the roots grow

Can you see a teddy bear in the tree trunk?

Bear with me

A view of the rolling hills with only a few isolated farms.

Rolling hills

An old farm gate.

How many people and animals have passed through this gate

Watercress in a stream.

The water needs to be flowing to make the watercress safe to eat

 A limestone enscarpement.

Giant pillars

Clouds over the moor.

How many rays can you count?

Snow on Cross Fell

I have made a wreath from small plant pots for the Artful Garden gate.

Jelly plate papers decorate the plant pots

The robin now has a nest made from what was pruned from the grape vines.

The nest is decorated with sheep's wool and willowherb seed heads

Spring and Sunhine

The weather is warming up and the birds are singing each morning and gathering material for their nests. I spent a long day in the Artful Garden starting to tidy it up. I am also busy restoring the artwork.

The snowdrops are beginning to fade.

Snowdrops in the orchard

The crocuses are now in flower. They always look their best when in a group.

Purple jewels with golden centres

The primroses are just coming into bloom.

Delicate primroses

The cardoon is starting to grow. I have decided what I am going to do with last years flower heads.

It is always amazing how high the cardoon grows in a year

Big Bird has new plumage.

Strut my stuff

The dragonflies are hanging from the apple tree.

Flying high

Baabaara has a new Arran outfit with matching headscarf.

Ewetiful

The Meeters and Greeters have had a makeover.

Hello there

Purple around Penrith for polio awareness day on 26 February.

Purple power

 A complete rainbow.

Several times we saw where the rainbow ended but there was no crock of gold