Monday, March 24, 2014

A frosty morning



I'm just enjoying a well-earned coffee and chocolate break before heading off to the Alzheimer's Research Conference in the beautiful city of Oxford. My camera is fully charged and ready to snap away.


There's just time to post some photos from this morning, and what a beautiful morning it was too. All frosty first thing then bright sunshine.

When I drew the blinds in the lounge this morning I loved the scene that greeted me. Mrs duck asleep in the pottery birdbath I made, Mr duck standing guard and the new pheasant digging in the stones.


The pheasant is an unusual colour as you can see here when compared with another female. I think she must be the female version of the really dark green and black ones I've seen recently.


The frost makes things look so pretty. The leaves of this foxglove look as if they're silver.


Whilst the emerging leaves of this Brunnera 'Jack Frost' live up to their name without the help of any real frost!


As the sun rose it highlighted this Cornus 'Midwinter fire' beautifully. This is a variety which is not hard-pruned in the Spring as it sulks and doesn't grow as well if you do.


My run this morning was heavenly - mostly off-road. This new-born lamb was boinging all over the place. They are Soay sheep and are sometimes mistaken for small goats. It's most unusual to find 3 small flocks within .5 mile from our house.


The hedgerows are full of such beautiful wild flowers which I always refer to by their common names rather than their latin names as they are so descriptive:

Star flowers
Dog violets
Wood anemones - one of my favourites



Upon my return I was greeted by 2 sleepy ducks. I've named these 2 boys Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee.


Then all that was left to do was finish off my guilt baking; that is, making Mike lots of lovely things to eat whilst I'm away gallivanting in Oxford!

Cheese and onion bread - it's yummy!
Last night I started joining my african flower motifs together and they are coming with me for any quiet moments when I'm back in my room.


No comments: