Lazy Summer's Afternoon . . .

I love my garden . . .

Sorry, I couldn't bear to leave any out . . .

Soft, refreshing rain . . .

Isn't it wonderful how a little bit of rain can make such a difference in the garden? All of a sudden the flowers in our back garden look a whole lot perkier. Refreshment from above; so much better than from a watering can.

Lovely blowzy pansies . . . and their more delicate cousins, the viola

The clematis has suddenly started to lift it's head again . . .

. . . and even the bees are buzzing with renewed energy.

Who's a lucky girl then? . . .

See what I found on the breakfast table this morning!

A gift from Number One Son . . . and gifts arrived in the post from the other end of the globe (Manchester!) from Number Two Son - TGF Amazon!

Even the Pater Familias left me something as he's also away. Who's a lucky Mum then?

As I was taking photos of the flowers above, I couldn't resist a snap of these lovely daffs too - Ooh, you can' t beat a bunch of daffs at this time of year- nothing like it to cheer you up after a long, miserable winter.

And . . . even as I type, Number One Son is preparing supper for the two of us - TGF M&S!

Now, if I'm quieter than usual in the next few days, you'll know why . . . I'll be busy counting my blessings - and they are manifold (to use a good old-fashioned Biblical expression).

Roll on Spring!

I was getting fed up with the picture of the snow at the top of my blog. It was making me feel depressed every time I looked at it and I was sitting shivering at my keyboard!

The new picture was taken at Alderley Edge in Cheshire a couple of years ago, at around this time of year - probably about 3 weeks later in the year. Actually yesterday was a lovely sunny day here and I was hoping to take a few photos for the blog but didn't manage to fit it in after all.

Looking around the garden now that the snow has gone, there are signs of life - lots of bulbs appearing. I love this time of year when we begin to see the new growth after a long, grey winter.

Among the earliest bulbs to flower in our garden are a little clump of daffodils right by the front door. It really cheers you up when you put your key in the door. They are always out well before St David's Day. Here's a photo taken in February last year.

Ooh, I love flowers . . .

I've just received these beautiful photos from Sr Anastasia. Aren't they just amazing?



Mind you, we do have our own Carpet of Flowers each year, a bit closer to home - Arundel Cathedral on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly . . .

Lavender's blue . . . Oh, I don't know, I'd say it was more purple.

I had a feeling this lavender bush in front of the house was going to put on a good show this year. I think I managed to cut it back at just the right time . . . for a change.

Here's another purple plant that's doing well in our garden this year. We had three clematises (what is the plural of clematis?) on this particular fence and we seem to have lost two over the winter . . . poor John Paul II (the clematis, not the Pope!) and a small-flowered late-flowering variety that I've forgotten the name of. Still at least this Jackmanii is making good use of the extra space without any competition this year. I shall have fun choosing a replacement or two.

Contrasts . . .

I'm really pleased that I managed to get to Rosary and Benediction this afternoon. It was a lovely prayerful time in a solemn looking church as all the statues and the large crucifix are now veiled in purple cloth. I'm so glad we still practice this in our parish. It makes Passiontide so much more 'real' somehow.

What a contrast to yesterday. There was a wedding in the parish and the church was overflowing with beautiful flowers; in the sanctuary, at the foot of every statue and on the pew ends. Quite right too, of course. The florists did an amazing job having just a small 'window' in which to transform our Lenten church into a splendidly joyful one and back again in just a few hours. It did make the contrast all the more obvious.

I must say I was a little bit anxious at Mass this morning when one of our young altar servers placed his candle a little too near one of the veiled statues for my liking. I'm sure it was perfectly safe but I could just imagine Our Lady suddenly being veiled with a fire blanket rather than the purple cloth!

Don't you just love the garden on a sunny day?

I really enjoy taking photos of flowers, especially at this time of year. They are so obliging; unlike people, they stand still (more or less) and pose nicely for you without looking awkward. I think Spring is my favourite season but for me, all four seasons have their own particular merits. I wouldn't want to live in a country that has sunshine all year round. That may sound strange to some people but I think that Spring is all the more special because it follows the contrasts of Winter and the changing seasons have a beauty all of their own.

There's something very special about seeing the first signs of new growth after weeks of cold weather when the garden looks barren. As the days lengthen and we see and feel the benefit of more hours of sunshine, so we see more and more colour in the garden. It's a gradual process and the big blowsy blooms of summer would not seem right in the weaker sunshine of a Spring day.