Good as New!

Last weekend we started gardening properly for the first time this year. The weather was actually really pleasant on Saturday morning. It was fantastic to feel the breeze on your face and the sun on your back.

We are supposed to be in the middle of Spring, and we got a little bit carried away and put the washing outside to dry, just in time for it to rain on it again.

It was great to cut some of the lawn for the first time and tidy around a bit. The winter takes a heavy toll and by this time of the year we get fed up with the untidiness of everything.

Each year we spend one day taking everything out of the greenhouse and washing it inside and out. This helps to keep the mould at bay and ensure that nothing rotten remains. Once cleaned it is almost as good as new and now the windows let in the maximum amount of light, helping the young seedlings to grow properly. We don’t get a lot of sunlight so we need to make the most of it.

Moving the pots about usually disturbs a few winter residents but this year we found little to worry about as most of the wildlife has moved out and back into the pond. Just one large frog lingered on beyond his welcome.

Tuesday and Wednesday too were beautiful days. The sun shone brightly amidst a light blue sky. It really felt good.

Real cauliflower

I am so impressed with my winter greens. Last time I grew cauliflower or broccoli the caterpillars took over and ate most of them. But this year I have actually managed to grow real specimens that are almost ready. I have posted a picture of the evidence. It was worth planting over winter after all, despite the frost killing most of the vegetables I planted.

The Irises are growing in time for the budget

The budget was a classic in incompetence.  

The chancellor spent several hours last week explaining what he was changing with his party cheering on behind, only for him to come back a week later and undo some of it. You would think with so many people involved and the world looking on that they would at least agree it amongst themselves before they announce it.

Whilst you may or may not agree with a particular party’s views, you would expect the government to at least plan it and execute it correctly.

It makes our government look very half soaked, and leaves you wondering what sort of mess we will make of BREXIT.

It's back!

Having been to Poland last week I came home to a wonderful surprise.

I thought that the Amaryllis that I featured in previous weeks was done and dusted for this year and let it shrivel back to the bulb. However, it sneakily grew another stem and to my amazement started to flower again. Isn’t nature fantastic?

No pound picture - but this is more beautiful

We are about to get a new model pound coin. By the end of the month – 28^th March - the old circular model will stop being produced and a new 12-sided one will be produced instead.

The existing coins will continue to be legal tender until 15^th October 2017. So anyone with a piggy-bank or change draw full of coins, count out the old ones and get rid of them.

Apparently 45 million of the existing £1 coins are fake, (3% of those in circulation). The new coin is designed to be much harder to copy due to a new patented high security feature.

The circular pounds have been in existence since 1983 so it will be the end of another era. Supermarkets trolleys will accept both, but you have to feel for the vending machine providers who yet again have to change their coin mechanisms to support a new coin. Changing coins must cost the industry a small fortune each time we do it.

I read a terrifying statistic this week about the damage that mink have done to our native species. I knew they had impacted our wildlife but I didn’t realise that they had reduced the water vole population by 90%. We don’t see as many as we once did but I can see why they are so unpopular.

Thankfully there is now evidence that otters, which are native, are fighting back and displacing the mink. In a battle between the species otters apparently win out. We are now supposed to have otters in every county in the country so there is hope yet.

Pulmonaria - makes me happy!

A recent scientific study has deduced that the more wildlife you see, the more you reduce the amount of stress, anxiety and depression in your life. Seeing birds in particular is supposed to be good for you.

For some of us this is probably not a huge surprise and we are already feeling some the benefits of this regular therapy.

Our cats continue to do their best to nullify this feeling of elation by bringing the wildlife a little too close to home, and usually slightly less alive than we would like.

But if you want to feel better you know what you need to do – go out and look for birds.

To some of you that probably suggests a licence to stalk – you know who you are!

Out of the Blue - ELO

This week I can recommend the film, The 33. It tells the story of the mining incident in Chile that happened a few years ago. It gives you a good idea of the events that took place and the efforts people went to.

In the future, I am sure that there will be a sensory aspect to films that will provide the smell of them. I am not sure with this one that you would really want it.

Secondly, I also saw a film about Harry Potter become a White Supremacist. Imperium is a true story of racism in the US starring Harry Potter. It is interesting to see quite how bigoted people are.

Finally, a study has revealed that the number 1 feel good song of all time is “Mr Blue Sky” by ELO. I am sure that this is probably pretty contentious but have a watch and see what you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhFy4qZ0ah8

Have a great weekend!

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