Finally, it seems that Spring is here to stay! We have had a few lovely warm days and the sun has been very welcome! Sunny days give us a spring in our step and motivate us into action!
The garden is looking lovely with an array of Spring bulbs now in bloom. We have daffodils lining the drive on each side and narcissi, pink hyacinths, purple fritillaria and blue grape hyacinths. There are also quite a few pale yellow primroses here and there. Clumps of dainty wood anemones have suddenly appeared in the lane, replacing the snowdrops now all faded away till next year.
Trees are budding up and hedges are growing fresh green leaves, finally. I am looking forward to seeing lots of blossom everywhere but we are a few weeks off that, it seems.
In the potager, we have broad beans and garlic that have overwintered. We planted our seed potatoes out at the weekend. Our sunroom is transformed into a plant nursery at the moment with seedlings growing in propagators on the window sills. We have tomatoes, peppers, onion, leek, brussels sprouts, marigolds and sweet peas sprouting up there in their trays or little pots. There is plenty more sowing to do as and when space and warmer temperatures allow.
Our hens are gifting us with lots of lovely fresh eggs, producing around 20-22 eggs a week between the four of them. As well as making cakes, omelettes, quiches and scrambled eggs, I have had a go at making a batch of pickled eggs.
Last weekend, our Welsh Mountain ewe gave birth to two beautiful ram lambs who are growing fast! They are little characters already, skipping, bouncing, running about the field. Our two Shetland ewes are due to lamb early May so we are looking forward to some new lambs next month too. Is there a more evocative image of the delight of nature in the Spring than lively, playful lambs in the field? They certainly add to the joys of smallholding life at springtime.
