Springing into the rabbit 🐇 warren
More like drowning in the otter 🦦 holt
Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party’ - Robin Williams
Late again. So, an eclectic mix of bits and pieces this Friday morning. As I write this Substack, it is the first day of Spring. One thing you can guarantee in the UK is the weather. It does not do what it is supposed to do. Outside, the temperature has dropped again. It has been up and down like a yo-yo 🪀 over the last few weeks. I am fed up with the jumper changes and considering how many layers I should wear each day. I am relieved I haven't decluttered my wardrobe and thrown out any old jumpers.
Nonetheless, I feel a happy bunny this morning. Why, you may wonder? So do I. Some days, I wake up with Humphrey and Bonnie bouncing around the room. I drag myself and then Mildred out of bed. I mutter to myself on the way down the stairs, tripping over one of them at the bottom, normally Bonnie, as they want breakfast first. There is no chance their cruel owner forces them out for their comfort breaks. Only then do I give them breakfast, still muttering under my breath. Each of them has a different diet.
On other days, I am awake before them, feeling full of the joys of Spring, like this morning. Well, it is Spring, after all. If you look out the window, it's not. I even had to wake Humphrey up. Not Mildred, she grumbles at you; she's not a morning dog.
Changing tack,
has inspired me to get cracking in the gardens. There are two bits: one small patio area, which is my own and the big communal garden. There is no formal arrangement for gardening in the communal part, but it works. It is beautiful with different areas. At the moment, it is too muddy for a gardener with a crutch as some areas are very steep and a bit muddy. But I do need to work on the lawn. The dogs have been using it more while we have been confined to barracks. Humphrey has big paws. I am forever pressing the grass back into place with my foot or crutch. I want to change my area so I can sit out in the sun. I now know what plants there are, the ones I want to save, and those I do not mind being collateral damage. I have two plans in my head of what I want to do. The first is for when I win the lottery and get someone in to do it. Then there is the life in the real world and a small budget. But procrastination is getting in the way. I need to measure it first. It's about 8m x 10m, a total guess. It's not too big but big enough to provide colour and somewhere to sit in the sun. But I need to keep the dogs in. They are allowed in the communal garden, but I know they are big and boisterous, so they are only out under my supervision. Mildred is only on the lead, partly due to her health and partly because she disappears into the churchyard for her comfort break.I did manage to take Humphrey to the field yesterday. We've had a few drier days, so the entrance was manageable and not flooded. The amount of mud was incredible. Unfortunately, it was a false start, as poor Humphrey hurt his paw. It has eased today, so the vet's appointment is avoided for the moment. I will review it on Monday. It does mean lead walks for a few days. But looking at the weather, the field entrance will be flooded again.
The 1st of March being the first day of Spring means better weather is on the way here in the UK. Maybe we can realistically hope for better, warmer days to come. Nature resurfaces winter, birds have gone, and swallows begin to appear. One of my favourite sounds is the first cuckoo. I love the vivid greens of the new leaves on the trees and the blossoms appearing. I can almost feel it despite the wind blowing the dead leaves around and the rain against the window. Even if the polar vortex does its bit as forecasted, we are on the home run to warmer weather.
What is your favourite part of Spring?
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Yo yo weather is an event here, too, these days. I went from being too hot and leaving the door open, to freezing cold and rain pouring down within 30 minutes. The forecast was 62 F, but my car thermometer said 72 F. I love the new colors of spring! Here it seems like we've got all 4 seasons going at once. Still some leaves blowing around, bare limbed trees that emanate winter, lovely blooms all around and spells of hot sun.
We are on a corner lot and have a largish yard. Hubby wanted lawn. He never got in the rhythm and now lives elsewhere, so I am stuck with an unkempt yard. I have always wanted to change it to native and/or drought resistant plants and shrubs, but, like you, I'd need to win the lottery. Then I think of the money I spend intermittently hiring a gardener. Which is cheaper in the long run?