Early Spring In Our Garden — observed from our windows and doors.

Early Spring In Our Garden — observed from our windows and doors.

Since this blog is called, “Writing For Joy,” it might be thought that , since I have written nothing here for about six months, there has been little joy in my life! However, I do have other blogs and my wordpress ‘Wrinkly Writers’ blog has gained more attention from my ‘pen’ lately. During this last six months I have reached the age of eighty and we have also celebrated our sixty years of marriage. PLUS we are now blessed with a great-grandchild. And on Boxing Day we actually had our immediate family altogether in one place — here! This is rare as my eldest son works on an oil rigg half his time.

The problem of getting family together for celebrations became clear when we celebrated our Diamond Wedding (Spring Day).  We have had four mini-celebrations. Four of our grandchildren had been unable to get to any of them. So I guess we will take them out for a meal one by one the next time they visit. Such is the scattering of family these days.

There has been sadness too with the death of a childhood friend. Sadness is an inevitable part of life the older you get and outlive ones you love or simply admire. But joy comes when the clouds break and the sunshine of the joy of living breaks through once more.

Now, after all the snow, rain and cold weather, spring has truly arrived. Flowers burst from their buds and open their petals to the warmth of the sun. The buzzing of bees work their magic of producing honey and fertilizing growing crops. Nature’s healing is taking place. More cause for celebration!

These are photographs taken of our garden. The shrubs are just beginning to blossom and it will go on throughout the year. I have no jewelry or gold (except my wedding ring and a locket my hubby gave me 60 years ago), Loved ones and my garden are more precious than gold and silver, and jewelry that has to be hidden from thieves.

Other things too still give me much pleasure. Holding in my hand the first book I had in print (When Phones Were Immobile and Lived in RED BOXES.) Then the novels. A word of appreciation, either spoken or written, of my literary efforts. And little things…

Spring Has Arrived!

We returned from a four night break (part of it visiting Derbyshire where we had our honeymoon 59 years ago) and found that spring had truly sprung in our garden!
While we were away we visited lovely places — Carsington Reservoir, Belper Riverside gardens, Buxton Park, Monsel Trail, Attenborough Nature Reserve, Wollaton Park, Chatsworth Garden Centre. Adding up the miles we did a fair bit of walking for a pair of wrinklies.

The weather could not have been better. Not too hot and not too bright. Now we are in bright sunshine, bad for my eyes but lovely to see everyone looking so cheerful. And it is really great to see our garden blossoming, even if we do have a serious problem with sooty mould to deal with!

Suddenly It's Spring

Well, it is all happening now. Flowers coming out, buds busting, some trees in blossom and, on the down side, grass needing mowing and borders weeding. Our little friends are doing mischief. Mischief? Well, the squirrels are nipping buds off the daffodils. A bunny popping into the garden nibbles what he fancies. And birds peck off the primrose flowers. Unfortunately, black sooty mould completely covers one of our large Debbie camellias. Plenty more though of different varieties. Other shrubs yet to bloom - their beauty to delight us throughout the year until winter arrives. Even then, winter jasmine, snowdrops and bright berries to cheer us up.
It's uplifting to hear the dawn chorus, to see birds building nests, and have them coming to their feeding stations — the tits drop many seeds on the ground, feeding the blackbirds and white pigeons which gather there. And now the return of a pair of woodpeckers, and many other birds, brighten our day.
Bees are buzzing around the flowers, especially the heathers. So good to see them busy in the garden. News reports seem to suggest that bees are dying out, but there is no shortage in our garden.

Yes, spring is here and summer not far behind