After last nights storm the air this morning was fresh and sweet., even the sky had a just washed look and I spent a happy hour between five and six thirty watching the world wake up to Eater morning. My son and I had breakfast and as he went off to bed I gave Pa a rousing “Good morning.” Not the first by an means and set about baking some bread. While I was waiting for the bread to rise something very odd happened. I was looking out in to the garden when I was suddenly aware of a very loud buzzing sound and looking up I saw a huge swarm of bees swirling around above the garden. They were honey bees and I am certain that they were from our hive in the lime tree. I was amazed to see this as bees do not , to my knowledge swarm this early in the year , I do hope that someone will correct me if I am wrong. We have a swarm of bees every year during mid June and I usually telephone a local bee-keeper to come and collect them, for which I receive a jar of honey.
I watched the swarm head off towards the wood where there are plenty old trees with holes in them , perfect for bees who are used to living in a tree house.
Bread made and breakfast over I went in to the garden to prick out some seedlings and pot on some lovely young basil, fennel. Dill and chive plants, the Russian tarragon too will soon be ready to plant out. The pumpkin bed needed some further digging , weeding and feeding with compost before the young plants go out, they like the ground to be well cultivated and are very greedy feeders, this also applies to courgettes and marrows. The plants are ready thanks to the fine weather but I shall leave them in the frame for a week of two yet. I would not normally plant them out until the end of may, this year however as they are so well grown I shall have to take a chance or they will become “leggy”.
The afternoon became sticky and I was soon tired and very hot so I grabbed my camera and took the buggy out for a spin. I have been intending to photograph the horse chestnuts and the cow-parsley all week and this afternoon with the sun shining it seemed the perfect time so off I went.
Here and there the elder-flowers are beginning to blossom which means that soon I shall be able to make our favourite elderflower and lemon cordial, mixed with fizzy mineral water this makes a very refreshing summer drink. The Rowan or Mountain Ash are also in full flower now and there promises to be a bumper crop of berries in the Autumn for my apple and Rowan jelly.
The woods, so bare and stark during the winter months are now in full leaf and all around the woods edge there is a sea of fabulous cow Parsley, or Queen Anne's Lace as we called it as children. This is such a favourite with me each umbrella shaped head is made up of masses of tiny creamy white flowers, the scent is amazing and en mass it is a wonder to behold.
Beyond the woods there are fields of butter cups, shiny gold and shimmering in the afternoon heat, the haunt of bees and butterflies. Cows do not like the taste of buttercups at all, they find them bitter and will graze around them.
This wonderful free show is there for all to see and yet every day people drive by without noticing all this splendour. These same people will pay good money to visit Kew gardens or Wisley while ignoring Spring time pouring out its very heart all around them. It makes me so sad to think what they are missing. It is without a doubt the greatest show on earth and all you need to know is where to look.
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