Spring goeth all in white”as some poet or another said, it seems to me that there is a good deal of yellow about too. I have been asked to bake a cake for a friend of my son's who is having his birthday party here tomorrow as indeed do most of the dungeoneers, a lemon cake was requested and in homage to spring I have baked a lemon primrose cake. It has been a tradition in our family for years that this cake is baked as soon as the primroses begin to flower so it seemed a good opportunity. The lemon curd was made earlier in the week so today I made a very quick all in one sponge sandwich, filled it with lemon curd and butter cream and then topped it off with lemon water icing made with both the rind and the juice of the lemons. By tomorrow the whole cake will be infused with the luscious lemony taste and just before the guests arrive I shall decorate the cake with fresh primroses from the orchard. I love making this cake as it is one of the landmarks of the year. And a sure sign that spring is really here.
At the other end of the lane which runs past our cottage there is a stand of ten beautiful copper beech trees and I observed this morning that their buds are breaking open , they are a lovely shade of pink at the moment but that will soon change as the leaves open to a deep copper colour. You may remember in some of my photographs last autumn the wonderful carpet of golden leaves, these were from these same trees. They are a joy at any time of year and I am hard pressed to decide which I love most, the beeches or my adored lime trees, then of course there are the horse chestnuts with their amazing spires of ivory and pink flowers..............it's no use I just love them all.
The day was so warm that we worked outside without sweaters or fleeces and what a treat it was. I hate wearing lots of heavy clothes the weight of them tires me out and I like to feel free. So far the midges have left me alone and that is something which I hope will last. They are as it were the serpents in my little Eden. We garden are in a sort of clearing and surrounded by tall trees, much as our earliest ancestors would have done and it certainly has its benefits. It also has lots and lots of midges, on summer evenings it is necessary to burn citronella of some other incense to keep these little terrors at bay. Ten minutes of unprotected gardening can lead to many nights of itching , I have tried most of the proprietary creams, lotions and spray but even the jungle strength ones do not deter these blood thirsty little menaces. For the moment however they are behaving themselves , long may it remain so.
Dinner this evening was gammon with fried eggs and chips, an easy meal to prepare as I am never quite sure what time my son will arrive home on his game days. We also had some scones still warm from the oven with clotted cream and home made strawberry jam the supply of which is dwindling rapidly, I do hope it lasts until the new strawberries are ready, my name will be Mudd if not!
Now that the evenings are so much lighter it is possible to spend a little time after dinner in the garden , just sitting and watching the birds and squirrels going about their busy lives. Just now a finger of bright evening sunlight is catching the tops of the trees and gilding the windows of houses in the distance. Across the lane a pair of collared doves are picking and pecking among the gravel stopping occasionally to bob their heads to each other,they are such pretty birds, smaller that our wood pigeons, it is lovely to hear them cooing to each other, such a gentle sleepy sound.
The small shaft of light has now become a brilliant swath cutting across the green and lighting everything with a golden glow, a light breeze is stirring the willows and in the distance there is the sound of children, happy and excited as they run after a small white dog. Soon now I shall take one last stroll in the orchard and as the light fades my little cat and I will curl up , tired but happy, I with a cup of coffee and she sleepy having feasted on some of yesterdays cold chicken.
It has been a lovely day, such days are a blessing for which I am more thankful than I can say.
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