Reasons to be cheerful

Going for a walk this morning and coming across a woodland copse on a farmers land, ground covered in bluebells, and in a nice scrubby bit a Nightingale singing away :D :D :D :D :D
 
Today is dau's birthday. She's my only "child", and we were both a bit down in the dumps about not being able to celebrate. However. She was thinking of baking herself a cake, but needed some extra eggs. plus, she wanted to make doughnuts, but couldn't get yeast. I have lots of yeast, and chickens. So, we decided that she could come for collecting eggs & yeast, and we would have an outdoor socially distanced cup of celebratory tea. Then she decided to bring her boys, so they could see me, even if not have cuddles, or go in the house.

I hastily baked a birthday cake. Her childhood favourite, victoria sponge, layered with tinned peaches and whipped cream. And had a bag of little gifts for her. So, over they all came (husband came too, as he needed to get some strawberry plants), and we sat around the deck, and she was almost in tears when I brought out the cake. So, no hugs, no cuddles, but a lovely tiny celebration all the same. Made us all very happy! :) :)
 
Lovely Lady A, nice you could have a socially distanced celebration. Next year hopefully it can be a proper family day with cuddles :) :) :)
 
How lovely LadyA. No doubt they were chuffed to bits just to see you and vice versa. Must have been tough having to keep a distance, but at least it will be a memorable Birthday, even if it's not for the right reasons.
 
Now, here's a reason for me to be cheerful!
My husband was the one for doing the garden, except the vegetable garden. That was always my domain. But he would, literally, spend entire days outside, pottering about, tidying, mowing, etc. And it did look lovely. Since he became too ill and then died, though, the garden has just got on top of me. There's nearly an acre, with a large pen fenced off for the chickens, but because my husband planted trees, shrubs and hedges everywhere, it's a really awkward space to keep. No chance of using a ride on mower here. Things were gone very overgrown and untidy. And I'm usually so busy, I barely have time to run around with the lawnmower.

But now, it's starting to get in shape again. Because I'm home so much more! And it's made me realise that I really need to prioritise myself and my own things, and stop running around for other people quite so much! I'll have to just keep some time for doing things here. Obviously, the enormous leylandi hedge is still way too enormous. It's about four feet thick, and way too high, but I'm certainly not able to tackle that. We used to get a contractor with one of those big machines to do it, but since the house was built next door, we can't do that. It's in a really awkward spot to get at. If I had my way, I'd take it out altogether, and plant something easier to manage. However, my neighbours appreciate the shelter it gives them, because we live in such a windy area. But, other than the hedge, things are looking so much nicer outside. Yesterday (and will be today too) I've been tackling the hideous cleavers. Cleavers absolutely thrives here, unfortunately. I'm hoping that if I can get on top of it and keep it from seeding, then eventually, it won't be such a problem.
 
Cleavers, don't get me started, runs riot here, but on the plus side the chickens love it. It is like fine caviar in their book
Brings me up in an itchy rash if it touches me
 
Think it runs riot everywhere! Not helped by the so-called "buffer strip" at the bottom of my garden which is lovely with lots of trees, but also lots of cleaver, nettles and other weeds which spread through into the garden. It ought to be a wildlife haven with all sorts of rotting branches on the ground but difficult to do anything about and it isn't my responsibility anyway except that the other side of the hedge gets trimmed at my expense. Has a lovely crop of Parasol mushrooms in season but the bugs always get them before I do!
 
The Lyrid Meteor Shower the other night. Reminds me of how trivial human endeavour is in the greater scheme of things and that is vaguely comforting. Also comforting that it’s debris from a comet called Thatcher. I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere!
 
We got to see that as well, looking up at all the stars, makes you realise we are quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Isn't it nice to see the sky without planes and their lights, vapour trails everywhere.

OH had this picture on her weekly RSPB update, it is the latest Carneddau foal born at RSPB Conwy, named Enfys (rainbow) for obvious reasons
 

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bigyetiman said:
Cleavers, don't get me started, runs riot here, but on the plus side the chickens love it. It is like fine caviar in their book
Brings me up in an itchy rash if it touches me
Click to expand...

The chicken pen is the only area I don't have the stuff! And yet, if I offer them cleavers that I've pulled out, they turn their beaks up at it!
 
Gosh Lady A, mine fall upon it, like they haven't seen greens in a month or more.
Still I suppose they are like us and have different tastes, mine wouldn't touch a mushroom, yet a friends hens love them
 
My mother-in-law sent these poems to me this afternoon, care of Bournemouth U3A. Enjoy!
Apologies to Wordsworth...

I wandered lonely as a cloud.
Two metres from the madding crowd,
When all at once my name was called,
To enter Waitrose’ hallowed hall.
This was the pensioners’ special hour.
My wife said: “Buy a bag of flour”.
But I forgot, when through the door,
What I had gone to Waitrose for.
The Waitrose staff are very kind.
I told them it had slipped my mind.
They asked what else I had forgot
They clearly thought I’d lost the plot.
I phoned my wife again to ask.
She reminded me of this special task:
“I need some flour to bake a cake
With all that cream you made me take.”
“Ah yes, of course” I had to lie.
I dared not ask what flower to buy.
Then I saw them next to the tills
A bunch of golden daffodils!

and also...

A poem for today in the style of Pam Ayres

At last, we have a cure for all,
Ailments large and ailments small,
Good health is not beyond my reach
If I inject myself with bleach.

Radiant, I`ll prance along,
Every trace of limescale gone,
With disinfectant as my friend,
Like him, I`m clean around the bend.
 
Well here’s a reason to be cheerful. Up at the crack of dawn as I spotted my last ewe had started lambing at 5am. The daft mare has had quads, all footed and strong, all born naturally without human assistance. three ewe lambs and one ram lamb. So this years lambing percentage is 300%.
BUT
As you know I’m a bit of a genetics nerd. Completely defies all received knowledge because all four are Zwartbles coloured ie pied. This should not be. The understanding in the world of sheep colour genetics is clearly very rudimentary. Thank God for chickens! You know where you are with them, well mostly.
Anyway a mates coming soon to take the ram lamb for fostering and I’ll leave three lambs on their mother.
Needless to say cheerful is an understatement. Feels like I’m sucking a slice of melon! ?
And today is wall to wall sunshine. Thank you God!
 
Fantastic poems just what we need.
Well done Hen-Gen, fantastic percentage. Long may the feel good factor last
 
Aw, that's brilliant, Hen Gen! Well done, that ewe!

Some tentative cheer here, because last evening, our Govt. announced a "Five phase plan" for reopening the country. We remain in lockdown until May 18th. After that, it goes in three week phases, because, the Health Experts say, it will take a couple of weeks after the beginning of each phase to see if there's a resurgence of the virus in the community. In phase 1, outdoor workers can return to work so hopefully, my son in law can get his business going again, and re hire his workforce. Also, in phase 1, family members from different households can meet together in small groups outdoors, observing social distancing of course (Yay, picnics with dau & kids!) and "retailers which are primarily outdoor" i.e. garden centres etc. In the next phase in June, small retail outlets can open if they can implement social distancing measures. This is only retail outlets that have ground floor street access. Shops in enclosed shopping centres can't open until much later. Schools won't be reopening until September, although the Leaving Cert (our equivalent of A Levels) will be going ahead during the Summer, once they figure out how to do it safely.

Of course, all this does depend on the virus not resurging. If it does, everything will be closed down again. They are still debating the value of masks for going out in public, for general use. Just in case, I am making several triple layered, washable masks. Although the surgical type papery masks are fairly widely available, if it does come in that we need masks, I thought it better to leave those to people who can't make their own.

Meanwhile, it's a Bank Holiday weekend, and the police are out in force making sure people are not going outside their 2km limit unless for essential travel, etc.
 
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