Up, up and away…..

Last week I discovered this beautiful little nest snuggled in our beech hedge. It rested in a crook of branches, made with a mossy base with the nest constructed on top. If you look carefully you can see some fluffy mounds at the front of the nest

I didn't want to get too close, but couldn't help myself but look inside the nest - three little chicks! I think they are blackbirds. I kept my eye on the nest over the next few days and then...

…. it was empty. All gone, fledged and flown away. What a beautiful little nest, constructed amongst other things, with some string the found in the garden.

On my dog walk I went to check how the frogspawn was doing, as I was afraid the warm weather last week had dried the puddle……. 

…..but although the puddle was smaller the tadpoles were growing. Must check again this week how they are doing.

I love this time of year, there is so much going on.

Spring on the farm.

We are so lucky where we live at the moment, and I will dearly miss this area when we move later in the year. We live on a working farm in a little cottage. We are not farmers, but we get to see the farming year at first hand, and I love this time of year when the young animals are born. A couple of days ago, we had a new foal born in the field behind our house…. just soooo cute!

Also we have lots of new lambs all around us.  Just look at the little triplets below, born on my friends farm just down the lane. 

 

I love to go and help bottle feed the orphans, and see how they grow. 

On a recent dog walk, Clara and I came across a muddy puddle full of frogspawn. 

We went back a couple of days later on another walk, and there were lots of tadpoles. We are hoping that the tadpoles grow up quickly before the puddle dries up!

The lanes are full of lovely spring flowers and the hedges and trees are beginning to bud and the leaves are coming out!

I love this time of year….. time to bring out my 'Spring' quilt again.

Thanks for dropping by.

Nature Walk

It was such a beautiful day here yesterday so, after doing the chores around the house and planting up  some seeds in the greenhouse, I took Beanie on a glorious walk in the sunshine. The photos follow our path from the house in a circular walk back home again - a bit of a nature trail.

First of all, a little lamb sleeping on our back doorstep. I'm supposing the step was nice and warm from the sun!

Then past the goose, which usually makes great hissing noises when Beanie and me walk by....

.... and on past the old railway bridge with the horses, ....

...past the ducks in the stream ...

... and the hens in the field....

.... through the wood....

..... along the lane, with primroses in the banks ....

... then past lots of sheep and lambs in the fields.

This slightly older lamb exploring the hay rack 'who me?'

This adorable lamb asleep in the sun.....

....and this one sunning itself.

I stopped to look at the view from the lane ....

...and then turned along another lane and looked to the view of our local fell ....

... and Beanie stopped for a drink in the stream.

More chickens at my friend A's farm...

.... then back to our garden with cherry blossom (and blue sky!)....

daffodils....

and bright daisy blooms by the front door.

The sun was so warm on my face, it was lovely - I really think spring has arrived now.