February Already

Well here we are in February, and I must say the weather has been very unsettled indeed. Today it's absolutely wild outside - very blowy, wet and so, so cold. I just can't seem to get warm. On Saturday it blew a gale and bucketed down all day, creating little rivulets of water and giant puddles across roads and in fields. Some of our fence panels blew down and trees everywhere are being lashed and buffeted by the wind. This is the month when most of the daffodils flower in these parts, and they are so welcome. There have been a couple in bloom in our garden, but I have been enjoying them already in bunches from the shops on our dining room table. Aren't these pale ones pretty?

 January seemed to fly by so quickly that I now realise I didn't show you this year's calendar. I make one every year on-line from the photos that I take in the preceding year. Here's January's page.

And now February's.

 P and I went to buy vegetables at our local farm shop this weekend and, feeling very damp and windswept afterwards, we decided to visit their lovely cafe. I took a photo of the gorgeous cafe lighting which always lifts my spirits. Isn't it sparkly, and not at all what you'd expect in a farm shop?

I especially like the giant dandelion clocks.

We had a rather naughty (in my case) cake and coffee there. I haven't been to the gym for almost two weeks as I managed to catch a fluey bug/cold and ended up being ill over last weekend and a good deal of last week. I got through a lot of tissues and many cups of tea, and I'm still full of cold.

After several achey days in bed and on the sofa, blowing my nose and trying to sleep, I got back to work again, and was pleased to go on a school trip which is my favourite of all work trips - a poetry conference. It's the third time I've been and students get to see poets whose poems are on the GCSE syllabus reading and answering questions about their poems in the flesh. Listening to them read their work and talk about the process of writing was so inspiring, and I had a lovely day. The students enjoyed it too.
Creatively I didn't do a great deal last week. I picked up my knitting a few times, but didn't have enough oomph, although my scarf is nearing the end now. I did, however, finish crocheting this little basket from the last skein of hand-dyed and spun wool which I'd ordered at the same time as the wool I used in my last post.

I love the soft shades of mauve and green together.

In the house my bulbs are blooming beautifully. The pink hyacinths are so fragrant in the kitchen.

And the little pots of tete-a-tete daffodils have been a delight. This one produced a ten-petalled flower whilst all the others had six.

This gorgeous red tulip has flowered too. Its goblet-shaped bloom sits above graceful leaves, and shiny brown bulbs.

Before I leave you, I thought I'd let you know how my Big Bird Watch went last weekend. I wasn't feeling very well, so watched them for an hour from inside the house on a cold, sunny Saturday afternoon. Here is the grand total of birds who visited the feeders: 1 starling. Yes, one single starling. The next day I tried again. It was wet and windy and I had a slightly better success-rate: 4 starlings and a wood-pigeon. Later in the week I popped into the back garden for 5 minutes and saw: 1 robin, 2 blue tits, 1 blackbird, 2 collared doves and a sparrow - where were they when I needed them? Oh well, better luck next year.

I did manage to take some photos of a starling which I was happy with.

I do love their chattering nature and glossy, iridescent plumage.

Finally I'll share this book with you. I bought it last week and have the crochet version already. I'm definitely looking forward to starting one of its small projects as soon as my scarf is done.

Have a good week all x