Sprung

Spring has truly sprung.
It was so deliciously warm yesterday I decided to do a circuit of my garden with my book. Now, it's only a tiny garden, but the circuit starts at the swing seat, until that's fully in shade, then move over to the bench until the sun starts to make me melt. Then it's back to the house to pick up the blanket I forgot to bring out earlier. Lay down the blanket, prop self up on elbows and delve further into book. At this point Mifford lays against me, where she stays until too hot to even touch, at which point she moves to the shade, then once cooled, it's back to the sun.

I've said it time and again but daisies are my favourite flower. Look at that happy face, petals still unfurling. Makes you smile eh?

That's my vegetable patch. Isn't it wee! I can't tell you how those seedlings excite me.

So, whilst daisies are my favourite, there is something about pansies that make me happy. I have pots of them outside my front door, I swear each and every flower smiles to the sun. In fact they smile at the rain too, they have this joie de vivre about them.

And.... I just don't believe anyone couldn't love daffodils.
Even my sister likes them and I told her they were edible, so she ate a whole one. She wasn't well. I wasn't popular.

The sun was out again today and I decided it was time to hit the countryside on my doorstep. It's a funny thing, I really enjoy walking alone, there's something about setting your own pace, stopping whenever you want without worrying about holding up someone else or a whole group, but there's that concern that you're out in the sticks on your own and that is somehow dangerous.
The world as it is today, is dangerous - not that it hasn't always been. It's not as if murder and rape are new crimes, but we are infinitely more aware of it and there were moments as I walked and didn't pass a single other person that I felt vulnerable. But what are we to do? Stay home, just in case? I don't feel like I can do that, besides which, to be honest I was most scared of this cow:

That one on the left, I think there's evil in its eyes.

It was so incredibly pretty out there, all the spring bulbs having pushed their way through, I only wish I'd taken a proper camera.

The wild garlic is out - so I'm going to go back and harvest a little at some point as I have a recipe for wild garlic pesto. And I do so adore pesto. The idea of a wild garlic version just sounds delicious.
I'm actually really interested in the idea of foraging, I've been sitting with my copy of Food For Free by Richard Mabey and the idea of finding edible leaves right here on my doorstep, wild and free is fascinating. It also seems like a great way to learn more about the flora. I recognise the fauna, having stood quietly on a path and watching a hare potter about in a field, hopping this way and that. There were also so many wonderful birds singing from the skies and trees. I don't think I ever tire of the sound of the skylark, or in fact of the sight of goldfinches flitting from here to there and back again.
So, I recognise the birds and animals well enough, but the plants? Not so much, what's edible? What's going to make me ill? No clue beyond the obvious things that everyone knows. I wonder if there are foragers in my area... time for some investigation I think...