Like many others we had snow at the weekend.
Garden on Saturday
Overnight a lot more snow fell and it snowed most of Sunday morning.
It really does turn gardens into a Winter Wonderland.
Last week before the snow I went a wander round the garden looking for plants in flower.
Winter Jasmine flowers and so does Bergenia
Periwinkle
Primulas and Wild Primroses
The camellia has a few buds.
Turkey Tail fungi are forming again on an eucalyptus stump.
Books
The latest Wesley Peterson book was a good read. I do like the way Kate Ellis blends crime with archaelogy.
Murder at Redmire Hall I read very quickly. I am really enjoying this series.
When we were in Oxford a few years ago for a Tolkien Exhibition we had lunch in a canalside pub in nearby Kidlington which was full of Inspector Morse memorabilia. I've been meaning to try the Colin Dexter novels ever since (I never watched the tv series). I enjoyed the first - good old fashioned policing.
I really wanted Orchard and it was a surprise Christmas Present from D. It relates the story of a year in a traditional, organic orchard in Herefordshire. It is very well written and researched and the amount of wildlife to be found in this orchard is just astounding. A super book and highly recommended.
For my birthday last month D treated me to membership of the National Churches Trust and this book was part of the package. As it is impossible to go church crawling at the moment or even to visit churchyards unless very local this book was a bonus and thoroughly enjoyed.
This and That
With lockdown 3 E is at home again (a huge relief!!) and she made this Coffee and Praline Hazelnut sponge - a Mary Berry recipe.
D had this vegetarian cook book for his birthday. I've never really been a fan of Jamie Oliver to be honest but this book has some excellent recipes including a tasty Cauliflower, Cashew and Paneer Tikka Masala.
To try and fill the hours we have been playing family board games and completing jigsaws.
Even with the cold weather there are still not a great many birds coming to the feeders. Although one day last week a Sparrowhawk suddenly burst from behind the whitebeam tree, flew along the hedge and ended up perched on the feeding station! He was unsuccesful on that occasion. Earlier today I saw him fly into the same tree for a few minutes. I will be taking part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend and hope there will be more birds around! Perhaps for a change this year I will get more birds rather than the opposite!
I hope everyone is staying safe and well in these challenging and worrying times.
Tikka masala photo by D. Rest of photos by me taken with the Pansonic FZ330 bridge camera.
