We have lost hours just hanging out in the garden with our buckets, trowels and fishing nets, even in the rain. Our pond is so big (and dangerous), but it provides so many interesting opportunities to explore nature. A few weeks ago the frogs came to visit and you have loved seeing the frog spawn floating on the surface of the pond. We donated some to pre school and you have been learning what it is, expanding your vocabulary in ways I never imagined. Today you helped me by fishing out the buds from the pussy willow and tipping them into a bucket.
In your daddy’s arms is where you like to spend your time. He carries you round in the crook of his arm, and even has you sitting on his knee whilst he eats his dinner (one handed.) You two are bestest palls, he knows how to settle you and gives you a thousand kisses a day. When you smile your whole face lights up and your dummy just drops to the floor as every muscle extends into a gummy grin. Your happy disposition amazes us, you rarely fuss or complain you are just contented and we feel so lucky. You are now gently settling into 3 nap times during the day and we are trying to put you down in your cot so you can get used to your own room. Admittedly, at night we miss you when you aren’t snuggled up next to us in bed, but you soon return for your food.
Ah my little Evie you are so different to how I remember your brother I can hardly believe it. It reminds me how amazing nature is, all the endless possibilities that arise for character and temperament. They are right when they say no two babies are the same. You just love to sit up or be on your tummy, spreading out your arms and legs and determinedly holding your chest and head high. This week I felt the winds of change, you will no doubt be on the move in a month or two. Can it really already be time for you to start practicing those first moment of independence? You’re already grabbing for things and playing with your hands with purpose, what will be next?
Just as I was celebrating things returning to normal after the sickness bug, you managed to get conjunctivitis and pass it on to your sister. You have hated the eye drops and together with a bad cough, you have been rather irritable. No pre school and no trips out it’s not a surprise that we’ve been going a tad stir crazy with only the garden to explore. However this week you have been singing songs for the first time, you’ve started showing an interest over the last few weeks (in the past you shouted NO whenever I even started to sing a nursery rhyme!) This week we’ve had bob the builder on repeat and you love to say the words you know the incy wincy spider. Our battle to get you dressed continues but now you have decided you have a preference over what you wear, thes “botty jamma’s” are a favourite of yours.
We’ve been pottering about in the garden almost daily, peeking at the seeds to see if any have sprouted and keeping a check on the water levels. We’ve even had our first bbq, although we had to eat off a rickety old pasting table as we’ve not got a garden table at the moment. The above picture shows the progress I’ve made since Christmas on the front garden bed, the new trellace adds some much needed height and I must admit I’m pretty pleased with it.
You my darling are the only one who hasn’t been sick this week, you’re the smallest but clearly the strongest! Yesterday we spent time relaxing in the back garden for the first time, taking in the bright sunshine. We laid you out in front of us to try and stop the sun from getting in your eyes and you were happy to taking in the changes in light and the variety of noises. It’s Spring and it has coincided with your awakening, from a sleepy newborn bundle all cuddled up inside, to a baby adventuring out of her own cocoon more and more.
My new hellebores have flowered, I’m so pleased with them but the front garden bed is still looking very sparse. Just a mass of stony soil and a few fledgling weeds. It literally has 2 hellebore’s a viburnum and some new bulbs that are yet to flower. There are signs of my alliums and the tulips but this area still needs some serious work. Around the front of the house I have various daffodils almost in bloom and and a rose which has so much new growth already. There’s also these bushy shrubs in clumps which I’m still yet to work out what they are… (They’re the purple and green leaved things beneath the daffodil stalks) Any ideas?
In a dangerous move, I recently discovered our local market has a garden stall and it happens to be on when I am toddler free just before baby bounce at the library. I can see buying things there becoming a bit of a weekly treat. Last week I bought a lovely Spinach plant for £1.70 and 6 
Indoors there is gardening action too. I forgot to mention it was my birthday during half term (it went by in quite a blur), but I was very happy to receive a subscription to Gardeners World and a new gardening journal from my husband and a lovely seed kit from my sister. After one week on the kitchen windowsill the seeds had already sprouted and now at 2 weeks they are positively thriving. I think maybe I should thin them out… What do you think? Don’t ask me what they are, I threw away the packaging so I shall get a lovely surprise when they flower. The roses were a gift from my husband, I love the way the light of the window washes them with with subtle colour. And finally, I’ve been able to use my beautiful plant labels as I planted out my peas, they were a present from my husband at Christmas.
We have been in the kitchen this week making a mess, perhaps even a little more mess than I imagined. Throwing together some banana muffins, we weighed out the ingredients and then you poured them into the mixing bowl. The … Continue reading
April Flowers
April 10, 2014 by Jenni Clutten | 5 Comments
Hurrah, the garden beds are finally filling out with lush foliage. Tulips galore in beautiful reds and purples as well as blossom and new leaves sprouting on all the trees. Here’s a snap shot of our April garden, including some nettles as well as a few unknown flowers, and possibly some pretty weeds…
It’s been a hectic first week of the Easter holidays, we’ve taken spring cleaning to whole new level and finally started to put our own stamp on the house with some paint, wallpaper and there’s still more to do!
Then in the side garden, there’s a newly painted fence, the loganberry showing the first signs of flowers and sweet william’s reaching out towards the sky. I scattered some old rocket seeds, just to clear out the seed box and they’ve come up unexpectedly strong. I’ll have to divide and grow them on now, Neil tells me that slugs don’t like rocket so that’s always a good sign.
I admit I do love how organic the rocks and plants are looking. The big garden bed has surprised me, after its stillness during the winter it just suddenly exploded into this fleshy mass of greenery. I think I’ll add some more winter plants to add some interest towards the end of the year, but I’ll enjoy what I have while I have it. Happy Easter to you, I hope the sun has been shining down on your garden too.
