Blossom Trees and Honey Bees

Our ornamental cherry has flowered at its best again this year just a pity that the petals fall after only a few days. But while in bloom the bees love it and the air is full of their buzzing sound.
We have had an abundance of Mining Bees in the garden of which their are over 100 species in Britain.We have seen their holes in the lawn where the female digs the burrow sometimes 2 feet deep. She makes a cell at the end of the tunnel, fills it with a supply of honey and pollen then lays her eggs back up the tunnel each with a ball of honey and pollen for food. When she reaches the surface her work is done and she dies.

This is our Slo and Crab apple trees growing together in the garden to give this beautiful show and provide more food for the bees.

Down at our allotment this pink and purple Pulmonaria with its pretty spotted leaves is supplying pollen for this small Bumble Bee Bombus who also nests below ground.
I have been busy tending to my many seedlings ready to plant out into the allotment. Planning to plant out Yellow Courgettes, Squash and Pumpkins this week along with some Dahlia tubers.

Our Strawberry's are in full bloom now and safely covered from the black birds and Pheasants who stroll along nearby.
Only hope we get some rain soon but not until after tomorrow as we do not what rain to spoil William and Kate's special day, it's party, party, party tomorrow!!!

Medieval Day

A beautiful spring day, a picnic with the family, a little bit of history and tea with friends made the perfect day last Sunday.
Harlech Knights Re-enactment Group visited Lacock Abbey for the day with their medieval nuns, knights and craftspeople.



medieval nun



knight



lady spinning wool



medieval style tapastry

After informative talks about medieval weapons and how they were used in battle the knights performed an unrehearsed battle to the pretend death in front of the crowd. Even wearing chain mail and helmets they must have endured a few prize bruises but good fun to watch and we all cheered them on. Fight, Fight, Fight... 

On our way home we stopped off at the allotment as the first early potatoes were showing themselves and needed rowing up. Plus the girls wanted their first glims of the slow worms soaking up the heat under a piece of tarpaulin on the compost heap.

They had babies too but they were camera shy.

The day was complete after a cold glass of beer and a nice cup of tea with friends in the village who had been relaying an old patio in their garden.

no these were not those friends just others blocking the path on the way home. 



Mummy's Day

My home made cards

A belated Happy Mother's Day to all those Mum's out there. Not just a Happy day for me, more like a happy weekend. My family spoilt me with cards, presents, meals cooked and washing up done so I had quality time in our garden.

Lemon Meringue Pie cooked by my eldest daughter

 My hubby and I also had time at the allotment to sow some more carrots and radish just before it started to rain. Our walk took us past the spring lambs and Fritillary flowering in the woods.

In-between spring cleaning and sowing seeds I have make Ester the Easter Rabbit

and some fabric eggs just a shame they are not filled with chocolate!.

see them in my Etsy shop.