March saw the start of the flowery season, and very welcome it was too. The meadows were covered with Bermuda buttercups and corn marigolds and the hillsides were also golden with gorse and broom. Yellow also featured around the tank but the African corn lilies, which look lovely close up, were hidden by the flowering graptosedum, also a lovely pale lemony colour. The aloe vera is quietly putting up three tall elegant spikes which are also going to be yellow.

We are particularly pleased that the flowers and plants sown from seeds last year have worked: the rose campion, allysium and nasturtiums are fabulous around the pond. As it is packed with frogs, that croak all night, we assume they are delighted too. And we have a flowering water lily!

Other seeds which have successfully germinated include those taken from our nicotine plant, some taken from the hibiscus plants near the market and sweet peas. Where we are going to plant them all has yet to be decided. The pak choi also came up and have been in one of the raised beds a while now but although this has been our first crop we were not the first to eat it. Slugs, snails and huge green caterpillars have all beaten us to it. Some of them have also bolted (the cabbages that is), a reaction to a spell of boiling hot weather. I’m not sure what else we’ll plant in terms of veg, we have been given yet more bags of goodies from our neighbour: huge lemons, loads of eggs and, once shelled, over a kilo of broad beans.

The sunshine that followed the wet winter has meant Richard has been busy with the strimmer and lawnmower. He has found time to make a pallet chair though. And his 84th beer which he calls Cornaa Kolsch.

He appreciates them both at the same time…

On the fauna front it’s been marvellous to see Batty has returned and snuggles up behind the name plaque most days now. Whether it’s the same one or not we have no idea. We see fewer types of birds now; the chiffchaffs, crested tits and green woodpeckers are no longer around (although we can still hear the latter). There is a cuckoo that calls constantly all day, round and about. Whether it’s the same one or not we have no idea. Greenfinches, sparrows, blackbirds and cirl buntings are most commonly seen every day. The newly thick foliage of the trees and bushes certainly hampers the bird spotting.

We welcomed the first of our visitors for the year, it’s always nice to meet up with friends and the gorgeous weather meant we could show off the countryside.

Oh and we went to Barcelona! And Paris! We decided, quite last minute as we had the opportunity for Betty to be looked after, to go Interrailing so we did. It was an unusual adventure for us: the trains, the tourists, the eye-watering price for a cup of coffee but it was great fun and lovely to meet up with more friends.

We had a whale of a time 😉