Hobbies / Books   (Gardening, walking, books, films, theatre etc.)

Beautiful day.

It is warm.

The sun is shining.

And, although we have not had a lot of rain, nevertheless it is the first day in months that the garden soil has been sufficiently dry for me to walk on bowt it clumping in copious quantity on my clogs.

And, last day of the year, and my Forsythia has blossom. (only three or so thus far, but many buds ready to break)

Nominally it blooms in February, but the last three years, it has not done so until March. I was beginning to fear it was getting too old.

Other than a love of really fresh fruit and veg, I think the main satisfaction I enjoy from gardening is the optimism inspired when I see the seasonal return of life brought by a new growing season.

And, in February, when the rest of the garden is dismal, the huge splash of golden yellow of the Forsythia is a sight to behold.

This year, also, have had Roses blooming at Christmas. (Get them about one year in three) so there has been some garden eye candy for the whole year.

Still look forward to the daffs: a sign that winter is on its way out. Quite a profusion of daff shoots now breaking the ground surface. Though I used to feel disappointed when they beat the Forsythia to bloom.

I used to also have Snowdrops, but their performance was always somewhat anaemic, and they did not survive the intense spring drought we experiences three or four years back.

Now have to make some decisions about what to do with the garden for the coming year.