Bluebell time!

Back to Blean Woods today to enjoy the bluebells, such an icon of English springtime. (You can enlarge the pics by clicking on them)

The woods are home to several sculptures, some woven with willow, others carved from fallen trees:

We saw the sculptor last time we were in the woods, this is what these looked like last time...

He told us then that he was planning a moth. Here it is!

There are wood ants EVERYWHERE in the woods, but fortunately most of them are smaller than this.

I wasn't expecting this ring of gnomes!

I don't care what ikea say, gnomes are quintessentially English! Their new advert does make me laugh though...

Spring Woodland

Walking in East Blean Woods today, the ground was carpeted with wood anemones

The coming of spring always makes me think of Dream by the Moody Blues

When the white eagle of the North Is flying overhead

And the browns, reds and golds of autumn 

Lie in the gutter, dead

primrose

Remember then, the summer birds 
With wings of fire flaying
Come to witness Spring's new hope 
Born of leaves decaying

periwinkle

miniature forest of moss

As new life will come from death
Love will come at leisure
Love of love, love of life
And giving without measure

celandine

Gives in return a wondrous yearn 
Of a promise almost seen
Live hand-in-hand 
And together we'll stand 

On the threshold of a dream....

 Love these trees, they seem to have their arms around each other!

Spring

So many signs of spring in the Kent countryside today...



The first wood anemones of the year - the woods will be full of them soon.



celandine



lambs!











and the first butterflies of the year, sunning themselves with the primroses.

Elusive frogs

Click on the pic to find him!



There were lots of frogs visible from the window, but of course the moment I got out there with the camera...off they swam. So funny, seeing them swim away still paired up.

Much more spawn than yesterday.



It's definitely spring now - the trees are full of catkins so my hay fever has started :-( I shall be on meds till August now.

Frog babies!

The frogs all started arriving in our garden pond yesterday - and the maternity ward was busy over night!

In an English Country Garden

click to listen to the folk song

Aquilegia, one of my favourite garden flowers



Too early for flowers yet, but isn't my lupin looking strong? Growing in gravel is keeping it safe from slugs (so far!)



bleeding hearts...



No idea at all what this is going to be. I let my wildflowers self seed, but this is new this spring and getting bigger each day!



Even the pond has started flowering:



and of course - look how my tadpoles are "blooming"!

Spring in Kent UK

I meant to post these photos from the local countryside a couple of weeks ago, but real life got in the way of blogging. The weather's turned colder now, so they're probably even more attractive!



Our favourite bluebell wood. The bluebells needed another few days to be at their peak, but they're still pretty good!





wood anemones



Wild garlic - the areas where these grow can be smelled long before you arrive!



The hedgerows are all blossoming

My frog spawn is hatching!

There is probably a square yard of spawn, with little gangs of tiny taddies in between. Click on the pics to enlarge. Not the easiest of things to snap, but can you see their teeny tiny gills?

It's definitely spring!

Some of us are busy making babies:



Not entirely sure the frogs realise the pond isn't the size of a young lake, but we spotted 15 frogs busily doing what comes naturally. 14 of them swam away when they saw me.



some of us are still searching for our dream home:



We just want our mums :-)



Are you my mum?



No, you're not. Mum? Where are you?



My final photo comes with lots of warnings and disclaimers! We were on a public footpath, we did not approach the sheep or disturb her in any way by straying off the path, and we told a farm labourer what we'd spotted....




you might not want to look if you're squeamish or eating your lunch...





but this mummy sheep is just doing as nature intended...