The primroses have stretched their fragile necks for one last glimpse the sun before being overwhelmed by the encroaching fresh grass and sinking back into obscurity . But now our Devon hedgerows are coming into their own . Bluebells with bowed heads and dainty bells wait coyly to be admired in shady copses and along the verdant verges . White , purple mauve pink and blue all fight for our attention . Borage with its nettle like stems and leaves and bright blue flowers mingles with ragged robin ,campion , vetch,stitchwort toadflax and cranesbill. The almost oriental heads of cow parsley are spreading their umbrella like flowers just waiting to turn the banks into a sea of white foam .The hedges themselves are bursting into life - the hawthorn has been out for sometime but now the fresh lime green of beech and hornbeam , oak and may all fill out the winter baron hedgerows and underneath the chameleon like tongues of ferns are beginning to unravel .They are alive with the sound of birdsong- singing hedges what a delight .
I climbed the hill out of our village and looked out over the valley where last week the ploughed fields were terracotta coloured ,now after rain they have returned to dark rich red so common to Devon .Interspersed are giant fields of yellow oilseed rape that coupled with fresh winter wheat make the countryside look like a patchwork quilt of reds yellows and greens ,natures giant bedspread . And above - yes the buzzards wheeling higher and higher calling out for their mates before swooping down to a distant woodland. Spring in all its magical abundant glory is well and truly here .
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Georgepa
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Georgepa i have enjoyed my walk in the devon countryside through your discription i could not only see spring in all its glory I'm sure i could smell the rapeseed in it's golden hue. Keep up the good work. Janexx
Hi GeorgePa. Here at the moment, it is as beautiful as you describe. Although it's very grey and windy this morning!!! Sorry, told you I am a rain maker!
Gosh, you are tough. And I will spare a thought for your partner. It is so hard to watch the falling, such a worry. Best wishes to you both. You are an inspiration, Jill. Take care. Love, ec
HAVE A GEED TRIP DEAR JILL - AND I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RETURN WITH NEWS OF THE BEAUTIFUL YORKSHIRE DALES --- I USED TO LIVE IN HARROGATE
Very evocative, Georgepa, especially for an Englishman living in France, but have you any advice about rabbits? Wth friends I have installed a formal rose garden in memory of Roisin, based on a much larger and more accomplished rose garden which she designed and planted when we lived in Oxford. The roses and the buxus are thriving but other plants such as lupins are attracting three baby rabbits. Have you any suggestions for discouraging them without prejudice - i.e. I have no intention of killing them or otherwise harming them. If I were a local farmer I might feel differently but a rose garden is not a crop and anyway Roisin would not approve; but what can I do?
If anyone else has suggestions, they too would be gratefully received.
Gosh that's a tricky one - if you can't keep them out how about planting a crop of rabbit friendly food as near to their burrow or point of entry as possible ?
I've thought of that - a sort of sacrifial flower or vegetable bed, but I am assured by the 'experts' here that this would only encourage the adult rabbits as well. And anyway, I have no idea where their burrow is. But thanks for the suggestion.
I used to have my (then) husband pee in a bucket, then I'd go water the garden. It totally saved my tulips from the woodchucks and the deer here in Maine. It is said that male urine, having testosterone, is the more off-putting. I think we can all believe that!
Dear George, I hope you don't mind if I save that post. I am going to reread it often. It is so peaceful and poetic, full of color and scent and grace, and wonderful plant names! We were exhausted after one of our most challenging days of late, having got up at 4:30 for the drive from Maine to Massachusetts for a morning appointment with the neurologist (more of that in another post), shopping at stores we otherwise don't get to, navigating around the outskirts of Boston, and lunch with friends, and we didn't get home until after 7 in the evening. My guy was stunned with weariness. Reading your beautiful words aloud took a lot of the stress off, just like that. It smoothed the wrinkles of the day and set a restful tone that carried us through the evening. What a beautiful gift to us. I really can't thank you enough. I don't know how I would get along without this site. How odd and wonderful that my life is enriched, even as it is so constrained, by psp. Thank you, George. Love and peace, Eastercedar
Easterncedar thank you for those kind words - I tend to write things down as I find it often calms me down after a trying day. I try to look outside our home environment as I think otherwise I would go bonkers and would become totally introspective .I love the countryside and if sharing just a little bit of it gives other people some pleasure too well that's an added bonus . Your trip to Boston sounded very tiring I hope it was all worthwhile.
What wonderful words , as always from you , you should write poetry you have such a lovely way with words. Why don't you give it a go.......or perhaps you already have.
Struggling as a carer I never quite see all the wonder about me.......
I understand the struggle which is why I write to take my mind off it but none of it is easy is it- some days you barely have time to turn around and go to bed exhausted but when I can look I do and there is usually some reward even if only transitory .
YES INDEED GEORGEPA SO VERY BEAUTIFUL IT MAKES ME MISS DEVON AND THE REST OF THE UK TOO --- FINGERS CROSSED THAT OUR BUYER COMES GOOD AND WE CAN COME HOME ... SOON
Georgepa I love your description of the out doors, I sit here and can just imagine my self there, and when I go out I notice all the lovely primroses and all the different flowers, which I did not before, thank you George for opening my eyes the the beautiful countryside. Jill have a lovely holiday, and I too think you are an inspiration, to all Yvonne xxxxx
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