A Sparrow in Swallow Drive

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Jackie continued with the weeding of the rose garden today, whilst I wandered with the camera.

Tulips 1
Tulip 1
Tulip 2

Tulips are now in bloom.

Tulip 2

This one really did come from Amsterdam, courtesy of Danni and Andy who brought it back for us.

Primroses and tulips
Tulips 2

A bank of yellow primroses fronts this striated group at the entrance to the back drive,

Wallflowers

along which golden wallflowers are massing.

Rhododendron

Our first rhododendron is beginning to flower;

Japanese maple

 Japanese maples are coming into leaf,

Cherry blossom

and a deep pink cherry blossom is blooming.

Saxifrages

Saxifrages planted last year are thriving.

Wasp

Clearly confused as to the season. a sleepy wasp staggered about.

This afternoon we went for a drive.

Boat wreck
Boats and Hurst lighthouse 1

The tide was high at Keyhaven, where the wreck was now submerged,

Boats and Hurst lighthouse 2

and the Hurst lighthouse clear beyond the line of moored boats.

Mallards (purple headf)

A purple-headed mallard and mate basked on a lichen covered wall;

Coot and white bird

and a white-headed coot paddled past a white bird hiding in the reeds.

Swans and figure on spit
Swan 1
Swan 2
Swan 3

In view of Hurst spit swans waded, foraged, and drank. One bore a tide-mark causing speculation about what it had been swimming in.

Woman and children on Hurst spit
Woman and children in silhouette on Hurst spit

Among those silhouetted on the spit were a woman and two children,

Two young women on Hurst spit
Two young women in sihouette on Hurst spit

and two young women. In each group there was one person engaged in a mobile phone conversation.

Sparrow

We took a diversion around a housing development in Milford on Sea. Given that these streets all bore the name of a different bird, I wondered what a sparrow was doing on Swallow Drive.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s superb beef cobbler, sautéed potatoes and mushrooms, with crisp carrots, cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli. The Culinary Queen drank sparkling water while my drink was San Andres Chilean merlot.

 

37 comments

  1. Clearly that sparrow can’t read Derrick! But my goodness, that is a magnificent photograph! Lovely, lovely signs of spring in your garden – mine is turning gold and red and brown currently.

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  2. I always read your posts wondering when I will understand the title. lol — Do you get hummingbirds? As soon as my cherry tree starts to blossom, they show up around here.

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  3. I berated a group of school children for picking up the white pebbles in a Japanese garden and throwing them around. I pointed out the sign that said ‘Do Not Disturb the Pebbles’. One of them looked up at me with his wide blue eyes and said, ‘we can’t read yet’.

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  5. You and Jackie must be pleased with the garden. Everything is beautiful, Derrick. I enjoyed the shot of the Hurst lighthouse.
    “In each group there was one person engaged in a mobile phone conversation.” How sad that is.

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  11. Culinary queen is right! And oh those flowers. I am so envious. All we have in Maine is snow, snow and snow.

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  14. That precious sparrow was an extraordinary shot, Derrick!
    The mystical photograph was my favorite today, with fading background almost like looking through a keyhole. 🙂 The wilted tulip losing all but four petals was my favorite today! Thank you, Derrick. 🙂

    Reply

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