Martin spent the morning tidying the back drive beds. He applied his painstaking effort to cutting back excessive growth and cleaning the brick edging. He chopped the refuse and added it to the compost.
Two robins who we think are a grandson of Nugget and his female partner have been attracted by the work. Longer term readers will be familiar with our late tame robin and the occasional challenges to find him. Hopefully we are starting a new “Where’s Nugget’s grandson?” with these two, the first being No. 1 and the other No. 2. You may need to enlarge the images.
While all this activity was going on a big bumble bee slept away the morning on a blooming bergenia.
Hellebores and violas are also in bloom.
Owls and burnished Lanarth White hydrangea basked in the warm sunlight.
Snowdrops are now in flower throughout the garden
and on the kitchen table.
Another flower arrangement of Jackie’s consisted of a clutch of hard boiled eggs which took us back to our youth when most eggshells were white. Even in our early adulthood it was the brown shell that was unusual. Until someone decided that brown ones were considered more healthy. It seems that Tesco is in the vanguard of reversing the trend.
At mid afternoon we purchased a few items at Ferndene Farm Shop then took a short forest drive.
Sunlight picked out distant slopes beyond Burley Road and its moorland. The ponies in these landscapes showed interest when I disembarked from the Modus, but turned their backs when they realised I was not carrying food for them.
On the approach to Bisterne Close a field horse looked wistfully across the lane at a pair of
pony cousins enjoying their freedom.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome cottage pie; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; firm Brussels sprouts; and tasty gravy, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Azinhaga de Ouro Reserva 2019.
Time for an early spring cleanup, aye? Lovely photos, Derrick. ❤️??
Thanks a lot, John
I loved the white eggs. I only ate the brown ones if that was all that was left.
Love the horse and pony pics.
Thank you very much, Chrissy
Martin looks to be doing a grand job on the back drive.
Funny how people assume that brown eggs are better than white eggs, when in reality there is no difference in taste or nutrition. We always had brown eggs from our hens and that’s because we didn’t have any white hens only brown ones! ??
Thanks very much, Sue. Did they have a little red stamp on them?
No red stamp ? We didn’t sell our eggs, we just supplied the family free of charge. Occasionally, some of the eggs were much lighter than others and often speckled, we put that down to whatever they’d been eating free range.
Oh dear, I’m worried that I will not be able to differentiate between No 1 and No 2..!!
Your compost bins are wonderful – just as they should be made – I do love a good compost area!
Jackie’s beautiful flower arrangements are so artistic – especially the second. It’s made me look up the history of egg sales, which is very interesting; thank you both! 🙂
Much appreciated by us both, Emma. Jackie feels of a like mind to you. The two photographs were of the same robin, so don’t worry. 🙂
Oh good??
Martin did a good job. Now I can see bulbs peeking their heads up, and the two robins were also findable. Our supermarket offering are usually white eggs. To my knowledge, it’s the type of chook who determines colour, so I guess the majority of our producers stick with white chickens.
Thanks very much, Gwen. It does seem to be the type of chook that determines the shell colour. Well spotted.
Nugget’s grandson, hurray! I was able to find him in both photos. I love the egg flower. I don’t remember seeing any white eggs in the house when I was growing up; my mother refused to buy them. Of course, as you and others have noted, the healthier brown myth has since been debunked. My favorite photo out of today’s group is the amber vase of snowdrops with the shadow-glow on the tablecloth. I’ve always found that sight one of life’s little pleasures.
Thank you so much, Liz. Jackie read this first and asked me which photo I thought was your favourite. I immediately replied with the right one. Good robin spotting.
You’re welcome, Derrick. You know me well!
🙂
The forest shots are gorgeous, Derrick! Martin must have a good back.?
He is a sea diver, Jill. Thanks very much
Lovely and peaceful Derrick!
Thanks very much, Cindy
Snowdrops are a favourite flower of mine Derrick … In our old house they were abundant through Carole’s many flowerbeds ..
Good memories, then, Ivor. Thanks a lot
Yes indeed ?
How great that you have help with the garden cleanup. I didn’t spot them, but it’s good to have Nugget’s grandsons drop by 🙂
Thanks very much, Rosaliene
When I was a kid, our eggs were always brown. Then, I went to a different part of the country and have lived with white ones ever since. I always open the carton to check for broken ones before my selection. It amazes me how the chicken can lay each egg with a small label on it…?
🙂 This raised a smile from each of us, Steve. Thanks very much.
Your handyman is meticulous in whatever he does. Love how it seems that Spring has sprung.
Martin has arrived at just the right time for us, Pat. Thank you very much
It is good to see the flowers in your garden. It reminds us that spring will come here in due course.
Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
Always refreshing to see a man at work! Particularly preparing for the next season. Love the forest photos. I feel Apring is very close ?
Certainly on the way, Val. Thanks very much
As usual, wonderful photos, Derick. I loved especially the photo “on the kitchen table” with its interesting shadow.
Thank you so much, Byung
You are well come, Derrick
Nice to see your snowdrops. They are the first flower to come up here, even through the last of the snow, earning their name. We still at least a month to go before that happens though.
I hope you warm up soon, Eliza. Thanks very much
Nugget’s grands are a welcome sight. I love the snowdrops and the round smokey amber vase.
Thank you so much, JoAnna. Well spotted
Found those two little Nuggets, but it wasn’t easy. For us, the brown eggs were common, and the white eggs were unusual.
Well spotted, Laurie. Thanks very much
Spring is there! I love snowdrops ?
I’m glad to hear about Nugget’s grandsons ? they do know how to hide ☺️
Thank you so much, Ribana. Well spotted
Ha! My eye’s been trained to find robins, it seems. I’m delighted that you have this pair; I hope they stay. As for eggs, mine are multi-colored: white, brown, blue, pink. I get them from a woman who adores chickens and has several breeds. Here’s an image that shows eggs from some of the breeds.
Thanks very much, Linda. Well spotted. Jackie read this out before I got to it. What a fascinating image.
I would like to borrow Martin for a day or two. Looking at the mess out there is a bit overwhelming sometimes. I’m sorry to hear of the demise of little Nugget. I had missed that. 🙁
Thanks very much, Anna. Sadly, Nugget didn’t return from wintering in the forest, but he had raised 3 broods that year
Sounds like he had a productive year, before calling it in. Sweet little bird…
He did. Thanks very much, Anna
Martin does such a good job. Your garden looks well tended. I love the sweet little snowdrops.
Thank you very much, Nicki
I always enjoy your drives – reminiscent of the weekend drives I go on with my son. Despite covering the same ground – even seeing the same animals – there is always something different and so we learn, albeit incrementally, more about the environment we live in. I rather envy the gardening clean-up operations Martin has undertaken: our clay ground is still far too hard for me to get a fork in to do some serious clearing!
Thank you very much, Anne. What you say about covering the same ground is so true. Martin needs no direction and does an excellent job
Martin is a good worker! 🙂
Loving Nugget’s Grandson! He is a branch-sitter and a fence-sitter. HA! I see you! 😀
You know I always love photos of your garden-watch-owls. 🙂
I love when eggs have different colours of shell. 🙂 And what a welcoming egg-flower! 🙂
The shadows and light in the Snowdrops in the Vase photo are lovely!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thank you so much, Carolyn. Well spotted 🙂 X
I found Nugget’s grandson in both pictures, but in the second one, deep in the leylandii I found two tiny bright shining white eyes. It’s in the top left area, and I think it’s probably a curious elf.
So it is, John. 🙂 Well spotted, and thank you very much
Martin does a stunning job there! I am also posting something about eggshells today!
I’ll have a look, Aletta. Thanks very much
Such a lovely collection of photos in this post! Spring is definitely well on its way in your area, and it’s wonderful you have Martin to help with the garden. I do hope the robin is Nugget’s grandson, though I don’t suppose you’ll ever know. My favorite today might be the first landscape with the ponies. I like the flowers in the foreground and the grey sky. Except for the cars it makes me think of a 19th landscape painting, but on the other end the vase of snowdrops is also lovely.
Thanks very much, Merril. The robin is so much like Nugget, he must be a grandson 🙂 That is gorse in the foreground
You’re welcome. Ahh–I knew it was something that appeared often in your photos, but I couldn’t remember the name. ?
🙂
Yes, I did need to enlarge the Nugget’s grandson photos, but I got ’em!!
It is good that Martin has turned out to be so helpful. He’ll have the garden cleared up in no time!
Thanks a lot, GP. Well spotted
I have a friend who supplies eggs. He often gives me a tray of double yokers because some bizarre regulations means that they cannot be sold commercially. I remember as a boy the joy of a double yoker now, every so often, we have them every day.
What a ridiculous regulation. Thanks a lot, Andrew
The stretches of open, wild land around the forest area are beautiful, too. The storm light accentuates their beauty.
I am glad you and Jackie have good help again with maintenance. Martin does a nice job.
Thank you very much, Lavinia
Lovely set of photos, Derrick. Always great to see snowdrops.
Thank you very much, Syvia
I sense the feeling of spring in your post, Derrick. I’m glad that you found Martin to help you and Jackie with maintenance.
Thank you very much, Eugi
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Aw! Nugget’s legacy lives on! That makes me so happy.
Thank you very much, Leslie
Martin is doing a thorough job of sprucing up the back drive. Robin’s grandson is in the middle and off-centre to the left in both images. Distant shots of the landscape looks interesting. The captive pony looks wistful just as you say.
Thank you so much, Uma. Well spotted
I do love snowdrops, Derrick. I don’t recall ever seeing so many pictures of them though. They seem most prolific this year. I’ve never seen a white egg except for the candy coated kind.
Thanks very much, Robbie
I think white eggshells look charming. When I pick up my eggs from our local organic farm, I choose the ones with white shells if there are any.
I wondered what had happened to Nugget but at least you still have a robin presence in your garden.
I wish I had the room you have for those compost bins.
Thanks very much, Helen
“Where’s Nugget’s Grandson?” I love it! I was able to find both, but I certainly did have to enlarge. Your garden is looking wonderful! And the horse pictures made me smile.
Well spotted, Jodie. Thanks very much
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