Thursday 13 May 2010

Swallows & Amazon ..

Stepping out on my way to the post office today.. I was suddenly aware of swooping squadron of swallows.. shrieking with exuberance. Ahh.. I thought.. surely summer is on the way. I like to think that these courageous birds have arrived from their epic journeys from Africa.. to a warm welcome here in old Blighty.. but this year they were met by icy winds and a rather frosty reception. Poor little feathered friends.. they are always a joy to see and I love to watch their aeronautical displays from our lofty lounge window.. they fly so close and at such speed towards our house.. gathering tiny insects as they go.. and seeming to have much fun in their pursuits.. I half expect one to fly inside our house ..but their sophisticated power steering prevents any crashes or wrong turns.
With each passing day, the lure of the garden is growing stronger.. with the plants really going in to overdrive now to make up for lost time.. and though there is colour on my garden canvas.. there is usually much more at this time of year..

I always think of May as being the 'Proms' month in the garden.. full of pomp and circumstance .. but this year the plants have been reluctant to put on their usual show.. and who can blame them.. with night frosts and chilling winds still around....


All we need is a few days of warm forgiving sun..and the garden will start shouting at the top of it's voice and each plant will jostle and vie for attention.
Something else has been doing that recently.. the pile of books beside my bed. When I was a child I had a voracious appetite for books.. cutting my literary teeth (probably quite literally) on my first beloved books.. such as the Ant and Bee Books by Angela Banner... classics in their own right and still loved by me many years on.

Next I progressed to the Famous Five books by you know who.. and couldn't wait to finish one adventure before starting on the next. But of course back then in my acres of youth.. I had all the time in the world to disappear in to a good book.. Now I flirt with the idea of reading more than the act of.. but this does not spoil my appetite for certain authors.. and one of my favourites is Maggie O' Farrell.. Her first book 'After You'd Gone' had me smitten from the first page and each subsequent novel of hers has me pestering the lasses at Waterstone's for the publishing dates.. So we are back to those 'Famous Five' days again... hungry for the next book.

It was good old Amazon that delivered her latest tome to me The Hand That First Held Mine'. This sits underneath 'Eat Pray Love' by Elizabeth Gilbert's delicious account of her travels and complicated love life..

The crowning glory on top of the pile is a dear little book called 'In Praise of Friendship' given to me by a very dear friend indeed..and not just a friend but my partner in business too..

So three guesses who that might be..??

We are now the proud owners of our own blog..... ' Milly & Dottie' ... where you will be able to follow our adventures, daily musings and general chit chat over the garden fence.. We hope you will come and join us and get to know these two whimsical characters better.

16 comments:

Ragged Roses said...

Aaah Dottie xxxx
As for the swallows, not seen any round here just lots of frisky seagulls... Spring has definitely sprung by the coast, even though the temperature says otherwise. So mon amie what shall we muse about today...
Mx

hens teeth said...

Are you staring at your garden out of the window at every opportunity M? Of course you are and you should as your garden is a delight.
Your reading is inspirational and a very big congratulations on the birth of Millie and Dottie's Blog Adventures...I look forward to reading all about their wonderful finds. x

Clare said...

Lovely post! I need to find more time for reading I always end up reading when I'm too tired!Congrats on M+D blog..will be popping over there shortly!

this is my patch said...

Your borders are filling out nicely Michele. I spy Heuchera Amber Waves? On a visit to a nursery today I bought Heuchera Ginger Ale which has a very similar colouring. I shall enjoy visiting you on Millie and Dottie, and shall bookmark you to pop over again. x

Alchamillamolly said...

Hi I have a book called in praise of dogs and it is the same series. I saw another one a couple of weeks ago - in praise of mountains and I forgot to go back and get it so I am cross with myself. We had such a hard frost here this morning it was real shock.

MrsP said...

I have been loving the swallows too, swooping in and out of the stable like tiny feathery bullets- they are so brazen they perch on the hay rack and watch me brushing Darcy- I have to scrub out her feed manger every mealtime to get rid of the droppings but the are so worth it.
I have been wanting a book recommendation for my next read so I will give Maggie O a go thanks...
Have a great weekend
Jx

A Bun Can Dance said...

Hi Michele
Exciting news about the new blog - and I guessed as much from the signature on your comment over at mine :-)
I've not noticed and swallows here, but there is much activity amongst the garden birds - plenty of worm pulling and collecting of small twigs. I especially like to watch them on an early morning - all gathered for their communal breakfast before starting their busy day ahead.
I shall pop over to your new blog now - see you there!
Denise x

JuicyFig said...

I have seen a few sand martins return to the river banks - oooh, that sounded very "tales of the river bank"!

Gorgeous garden - I wouldn't be able to do much but sit and stare!

Kath
x

Shabby Chick said...

Your garden looks lovely! I used to adore the Famous Five as well (and Secret Seven once I ran out of FF's!).

Mel xxx

Country Cottage Chic said...

There are many swallows at the stables & they actually nest inside the stable roof so are always swooping in & out over the horses ears but they don't really seem to mind sharing their cosy accommodation!

Must pop over to your new blog!

SWEDISH HOUSE said...

Hello Michele
Thanks for getting back to me soo quick...Yes please do let me know, about the bricks I gathering bits to open a tea shop eventually here in Sweden...in the middle of the forest...MAD I know!!!
I'm glad you stumbled on my giveaway too :-) Don't forget to let your partner in crime know...tell all your friends.
Good luck with your new blog
Love it!
Kram
Julie x

A time to dance said...

You have me scratching my head now Michelle because I am sure I read a Maggie Farrell which was fab and I cannot for the life of me remember so I must go onto amazon now and solve the riddle. I have a holiday pile which I build up over the year and then I read a book a day...its the only time that I can..your garden is lovely...H

A time to dance said...

I am back...it was a fantastic book that haunted me for ages, the vanish act of Esme Lennox...wonderful...ta ta..

Andi's English Attic said...

This is weird. I've only just realised from your post that birds migrate when the time feels right in the country they're IN. Of course they don't have a forcaster to tell them of the weather condition in the country they're flying TOO. This is how my brain works sometimes. No wonder my kids shake their heads in dismay! xx

sarah-jane down the lane said...

What a beautiful post. I have read it twice, I enjoyed it just as much second time around too!
I do love to see other people's reading stash. I am curious about Eat.Pray.Love. I may have to dip a toe in there. Your swallows are simply lovely.
Must hop over to Millie and Dottie's, good luck with it,

Sarah x

Whitney-Anne Baker said...

How nice to see someone else who likes the Ant and Bee books . . .sadly I only have one left!