Spring is in the Air

Bring on the Blossom
Springtime is when our garden looks at its best and it's all down to the blossom. Every year it's like a miracle. One day, there is a tree with a few tentative buds and the next it's covered in luscious blooms, bringing a cacophony of colour to the garden, the delicate pinks, whites and reds making beautiful contrasts with the vivid and varied greens of the grass and shrubs.

We are lucky to have a very large and prolific garden with lots of trees including willow, birch, apple, cherry and chestnut. It's very well-established as it's 70 years old and, in spite of our benign neglect, never fails to burst forcefully into life every Spring, amazing us with its variety and abundance.

The process starts with a few tentative snowdrops, swiftly followed by tiny, perfectly formed crocuses and then the daffodils and tulips make their grand entrance. After a long, cold winter, it really lifts your spirits and let's you know that summer, with its promise of balmy days, is on its way.

The blossom disappears almost as quickly as it arrives, so I always make sure I take time to appreciate its beauty while it's still there. When it finally falls, the petals float to the ground like confetti, covering the grass in a blanket of pink perfection, like the soft skin of a child.

A Cause for Celebration

Happy Birthday Ken!
We are lucky to have the best neighbours you could ever wish for, Ken and Shirley. Not only are they surrogate grandparents to our children (they've watched them grow up from babies), but they are great fun to be with, extremely sociable and always ready to 'open a bottle' at the slightest excuse.

We opened several bottles this week, all of pink champagne, to celebrate Ken's 70th birthday.

Ken was very ill a few years ago, so the fact that he is still with us is a cause for celebration in itself.


Since then, as well as reaching the impressive age of 70, he has:

• seen his eldest daughter get married
• become a grandfather of two bouncing grandsons
• restored his beloved classic three wheeler Morgan car and driven it to Duxford
• been on numerous trips abroad, including a 'once in lifetime' trip to Australia.

In spite of his close encounter with 'the grim reaper', Ken has lost none of his 'joie de vivre' and is intent on 'growing old disgracefully' - an ambition I'm sure he will achieve.