In the garden
Hello, hello, how are you doing? I hope you’ve had a FaBuLous week!
It was the Spring Equinox on Monday – can you believe that, winter is over, the days are getting longer and astronomical spring has arrived. It does feel more spring-like, a few weeks on from the meterological spring of 1 March, I have to say. It’s been a little bit warmer and it’s not going dark quite so early which has been very nice!
For many people, the spring equinox and the new moon in Aries this week is the real New Year rather than in January when you sometimes feel more like hibernating than heading off to start a new gym routine, and I’ve got to say that I can really get on board with that. I’ve been feeling very motivated to sit down with my calendar and make some plans for the year, and I’ve also been getting stuck into spring cleaning and decluttering too.
Nope, absolutely no before and after photos, but I will tell you that I have been inspired by watching this TV programme and whilst I suspect that most of us would be shocked at how much stuff we have in our houses if it was all laid out in front of us, I do not have 400 pairs of shoes as have been seen in some of the episodes! 🙂
It’s Saturday today and I’ve been out in the garden. You may be wondering why my post is a day late again as I usually post on a Friday, and it’s quite simple – I noticed that far more people visited the blog last Saturday than on a Friday and I wondered if that meant it was a better day to chat to you – I’m testing the theory! What do you think? Blog posts on Fridays or Saturdays? Which do you prefer?
Anyway, whilst I was out in the garden, I was really surprised to see the Magnolia stellata (star magnolia) tree which was only buds when I posted last week is suddenly a mass of flowers …
They’re so lovely, and they smell lovely too. I was so happy to see them!
The Forsythia is flowering too. I looked out of the window the other day to see a few yellow flowers and thought that perhaps the bush was getting past its best and this was all we were going to get this year. And then today …
So many of them! The branches of the bush were almost weighed down by the weight of them. Oh, it’s so lovely to see the flowers appearing again after the long dull days of winter. I am a winter person, I do love that time of year but there’s something about the blue sky and seeing everything bursting into life again in the spring that really lifts my soul.
Somebody else came out into the garden with me today.
Not only have I turned into someone who shares funny cat videos on Instagram, I am now someone who takes her cat for a walk on a lead in the garden. It’s a slippery slope from here, I know …!
You may remember that Astrid was hit by a car on the main road back in November and she’s been an indoor cat ever since. She’s not really made a big fuss about wanting to go out, to be honest, so we’ve not encouraged her – she’s popped out of the door once or twice if it’s been open and we’ve not shooed her away in time, but as soon as she gets out, it’s as if it’s all a bit overwhelming for her and we’ve been able to pick her up quite easily.
With the spring coming, I started to feel a bit mean that she wasn’t able to go out and smell the flowers. A catio isn’t an option for us so she’s either going to be in or out, and I’m really not keen on the idea of letting her out knowing that she might head straight back for the road. I did think I might be cat-astrophising (ha ha) so I asked the vet what he thought when I last saw him, and he shook his head and said it was extremely likely that she would, I shouldn’t even think about buying a tracker as I’d end up a nervous wreck and he thought she should just stay in (interestingly, all the vets and vet nurses I’ve spoken to since Astrid’s accident have house cats).
It still felt mean so I thought I would see if she would keep a harness on, and I was surprised to find that she doesn’t seem to mind at all. (It’s this one if you ever need to investigate cat harnesses.)
Until the dog started barking, another local dog started barking back, I’d dropped the lead as I was following her under a bush and she raced back into the house as if she was chased by all the hounds of hell. She hid under the bed for a while so perhaps she’s not as ready to go outside as I thought – and I don’t mind that at all!
Generally, Astrid seems OK in the house. Here she is helping me to check the cat feeders are still working. They’ve been put away for a while so I wanted to make sure that the batteries were still all right in case we want to use them during the year. Actually, who am I kidding – she’s no help at all! 🙂
I can’t think what else I’ve been up to this week as it’s gone by in a bit of a blur. Lunch with a friend, commission knitting, tidying up, driving not so small daughter around … the usual sorts of things. Our weeks tend to pass like that sometimes, don’t they?
And now Saturday has passed and it’s dinner time … nearly another week gone! I’ll catch up with you again next week! xx
Hello! Isn’t it lovely to see the spring flowers emerging? It’s a real mood-booster.
I’ve been decluttering too, just one more big cupboard to do. It’s a great feeling having things neat and tidy.
I’ve never had a house cat (although one did spend 5 months in a small pen after arguing with a car and losing ????) Astrid is very pretty isn’t she?
Roll on some warm sunshine….
Ah, thank you, we think she is very pretty but clearly is a few sandwiches short of a picnic if she thinks that arguments with cars are a good thing! You are much further on than me with the decluttering – I can’t wait to just have one more cupboard to do (although I suspect that “cupboard” will end up being the attic!) 🙂 xx
Hi Christine. I’m happy reading your posts on a Saturday .It’s lovely seeing the plants starting to flourish .Where I live .we have lots of mini daffodils out in bunches .It great not having to close the curtains early not .lighter again after tomorrow. My daughter has 3 cats which stop indoors. Thankyou for your patterns that you put on your emails. look forward to more .
Thanks Audrey, it’s good to know what you think. I love the mini daffodils, they’re so pretty, aren’t they? 🙂 xx
Thanks again for your newsy post !! – pleased pussy ????⬛ is alright – lovely flower photos too !!!
I really don’t mind when you send your post – Friday or Saturday is fine – I pick it up when I get a free minute to read it – but please do send it!!! – I look forward to it and enjoy reading it – what do you think – we found a (new us) local re-wilded gravel Pit and spent an enjoyable 1 hr in the sunshine after a hail storm at lunch time with thunder!! having a cup of flask tea and I started my next pair of socks while my husband got his sketch book out and did a quick watercolour – thank you again and enjoy the rest of the weekend
Love Ruth x
A cup of tea and knitting socks in the car with a lovely view sounds like a great way to spend some time – I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your thoughts on the post too xx
I’m happy to have your posts on a Sayturday, Friday night is Guide night, so I’m looking forward to your new sock pattern for your Guide daughter fundraising to Japan, and am hoping I can buy a fund raising badge if also selling. Your posts normally sit there until I’m ready with a cup of tea. My grass had it’s first cut of the season earlier today. xx
Ooh brilliant, thank you! Yes, we do have special badges – I’ll drop you an email if that’s OK. Thanks for your thoughts on the posting day – it’s always helpful to have feedback! xx
Our 2 indoor cats enjoy their cat walks with their human companions in the spring and summer. They get to sniff the breeze without the danger of the traffic. I’d happily have a weekend blog post and loved hearing about your garden today. Planting seeds here in East Anglia this week- an act of hope for the warmer weather to come. Best wishes
I think you’ll be a week or two ahead of us for the warmer weather but isn’t it nice to see the lighter nights? Thanks for your thoughts on the blog post timing 🙂 xx
I love your posts whatever day! Being retired means I have the luxury of reading them anytime, so happy to go with the flow ????
Ah, brilliant, thank you! xx
wish I could send you some photos of walking in the wood at Bodelwyddan Castle while it was snowing. The gardens was lovely.
Ooh yes, I can imagine! What a lovely view that would be! xx
Beginning to feel like spring has sprung. I do feel a little more energised. Waw a magnificent magnolia in full bloom today, unfortunately frost expected tomorrow night ????
We were lucky that we didn’t get that – I hope it didn’t spoil the flowers were you are either! xx
Thanks for a lovely post. The photos of the magnolia stellata make me want one. I have a house cat. Well, she was a house cat for 5 years but we took her in the garden on a lead and she was just happy to be with us. When we went indoors, she wanted to come in. Then about a year ago she came out without the lead and just mooched around the garden, darting back inside if it got too scary. We don’t have a totally enclosed garden but we’re not very near the main road. So far, so good.
I really don’t mind whether you post on Friday or Saturday, whatever works best for you. I often don’t get to read them until Saturday but I always look forward to them. Uplifting, joyful and full of interest. Keep up the good work x
I think every garden should have a magnolia tree! They’re so pretty, whether Magnolia stellata or the other variety, Magnolia soulangeana, and I wish the flowers lasted longer! I used to work in a garden with a huge Magnolia soulangeana tree and that flowered twice a year, it was stunning! I’m hoping that Astrid will be happy with the occasional foray into the garden on her harness – so far so good here, too! 🙂 xx
Love your posts. I am glad you are keeping Astrid inside – cats are fine as house cats. I am not surprised your vet and v/nurses have house cats. Feral cats are a major problem in parts of Australia for our wildlife. Many councils now legislate to keep cats inside. We are heading to winter – our days are shortening and gardens getting ready for winter. I love it – no more 40 degree days ‘til next summer. Cheers Anne
Yes, I’ve heard before about cats not being allowed outside in Australia, but it seems that there are more and more house cats here in the UK now so it looks like we may be going the same way but without the legislation! I’m glad you’re enjoying the cooler weather 🙂 xx
Saturday works better for me ????
Thanks for letting me know! 🙂 xx
don’t mind which day.. just enjoy reading them !! the spring blossom is beautiful in our part of Devon.. better than any tonic
You’re in a very beautiful part of the world too! 🙂 xx
Beautiful pictures, esp the cat ones! ???? If Sat works best for you, then that would be great.
Ah, you can’t go wrong with a cat in a box! 🙂 Thanks for your thoughts on the blog post 🙂 xx
We in Ohio are having a wind storm right now. No electric power for 4 hours, and even though it’s only about 7:30pm, it’s dark as midnight. BUT here I am, reading your blog on my phone, using up precious battery power!! Whenever you choose to post is fine. Just keep posting!!xxx
Oh goodness, I hope your power came back on before too long and thank you for using up your phone battery on my blog post! xx
Ten inches of new snow today – just when we thought winter was over in Wisconsin. Thanks for the beautiful pictures which promise me that spring WILL be here soon.
That is a LOT of snow! Yes, hopefully spring will be on its way to you too very soon! xx
Posting day doesn’t matter to me. Font size on email is too small for my vision. When I read online, size is larger which is good. But – I don’t understand why all the print is in gray rather than black. I need an intense color to see well. I do have a vision problem plus aging. It’s not just your posts. I do enjoy the content so thank you for sharing your knitting and life with us.
Hi Mary, thanks for your message. I’ve been to have a look at my email system to see if I can do anything about the font and the colour and it looks like I can, so I’ll make some changes for next time and hopefully it will help you! xx
Morning Christine, I normally read your post early morning on Saturday or Sunday and enjoy your photos and weekly updates so whatever is easier for you.
That’s brilliant, thank you for your thoughts! xx
Christine, I don’t mind at all when you post, it is always a treat, but I do tend to read them at the weekends. eagerly waiting for our stellata to flower, just big fat buds still, but with the amount of rain we have had, it won’t be long. everything seems to grow several inches when there is rain! Astrid is such a pretty cat.Does your other cat go outside all the time? aEnjoy the beautiful spring! Loraine x
Yes, Hattie goes outside but she’s quite a cautious cat so doesn’t stay out long. Fortunately, Astrid doesn’t seem bothered when Hattie goes out and she’s left at home. I hope your Magnolia flowers are out now! 🙂 xx
Hi, I enjoy your reports whenever they come. I tend to read them Sunday mornings, so Saturday post will be ok with me.
That’s brilliant, thanks for letting me know 🙂 xx
Hello, I read the posts first thing with a coffee. I like to think you’re chatting happily to me while I wake up LOL.
I’m glad Astrid is okay. My boys go outside but Jasper is very timid and stays near. Simba is within the group of gardens but does worry me as one neighbour is a cat hater.
Flowers are starting, evenings are brighter, socks are a-knitting 🙂
Helen x
I think that on the whole, cats are wise to who is welcoming to them and who isn’t so I’d like to think that Simba knows to steer clear of your neighbour. I AM chatting to you when you wake up – I love the conversations that I have through the blog! 🙂 xx
Hi Christine – post your blog whenever – I read it when I read it. Now I’m 80 something the days of the week are a bit of a blur! As for cats on a lead (though I’m more of a dog person) we used to have a cat which absolutely loved cars (well, most vehicles) and travelling. So I got her a harness (all elastic) and lead and we took her on holidays in our, then, campervan. She loved sand dunes and seasides. If we left her in the van to go for a meal, or whatever, she hid in a different place each time and we had much fun trying to find her. She was a lovely happy soul. Cats and dogs much alike in many ways. Take care X
That’s such a lovely story about your cat, thank you for telling me! I did feel a bit mean putting Astrid in a harness at first but reading the comments on this post have made me feel so much better about it 🙂 xx
Always good to catch up with your news, however Saturday would suit me better. I seem to get an awful lot of ‘newsletters’ pop into my inbox on a Friday. Sundays are quiet too so I really enjoy Jane Brockets weekly news on Sundays – if you don’t know her then I recommend you look her up, lovely post on flowers this week but she covers all sorts of topics. xx
I was thinking that Friday was probably a busy day for emails and Saturday would be calmer – and it seems from reading all the comments that this really is the case. I just need to get myself organised for Saturday posting now! 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation of Jane Brocket’s blog, I’ve been to have a look and her posts certainly look like a good read! xx
I don’t mind which day I get your posts – as long as I get them.
Our spring flowers in Surrey are on a par with yours even though we felt every thing was late this year as we have had so much exceptionally cold weather – but Stellata and Forsythia both out – tick – and many more.
Your photos are gorgeous – love the cats. We never had a house cat – always outdoors with a catflap. We had three together and no nasty accidents – we put trellis on top of our fences to discourage too much adventuring – and we know they did venture further than we would have liked – but all survived into great old age – thank goodness. They bossed the dogs around no end.
Have a good week and I shall look forward to next week’s post whenever it comes out.
I’m glad your cats never had any accidents! We’re in a pretty rural place so you’d think we’d be OK but have still managed to acquire cats with a nose for trouble! I hope more of your flowers are out now! 🙂 xx
I always catch up with my blog reading on a Sunday. It is always nice to have my email reminder pop in, but which ever day works best for you.
Thank you – and thanks for keeping up with the blog! 🙂 xx
what a joy to see your beautiful shrubs in flower. up here in Perthshire I have very little in flower.
You’ll be a few weeks behind us, although hopefully your daffodils at least will be out soon. We always used to visit my Grandad in Dundee at Easter and I remember the daffodils were out then 🙂 xx
Thanks for your post. It was a very pleasant Springy read. (I enjoy cats in boxes too)
I have found myself not throwing boxes away too quickly these days as I know they will be appreciated for a few hours before they have to go into the recycling bin! 🙂 xx
I think Saturdays a good day for your emails. I have an indoor cat too in fact my last 3 have been indoor cats the first 2 had to be, they where rescue cats with with problems but this one I had from a kitten and she really is not interested in the world outside. Mind you she doesn’t like me going out either?
I’m not sure that’s better then … although it would have suited her nicely during lockdown! 🙂 xx
If it makes life easier for you Saturdays are great – I keep your blog posts to cheer me up on Monday mornings! I love that Astrid’s enjoying her harness 🙂
That’s great, thanks for letting me know your thoughts! 🙂 xx
Hi Christine, happy to receive your emails whenever suits you to send them, but please keep on doing so. Our cat was an indoor cat. we rescued her at the beginning of lockdown after her previous owners couldn’t care for her anymore. she was 13 then, she’s just turned16 and loves a little wander outside, but she doesn’t go far our garden and next door then she’s back, xx
I’ve no plans to stop posting so don’t worry, you won’t escape my ramblings that easily! 🙂 I’m glad you’ve been able to give your cat a lovely life into her old age! xx
Hi Christine, Saturday blogs are fine with me. I tend to save them for when I have some quiet “me time” as I really enjoy reading them and seeing the lovely pictures.
On my fourth pair of socks now thanks to your wonderful patterns
That’s wonderful to hear, I’m glad I’ve been able to help you! Thanks for your thoughts on the blog posts 🙂 xx
Hi Christine, here in Oxfordshire my daffs have been blooming away and are now about halfway through, nothing much else out in our garden but forsythia which is almost at an end sadly. We don’t have a cat or dog sadly as we like both but decision made years ago when we were both at work and busy with family and visiting parents. Almost to the toes on a sock for husband then to make its pair. Mentioned I was knitting socks to a lady who had been hemming my dress and she gave me two balls of Opal that someone had given her, hence a cheap hem as she wouldn’t take anything for the wool, dying to start a ball. Thanks for your cheery messages which cheer me; I shall be 90 in a couple of months still wondering how I got to this age! Saturday is fine with me. It is Tuesday reading
often here! Keep upnthe goid work love Jillx
Ah, it’s hard to have pets when you’re working away from home – which is why so many people got them during lockdown! I’m glad you’re getting on well with your husband’s socks, and how lovely that you’ve got more yarn to start. Happy birthday for a couple of months’ time too! 🙂 xx
Hi Christine, the flowers are truly lovely. I’m happy the cat harness is working. Blog on Sunday is ok, I began knitting a pair of socks (on 3 DPNs) for my husband. It’s been slow going I generally use magic loop. But its good to change knitting styles to add variety to one’s project making. Thanks for chatting.
I always think it’s a really good idea to know how to use all the techniques in case there’s ever a time when you need to switch. Knowing how to use DPNs is a good skill – and I hope your husband loves his socks! xx
I’d love to sit down with your posts on a Sunday with a cuppa so arriving on Saturday is perfect. My cat loves getting in boxes and we recently started playing a game I call “riding the bus” where he gets into a box on its side and I gently nudge it around the carpet with my foot and then he gets out at his stop… maybe because he is an indoor cat too I feel like I have to make it “real world” roleplay. Now I’ve written it down though it sounds a bit weird.
PS wearing my 1st ever me-made socks today thanks to you! They had just been indoor cosy socks because despite gauge-swatching I made them pretty roomy but I’ve ventured out to the office with them as boot socks today. Excited to cast on a new pair soon and make some better ones – as my friend reminded me recently, you can’t do something well without doing it badly first 🙂
There is definitely something about boxes and cats, isn’t there? As a new indoor cat owner, I absolutely understand your need to provide “real world” experiences for your cat (and I did actually see a cat get on a bus once) but it’s definitely safer to keep that one indoors! 🙂 xx