Finally ..... SPRING!

Well finally it seems that spring has sprung in lovely Oxfordshire.  The ground is warming up, the trees are finally getting some leaves and the cherry trees are nearly finished blossoming.
My chickens are very happy with this improvement in the weather; still have one not laying (and don't have the time to study them to work out which one it is...), but they are pottering around the garden all day, enjoying the new freedom of complete free-ranging. Bingo continues her fierce hunting, and was seen with a mouse in her beak last week, while Ginny has taken an alternative approach to finding food, and is harassing the blackbirds that visit the garden every time they get a worm out of the ground.  She has discovered that if chased around enough, they will drop the worm - I do feel sorry for the blackbirds though as I'm sure they have young to feed.
My allotment, although slightly unkempt looking, is perking up too.  Leeks planted out last autumn are finally starting to look more like leeks and less like blades of grass, and the gooseberry bush has flowered and has tiny gooseberries on - can't wait for them to be ready.  I've planted a good deal of brassicas and leeks in my polytunnel to bring them on out of harms way of slugs and pigeons, and have started to rotivate the outside beds.
Yesterday I had my first beekeeping practical lesson with the Oxfordshire Beekeepers Association www.oxfordshirebeekeepers.com.  A group of us visited their teaching apiary, donned beekeeping suits, feeling like astronauts and got to inspect some hives, pulling out the frames and identifying what we could see. We then learnt the art of smoker lighting, and putting together frames.  It was really interesting and I can't wait now until my bees arrive for my hive at home, all of whom will be called Derek!

Spring???

Despite the spring equinox having passed now, there are very few signs of spring in Oxfordshire. I visited my allotment yesterday to find a very chilly scene, tiny leeks and very few garlic bulbs picking their heads out of the soil. However in the protection of my polytunnel my narcissi have come up and are flowering. I was able to pick a lovely bunch of "spring"!! I also have some growing outside, and although they are up, no buds in evidence yet.
This morning we have woken to more snow, no one is impressed any more, especially the chickens!!