Sunny weekend

Just to let you know that I have not disappeared. (I recall wistfully the TV show ‘The fall and rise of Reginald Perrin’ about a guy so bored with his life he fakes his death and makes a fresh start. Don’t think I haven’t sometimes considered it!)

I have not posted much in the last few days because I have got rather bogged down writing three award posts, which are still not done. Plus returning to work has, as always, proven highly inconvenient. This weekend was gloriously sunny. This is such a rarity in NW England in winter that I could not bear to stay indoors.

I have caught up on reading some of your blog posts, the smartphone is proving very useful for doing this on the bus.

This cold morning I was warmed by getting a mention in a blog by my beloved friend Dominique.

So after catching up with friends and making ‘er indoors her breakfast I headed out to spend much of the day in the sun-warmed greenhouse. Most greenhouses in my part of the world are disused in winter because people think things do not grow in winter and it is true if you want to grow tomatoes etc.

My greenhouse largely contains plants that are in growth during the winter, such as bulbs from South Africa, Australia, South America and the Mediterranean, so far from looking empty it has a lot of leaves and a few flowers at this time of year. In this first picture taken from the western end you can see the back of our house through the roof glass.

From the other end you can see out through the door to my shed and to the trees beyond. These trees actually line the edge of the West Coast rail line which runs through a cutting beyond. There was a steam train this morning!

Outside in the frame this Crocus korolkowii ‘Kiss of Spring’ was bravely trying to pretend it was not still the middle of winter!