Our January Garden.

I have a cold.  Nothing new or unusual there, however it irritates me and my head is thick.  

I've discarded one post already this week because I couldn't put any sense into it.  I was deleting as much as I was writing and in the end gave up.  That's not me, I don't give up. 

The weather has been so cold here, and yes, I know its much worse in other places.  We've been lighting the woodburner so that we're only heating one room for most of the day, rather than the whole house.  It’s cosy, and encourages you to sit.  Maybe not so bad once in a while, I really need to get rid of this cold!  A wish would be for a kitchen the size of a lounge, one we could live in.  Honestly, I feel like I’ve begun to hibernate and will have to step up next week.

We've been out walking a couple of times, to get some fresh air, the wind was bitter at the beginning of the week and the frost didn't clear yesterday.   No snow here though,  it has been just cold and bright.  Today is dull.  The forecast says the weather is changing to be milder and wet.  Very British.  

I've been popping out to the garden each day, to feed the birds.  They have no choice about whether to stay at home or not, and I feel responsible for them. 

Two Robins have been visiting for mealworms and sunflower seeds.  Neither seems to worry about the decorative Robin.  A tiny wren has been flitting about and blackbirds were getting braver and coming nearer to the house.  Then the pigeons found the seed and that lead to seagulls squawking on the rooftop.   Full circle.   All wildlife, all hungry.  I just do prefer the smaller birds!  We've have tried to make the feeders less accessible to the pigeons and there's no food on the ground for the seagulls.   Then this morning, we saw a young seagull on the feeder!  They are protected, the mealworms aren’t 😏

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Here are a few photos  of our garden in January.  Not terribly inspiring,  but an accurate record.  It’s a mess really, so much to do when the weather improves.

We left the seed heads this year for the birds.  I’ve never left the Anemones to seed before and they are lovely close up, no birds seem interested though. We’ve had goldfinches in the garden before but not yet this year.  Perhaps our local ones have migrated.

The pond has been frozen these last few days, but no snow.

Frozen Bears Breeches!

Frost on the bird feeders.

❤️

It was only a sunny smile

and little it cost in the giving,

but like morning light,

it scattered the night,

and made the day worth living.

😊

F. Scott Fitzgerald