Saturday, February 10, 2018

10/02/2018 Photos taken over the last couple of days and today.

Maximum temperature today 7C, minimum -4C.  North Westerly winds; 8 km/h with up to 20 km/h gusts.  Mixture of snow, drizzle and frost!!
A glimmer of sun on the afternoon of 8 Feb - Bergenia Cordifolia.....


and a close up.


Also on the 8th, this unopened crocus....


and one wild violet seen in the lawn.

On the 9th Nigel made this Clementine, Almond and Olive oil cake.  Very yummy.  It is a Rick Stein recipe which Nigel found HERE if you are interested.


A few birds around on the 9th were the Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)...

Eurasian collard-dove (Streptopelia decaocto)....

A Great tit female (Parus major) battling not to be blown off her perch...

a female Common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) in the distance....

then the snow returned...

but thankfully we have the wood burner 😊'

Today the garden looked like this...

as above...

A few male and female House sparrows (Passer domesticus) also keeping their distance.

26 comments:

  1. Nice series of bird pictures and at least you have plants comin up out of the ground. We will have to wait another month for that to happen. We got another 5cm of snow overnight and I just came in from shovellng the driveway. Too bad I couldn’t’ have a slice of Nigel’s cake with my coffee!

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    1. It amazes me how the bergenis cordifolia survives in flower even under the snow, It seems to survive whatever!. That cake is really tasty I have to say. Have a good Sunday Diane

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  2. So many beautiful images in this post, Diane. The cake sounds and looks delicious!

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    1. Thanks Marie and the cake is delicous, he can make it again at any time :-) Take care Diane

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  3. You are having snow and we have having RAIN. COLD RAIN! I am so glad you like the cornbread. You can actually put anything you want in it. Peppers, fruit....I also make cornbread in a skillet in the oven, thick cornbread. I have added peaches to it before and it is so good. Enjoy...that cake by the way sounds great.

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    1. Think Pam I prefer the idea of it as savoury with chillies, we like hot food. So quick and easy to make perfect for a last minute decision. The cake is very yummy :-) Keep well Diane

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  4. Oh so BEAUTIFUL, Diane. I love the flowers, the birds. Now, you have snow again, and a wonderful wood burning stove.

    Thank you for sharing, I needed this today. :)

    xoxo

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    1. Sally that does not sound good, I hope all is well I know how worried you must be. I would be in a real state I am sure. Hope Sunday is a better day. Take care Diane

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    2. You, my friend, are a treasure. I so enjoy our friendship over the many miles, and your kindness.
      xoxo

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  5. Hi Diane. Isn't the weather interchangeable from day to day. What happened to the bergenia and other flowers in the snow? Nothing seems to phase the birds. Keep warm and enjoy the rest of the weekend, Kim x

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    1. The bergenia seems to just survive under the snow, not sure how but it is very hardy. The others droop a bit but with sun (which are seeing very little of) would pick up again.
      The birds are extra hungry and going through masses of food, but we are the only people in our hamlet to feed so far as I know. Word seems to get out and we have a dark feathered cloud in the sky when the food is put out!!.. Hope your Sunday is a good one. Diane x

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    2. Thanks Diane. I can't feed the birds because of my cat but they do come down bathe and drink from the rock pools. There is a warm, misty rain falling here, it is like being inside a cloud!

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  6. The flowers give me hope that we will eventually see the snow gone. The way it works in the spring is what you experienced... flowers bursting all around and then being snowed under.

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    1. These are all pretty hardy flowers and seem to survive very well, but they would all be happy I am sure to see a lot more sun they they are this year! Keep well Diane

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  7. I have no idea what made me think about this, but I came back to check -I think that Richard Pegler and I are the only men who leave comments. All the rest are women. Should this be telling me something?

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    1. David you are certainly my best male follower, Richard comments more often on My Life in the Charente. I do though have two male followers from Australia, one comments from time to time, the other seems to just send me an email as does a male follower from Scotland. I think in general more females blog than males but I may be wrong. Think with the 3 of us, we picked up from Noushka's blog and we are all bird fans. I will have to look for more bird sights run by men LOL. Cheers Diane

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  8. Such crazy weather you're experiencing, snow and spring flowers.

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    1. We have had everything thrown at us this year weather-wise but the flowers just seem to get on with it! Cheers Diane

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  9. Beautiful photos Diane. The purple sun kissed flowers give one hope that warmer weather is around the corner. That cake Nigel made looks delicious. I like watching Rick Stein's cooking shows though I haven't seen him for awhile.

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    1. Excellent cake I have to say, love the citrus bite to it. It is nice that we have some flowers out despite the rubbish weather:-) Take care Diane

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  10. That Bergenia Cordifolia is stunning. Hard to believe it's blooming in that chilly weather.

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    1. It does not seem to be effected by the weather, it just keeps going. Take care Diane

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  11. So nice to see snow. It is so hot here at 34 deg C! The cake Nigel baked looks great! In spite of the snow, you still get to enjoy the pretty flowers and the birds.

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    1. I would be so much happier with 34C, I will never get used to the cold. The flowers never cease to amaze me :-) Take care Diane

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  12. Don't you love days where you have a bit of sun and a sprinkling of snow.. the garden looks tres magical Diane ✨
    P.s. still coughing unfortunately 😑

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    1. No, I will never love snow or the cold though it looks great for photos!!!! We both seem to have the same cough I think I just wish now it would go away. Take care Diane

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