There is something so exuberant and joyful about May, and this one in particular has been sublime as we've had such amazing weather, with each day warm, dry and sunny. The dependable sun has warmed the land and Spring has now arrived with a flourish. Everything is freshly green and blossoming, perfuming the breezes with an ever changing array of floral scents. Out in the woods the trees have grown a connected canopy of dense leaves and the lanes that we drive along on our way to and from the woods are once again secret, shady tunnels.
It is such a beautiful time to be out in the countryside, so much is happening and every walk we go on brings new delights to see and enjoy. I've paid my annual spring visit to the orchard where I spent a wonderful few hours just wandering quietly with my camera. At lunch time I sat by the little pond and watched a pair of Canada geese shepherd their 5 small chicks across to the other side.
Back at home I've enjoyed my first garden knitting session of the season, it's lovely to sit outside again on Toby's swing and listen to the birds in the tree above me and I look forward to more gently swinging garden knitting time over the next few months.
The highlight of the month though was on May 2nd, when just after 8pm Katsue brought her cub with her for a visit, he's quite shy but obviously just weaned on to solid foods as he ran over to investigate what his mum was eating. I had to take pictures through the window as he was very skittish and wary of us and we were all enthralled, holding our breath and hoping for the moment to last. I was so pleased that Amy got to see a cub this time as she missed the time that Kit brought her 3 cubs to visit. It seems that Katsue just has the one cub, as we've not seen any others and although she's taking plenty of food away each time the cub has not been back to our garden for a couple of weeks. He'll be hidden away somewhere safe, and growing a little each day under the watchful eye and dedicated care of his mum.
In knitting news there's not much to tell. I'm so eager to share details on the latest animal design but I'm going to have to keep you in suspense just a little longer, as it is not yet close enough to being finished. We have however started photography so it is progressing. Once we've finished all of the shots and I've got the layouts done I'll be in a position to reveal its identity.
Well, I hope that things have been good for you this last month and that the coming month brings some small joys your way. I'll see you again in a few weeks with notes of what we've been up to in June, J x
Nature notes from May:
- Week 1: The bluebells are at their peak and filling the whole wood with their wonderful scent. May 3rd, heard the first cuckoo and saw newly emerged damsel flies. Buttercups and cowslips are out in the meadows. Oak galls are visible amongst the new oak leaves, in a month or so they'll harden into small brown balls, but right now they are pretty and pink.
- Week 2: Hedgerows are in full froth, with hawthorn blossom (also known as May blossom) thick on the branches above and great drifts of cow parsley below. Saw the first swallows of the season, just arrived from their long journey from Africa. First dragonflies spotted at the Panshanger lake.
- Week 3: It's apple blossom time and the old, gnarled trees at the orchard wear their most beautiful attire of the year. A thick carpet of pungent wild garlic covers the floor of the small wood, a beautiful galaxy of star like flowers.
- Week 4: The great tit chicks fledged from the nest box into the big wide world. Rain arrived at last, not much but so very needed after such a long dry spell, the petrichor smell is wonderful.