28th April, 2013...Weddings and Furness Abbey!

End of April, and still absolutely FREEZING! We haven't managed to get down to Furness Abbey this weekend because Steve Hillman has had weddings on both days. The couples both wanted to have some photographs taken in the Abbey grounds. One bride managed it, but was far too cold for any sensible bride to walk down from Abbey House on Sunday, so she had most of her photographs taken in Abbey House's beautiful grounds!

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to both couples... (and well done to SHphotography for securing five more bookings in the last five days!!)

 

We have had a weird thing happening in our garden. Even though it feels very cold still, the temperatures have gone up enough to give all the dormant winter/spring bedding like pansies and primroses a massive boost and they have produced huge flower heads. I've never seen pansy faces as big! And the magnolia has gone mad!

 

 

 

 

 

And some archive photos of Furness Abbey to finish. Hopefully, as it's Bank Holiday next weekend, we can at least get down here for a walk, though there is no chance of putting away the parkas yet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14th April, 2013

A quiet day, feeling very mild at 12 degrees, and a little rainfall has 'greened' every thing up!

 

 

 

We have been watching a nesting pair of blackbirds in our garden for the last week....they raid my garden pots for bits of straw and hay for their nests, and make an almighty mess. We watched a pair of nesting blue-jays up in Abbot's Wood today, doing exactly the same thing!

 

 

 

 

Definately time to do my study of Wordsworth's Daffodils in school tomorrow! "Oh no" wails Frankie!!

 

  " And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils."

 

 

 

 

 

10th April, 2013... Baby D is born!

Mild and tranquil down here today,ten degrees, and we've all had the best news.... Oskar was born at 2.16am this morning(all the best people are born in April!)! Congratulations to the family! Frankie celebrated with his customary 'bowl of chips'!

 

 

Plenty of people joining him at the Abbey Mill Cafe!! Dogs too!

 

And stampeding cows!

Lovely hint of summer on the breeze today...just when we are going back to school!

 

 

 

And thank goodness our friend didn't have to treck to Lancaster Royal Infirmary to have baby Oskar....let's all make a fuss if there is any threat towards Furness General Hospital!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8th April, 2013

Bitterly cold yesterday but the sun had brought everyone out and the Abbey ruins and Abbey Mill cafe were very busy!

 

Lovely celandines and pink campions on the Abbots Wood ground, and a good display of daffodils at last!

 

 

We saw these tree creepers down here feeding off small insects on the bark of the trees inside the Abbey, and an 'outstanding' bulfinch posing for his photo (Steve Hillman wants to be titled an 'Award Winning Photographer' so...there.... I've awarded him a compliment!!).

 

 

 

The kites were circling for their lunch too!

 

 

A police helicopter spent most of yesterday morning circling Hawcoat and the sea just off Walney. Not sure what was going on...? The Air Ambulance flew over whilst we were here yesterday afternoon, very close to the ground, so I guess it was landing at FGH?

 

 

No sign of baby D yet.....come on Bumpy, we are all waiting!!