Spring has sprung....

Snail Boy

What a beautiful sunny spring time day it was today.  We have had such cold weather lately, lots of rain and even snow on the hills.

It is so nice to see the sun again.

This morning when I looked out of the kitchen window I saw Salem playing with snails.

He has a bit of a play with them then feeds them to the chickens.  And of course he has to wear them first.  Strange lad!!!!!

Pukekos trying to avoid us

We walked home from the gym today and it seemed like all the bird life was out enjoying the sun.
The Pukekos (swamp hens) were fighting with each other or else running away from us.  I just love their white feathers on their bottoms.

Another Pukeko

Our walk takes us through a swamp land which is just lovely.  With all the rain we have had, there is plenty of water for the pukekos, ducks, geese and many other birds to swim and wade in.

By the Swamp

It's a pity that a completely un-needed expressway is to be built through here.  We will have shifted into Wellington by then.  It would be too horrible to see a beautiful landscape ruined like that.

Ducks

It is such a joy to watch the ducks swimming about.  Often we stop and watch them, along with some wading birds.  Today we got to watch some swallows flitting around above us.  

Admiring the blossoms

Then it was back to suburbia and we were treated to lovely spring displays all the way home.  Here are some of the lovely spring delights for you to enjoy.

Gorgeous tiny purple flowers

There flowers were so little, I thought they were little black berries at first so I had to have a closer look and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were lovely little purple flowers.

Forget-Me-Nots

Ahhhh... forget-me-nots, just love them.  We have some growing in a pot at home.  We got them as tiny seedlings from the Colonial Cottage in Wellington.  We didn't know what they were until they produced their little blue blooms.

Along side the forget-me-nots were these blue beauties.  I can't remember what they are called.

Taking time to smell the Flowers

One of the best things about spring time is walking through clouds of perfume down the street.  The freesias are delicious but of course you have to beware of some not so nice smelling flowers.  There are a fair few yucky smelling blooms which we cross the road for as they are planted on mass.  I haven't taken any photos of those today.

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do......

Also at home we have flowering at the moment are our grape hyacinths, I just love them.  They remind me of when I used to live at my Nana and Grandad's.  There was always these little cheeky blue flowers peeking out of the long grass every spring.

Alyssum

Our borage is still producing lots of little blue stars.  My boys love eating these flowers so it is amazing that there are any left.  The flowers taste like cucumber and of course the bees just love them.

The daffidols have been and gone, they were early blooming ones but flowered in the middle of winter.
I think we might have some later blooming ones planted somewhere.  I can never remember.

One lot of our tulips has already bloomed and dissappeared but another variety has started to flower.
The tulips at the Wellington Botanic Gardens have bloomed very early so we will go and see them this weekend.  Can't wait!!!!!

My roses have started to have flowers on too.  I gave them a hard pruning back as they were getting too bushy with not enough space for air flow so hopefully they will be a bit healthier this year.  They are very hardy older varieties with deliciously scented blooms.

I think my next gardening job will be cutting back my geraniums, they are taking over the place.  
Ahhhhhh....... I love spring!!!!!!!!!

"Hark! the hours are softly calling

Bidding Spring arise

To listen to the rain-drops falling

From the cloudy skies

To listen to Earth's weary voices

Louder every day

Bidding her no longer linger

On her charm'd way

But hasten to her task of beauty

Scarcely yet begun."

~Adelaide Anne Procter