24 Apr 2010 1:20 AM

Here is a sample of some of the beautiful flowers that are now coming up all over the garden.

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24 Apr 2010 1:15 AM

This tiny flower, as small as a little finger nail, is stunning when seen in a cluster.

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24 Apr 2010 1:09 AM

Everything, as the song tells us, is coming up roses and this photo shows a close up of the small Japanese Rose.

Once the sun is on this flowers' back, the shades of yellows are a wonder to see.

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19 Apr 2010 5:13 AM

This morning, Sunday, I awoke early to the sound of the Dawn Chorus.  My family were still asleep so I moved into an area of the house where I would not disturbe them.  For a while, I stood by and open window sometimes holding my breath and not daring to make a sound, in case I missed something. 

One bird struck up, into song, then another, as if in competition with the other, until the whole area was full of the feathered songsters.  It was music to my ears and although I listen to the sound, year after year, I still love to here the chorus as if it is the first time I have ever heard it.  Luckily, and it is not usually the case for me, when I went back to bed, after the chorus had finished, I was able to go back to sleep.

When I awoke again, still before my family were awake, I went downstairs and  looked out of the dining room window-out over the back garden-and noticed that there was a slight frost. 

When the frost cleared, after I had eaten and slowly 'pulled myself together,' I decided to try and clean the car for it was getting  to the stage when I was not wishing to call it mine for it was filthy. 

I set off, in the shadows, cleaning the car, in my summer coat, and, before long, as lite sprang into the shadowy areas, it became so warm I felt the need to take the coat off. 

After lots of car washing, paint rubbing and buffing, I was in need of a cooling off period and went into the house to remove some of the clothing I felt the need to wear only half an hour ago; I write this because the weather has become so unpredictable. 

Until now, volcanic ash has being effecting people who were wanting to fly but, today, after looking at my now clean car, I could see small particles of ash falling onto the vehicle and I wondered, if the volcanic iruption was to continue for a long time, if my car's air filter would be able to cope or would it eventually clog up.

Later, when I had cooled down, I decided to go to my local nature reserve for I wanted to see, if it was possible, if I was still in with a chance of taking a photo of any Hares that may still be boxing.  Again, I was to be out of luck.

I was able to here more Chiffchaffs and there was a Willow Warbler calling which was a first for me this year.

Today, although it was not late when I set off, there were hundreds of people at the reserve I was visiting.  Pram pushers, family party walkers, cyclists and horse riders seemed to be at every corner and who could blame them for the weather was perfect for walking for there was not a cloud in the clear blue azure sky. 

On my way back to the car, I met a couple of friends and it was lovely to be able to catch up on 'old times.'

Earlier, when I first entered the car park, there were only a few empty parking areas and, when I was leaving the area, people were driving round the site in the hope, if they stayed there long enough, that someone would leave and they could take their parking spot.  The gentle sun had worked wonders in getting people out into the fresh air.

Earlier, I mentioned that the weather was strange and today was not an exception for, as soon as I was able to get to the car, the weather had changed and not only was it dull and gloomy looking, the temperatures had gone from 18c to 8c. in no time at all.

Later, when I had been home for some time, my sister phoned-from Australia-and she told me that the house she lives in, after torrents of rain had fallen, was flooded out.  At times, she said, the rain was beating down so hard that she became frightened.  Thankfully, the weather seems to have settled a little and she and her husband no longer live in anguish as to wether the weather will do more damage to their dwelling.

By for now,

John.

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13 Apr 2010 4:42 AM

Last year, my son watched a member of staff, in the place where he works, throw a coffee table into a 'skip' so that the wooden table could go to the local council tip.

Knowing that I like to, where possible, renovate real grained wood surfaces, my son asked if he could take the table home. 

To get the table home, he only had to pay a taxi fare.  The table was easy to get in to the boot of the hired lift home for the table legs had been taken off the table.

When I saw the state of the wooden table, for there were hot teacup rings on the surface of the stained wood, I gulped hard, my heart sank to the floor and I was in two minds as to whether the table was 'too far gone' to be able to do anything with. 

Parts of the wood's surface had been deeply scratched, as if someone had tried to renovate the table and had given the work up as a bad job, and there were several more superficial problems to sort out.

Last week, almost a year on, while there was a beautiful day, I began work on the table and, after lots of T.L.C. I am pleased to say the restoraton work is now proving dividends for the table is begining to look something like it would have looked when it was first made.

Today, Monday, and after lots of work, I have put my first coat of Translack on the wood. 

I can only do one coat a day, for the varnish has to dry hard before the next coat can go on, so my work is not finished yet but, as soon as the work is done, I will put a photo on my 'overs' blog.

Having said that, I am-already-very satisfied with what I have been able to achieve so far.

I have looked, on Ebay, at one such renovated table-although the standard of renovation could have been better, and the asking price is £150.

Having said that, the table, when it is finished, is not for sale for I want to wake up, each day, and look at the piece of furniture with pride and be pleased that I was able to bring it back to life and use it for what it was made for.

By for now,

John.   

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