Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, it was nice to get a way even though it's Winter , it's helped pass the time on a bit
I can't get into the Garden to do any thing because it's water logged but things are growing, I keep thinking rain is better than snow, at least I can get the car out Another shot of my nosy Sea Gull
March starts on the Week-end, roll on. Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

It’s always good to get away, Goldie, and it looks like you mad a good choice, too. It helps to break the monotony of wet and windy weather. Plenty of snow on those northern hills at the moment, with more to come over the next few days. Enjoy!

[David M]

Glad you had a nice break and good to see you made a friend, Goldie!

There's been precious little snow in south Wales this winter. Surprising how much of a difference a few dozen miles makes when you head further north.

Fingers crossed your garden dries out. I think we've all had a guts full of this stormy and wet weather.

As you say, roll on March.

[Goldie M]

Many thanks for your posts essex and David, it was good to get a way essex, and I'm planning on doing it again in April and May
They keep on about lots of Snow here but so far we've been lucky, it's just missed us and landed in Cumbria,

Hi! David, I thought about you in South Wales when they forecast all that rain whilst we were in North of Wales I took a shot of a flooded field, it seems the week before was much worse for floods so were lucky.

I tried to get into the garden to cut some of the roses down this morning, guess what! Rain again! Goldie

[Wurzel]

Crickey Goldie there's more water in that field than grass Hope you're doing okay up there - one way to look at it is that when the butterflies finally do arrive they'll be all the sweeter for having put up with all this dreary rain

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

..Hi! David, I thought about you in South Wales when they forecast all that rain whilst we were in North of Wales I took a shot of a flooded field, it seems the week before was much worse for floods so were lucky.

Thankfully Swansea escaped the worst of the flooding, Goldie. The problem here has been the wind. It's regularly been 60mph+.

My friend in Abergavenny has also largely escaped, though nearby towns and villages such as Hereford, Crickhowell and Raglan have been submerged in places.

I remember this happening around the same time of year in 2007. Let's hope it'll be at least 13 years before it happens again!

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, I thought we'd seen the last of the heavy storms but looks like there's another one on the way, it's very cold here at present and this morning we had the Snow but it's gone now thank goodness Goldie

[David M]

Hi! David, I thought we'd seen the last of the heavy storms but looks like there's another one on the way, it's very cold here at present and this morning we had the Snow but it's gone now thank goodness Goldie

Yep. It just goes on, Goldie, doesn't it?

There's snow on the Brecon Beacons but the problem round my way is the wind. We've had several dry, sunny days but with 30mph+ winds it's not conducive to butterflies going about their business.

I'd happily pay £100 for one calm day with lots of sunshine right now. I'm sure things would kick off spectacularly should that happen.

[Goldie M]

Hi! David, we actually got a lovely day yesterday, Sun all day but a cold wind it did calm down some what in the afternoon and I did some gardening for the first time so I thought like you a little warmer and the Butterflies will be out
I ventured into the Garden again this morning to do some work but the Hail Stones drove me back, hope fully if the saying is right,

"March comes in like a Lion and goes out like a Lamb", roll on Goldie

[Wurzel]

I hope you're right Goldie - we could seriously do with a little bit of sun and some butterflies I hope we don;t get a nasty shock at the end of the month

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

"March comes in like a Lion and goes out like a Lamb", roll on

Let's hope so, Goldie. We all need a break from this stormy weather right now.

[Goldie M]

Thanks for your post Wurzel and David, it looks like it's all systems go here at present, for three days now we've had very cold nights with frosty mornings but the Sun has warmed every thing up in the afternoons and that's when I spotted my first Butterfly of 2020

It was in my Neighbours garage fighting to get out through the window, I was talking to her at the time when we spotted it so she allowed me to take some shots of it, poor thing was going mad to get out and not doing it's self much good so I helped it find it's way out when it landed on my finger then flew for the door. I just hope it's okay, the weather forecast isn't bad for the next few days so hope fully it will be. ( I was really chuffed to bits ) Goldie

[trevor]

Well found, Goldie. A rarity around here Small Torts had a bad year in 2019.
Even down here in Sussex things are slow to get started, wind rain and cold air with little sun.

Keep well,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Great that you're off the mark Goldie I'm on three but the Small Tort isn't on my list yet so a from me Hopefully things will settle soon and we can get cracking with the season proper

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Many thanks for your post Trevor and Wurzel, the weather has gone back to the usual here, ( Wind and Rain )

We do really well here Trevor with the Small Tort, it's usually the first Butterfly I see each year and last year I was lucky and had lots in my garden, it remains to be seen though this year with all the damp weather we've had just how they'll be affected, fingers crossed they'll be okay

Weather's not settling this week Wurzel we've just got a weather warning for heavy rain starting today, I think that Small Tort was a bit too eager to get out hope fully other's will come later
It's great you've seen three Butterflies already, only two weeks off the first day of Spring now, ( Roll On ) Goldie

[David M]

Wonderful that you got to see a Small Tortoiseshell, Goldie. I guess it'll be a while before it ventures out again given the weather forecast. It looked as though we were in for some respite but things have gone awry again and these gale force winds are set to continue.

[Wurzel]

Hopefully things up there are following a different pattern to down my way Goldie - at the moment the worst weather seems to be reserved for the weekend Plus there's nothing more galling than looking out of the window whilst trapped at work and seeing blue skies and sun and knowing that there are Small Torts flying up the field Oh well soon be Spring proper

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! David and Wurzel, everybody around here are more bothered at present about the Virus than the weather people are keeping their distance from each other and my age group in particular are worried, I'm glad really I've got my camera and when the weather gets better I can escape into the country side, ( and the garden ) Looks okay today so I may try HLB, nothing flying in my garden yet

We've had a real belly full of the weather, last night we'd the Gale force winds again plus the heavy rain and it looks like the same again this week-end, anyway Spring should start next week, let's hope the better weather will too Goldie

[Goldie M]

Each day I load up the camera with great expectations that'll see some Butterflies but so far nothing in the Garden
I did venture further a field but still nothing, the wind is so cold and really strong, any way, it can't be too long now before some thing appears , everybody seems to be seeing them and I usually end up with them in the garden eventually, I've just got to be more patient In the mean time I took one or two shots of the lovely Sun sets we've been having and of course one of my favourite bird. Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

Much the same down here, Goldie. It’s been bright but really cold and windy today. But it’s only a matter of time, until then, keep well.