May Musings

Well the blackbird chicks have fledged, although not without a certain degree of drama. As soon as Shandy became aware of their movements, she was eager to encourage them to leave the nest so long as they ended up in her mouth! Luckily for the first one it fluttered over the new fence and was safely out of her reach, the other somehow ended up in the peach house where it became increasingly frantic and started flying into the glass. Giles finally caught it gently in the fishing net and relocated it into the currant bushes, far away from Shandy's tender ministrations. Phew, raising babies of any sort is tiring work! May is such a lovely month with all the baby birds and the rebirth of so many plants, chief amongst these now are the lilacs with their powerful scent and a colour that looks perfect against the bruised and moody skies we are having at the moment. I have always understood that it is unlucky to bring the blooms inside as they used to adorn houses after a death, the strong scent masking the odour of the deceased, but as modern practises of laying out have altered I see no reason not to indulge and pick a large bunch for your enjoyment.Also looking fantastic at the moment is Solanum crispum the potato vine, that I think will be my favourite for this week, see below,

"Just now the lilac is in bloom,
all before my little room;
and in my flower beds I think,
Smile the carnation and the pink"
Rupert Brooke