April Fun

Hello again! We have been making the most of the sunshine before the rain showed up.

Leaping about at Lepe Beach!

Exploring the pebbles.

Black Headed Gulls enjoying an evening paddle.

On our way back we stopped to look at this field of bright yellow rapeseed.

Our garden has a bit of colour now and is looking lovely since Granny and Grampy attacked it with their secateurs!

Planting Pansies.

Erysimum Apricot Delight

Crab apple (well it might be, the top of the tree got broken and this is the root stock).

Quince

This tulip keeps popping up. Its been in the Cherry tree pot for about 4 years.

Violets

Planting Windmill Flowers - fun to water aswell.

The Bubble Fairy.

Wisteria starting to flower.

Acer leaves.

We had a little explore over at the Manor meadow to see what we could see...

Buttercups.

We found the pond and some new arrivals...

Moorhen having a swim.

Lots of baby ducklings!

Update: Granny has informed me that this flower is a Cuckooflower, also commonly known as 'Lady's-smock', it's a pretty springtime perennial of damp, grassy places like wet meadows, ditches and riverbanks, as well as roadside verges. Its pale pink flowers bloom from April to June and are thought to coincide with the arrival of the first cuckoo - a sure sign that spring has arrived at last.

Ooooo! What's that?

There were hundreds of tadpoles. Obviously we were too late for the frogspawn but we can keep visiting to see how they grow.

Pretty Primroses.

By the pond.

You might remember our cheeky caterpillar visitors last year? You can read about them here. Well this is one that decided to hibernate and has just emerged.

Waiting for wings to unfold.

Ready to fly off outside.

I'm sure we will get a few more later in the year!
See you soon,
Amber xxx

Oh I do like to be beside the Seaside!

 What wonderful weather we are having! We have been making the most of it with lots of visits to Lepe Beach and Country Park.

There has been lots of this Hawthorn blossom everywhere, it's so pretty.

First paddle of the year.

There was even a swan out enjoying the sun and sea.

Lepe Beach.

Having fun in the sand.

Collecting wet sand for sand castles.

Rather suddenly the tide went out and this spit of beach appeared. Big Sparkle went to investigate.

But she let go of her hat and the wind blew it into the sea!

Oh no, my hat!

 Luckily a friendly local who had been canoeing, waded back out to rescue it just before it sank.

Thank you for saving my hat!

The view from the spit looking back at the main beach.

These next few pictures were taken on an evening stroll. Not much sand but some fun pampas grass fronds and a pretty little lighthouse.

Geese and swan catching the evening sun.

Throwing stones...Ooooo naughty! (And yes, one popped her on the head.)

Thrift Flowers starting to come out.

I hope you managed to get out and enjoy the sunshine. See you again soon,

Love Amber xxx