Wow The Sun!!!!!. . . Oh Then It Started Raining!

At 8am this morning, the whole of the South West thought it was going to be another day like yesterday, endless, relentless rain, but by 11am the sun came out and stayed out until 3pm. Only 4 hours of sun but the best 4 hours of sun ever! It just shows you that when the sun is given a chance this time of year it can become so warm, barmy and everyone smiles.

We went to Shebbear today, more about the village, church and 'ghost story' tomorrow. We saw a house for sale, lovely house yet too small for us and right on the lane, yet it had great potential. But we're not really on the market to sell just yet, we're just being nosey, seeing what's around and what you can get with your bucks.

When we came home, the sun shone and the lilac was awashed with butterflies. My first Red Admiral, Peacock (my fav butterfly), Tortishell and Painted Lady. I sat up on the wall watching them skirt from one flower to the next, while the Skylark sang above me. Amazing what comes out when the sun shines! The fox cubs are getting bigger and bolder in the field, the blue tits babies in the box by the car port are getting older and louder (I've never seen a pair of birds work so hard to feed their young, a constant stream of in out in out with their beaks full of slugs and flies and anything else they can find!) and I saw a Bank Vole too! Unfortunately there is a rather large rat in the garden as well, I need my friend's dead dog Tess to come back and hunt it down. She was the best ratter in the district! They had her on a much longer chain then her son Rocky as her kennel was right near one of the barns, where the rats lived and I knew her to catch 2 or 3 every day. I miss her!

Peacock Butterfly on the Lilac

So I sat in the middle of the garden making my daisy chains and my first 'lambs tail' of the year.

Lamb's Tail made out of Dasies

Every so often a tractor would go by and give me a big cheery wave. As I said everyone is happy when the sun shines. Then, as always, a big blanket of cloud came over and by 6pm it began to drizzle and it still is. Nevermind, the sun is destined to come for Sunday so I'm not complaining, AND I've started painting! 6 are on the go and one is finished, it just needs to be varnished. It's so exciting to smell the paint again and get covered in it too! I just feel pretty warn out now and I have 'painter's shoulder' ! So bed for me and good book. Yes, right now!

Emy xxx