February

 I am an early riser so the progress to lighter mornings is something I look forward to, this February it seems to have taken longer for the days to become lighter however we are now definitely at that point at the end of the month. The light in the churchyard always interests me with the effect of no tree canopy on a sunny day things are obviously lighter and plants start to come into growth, bulbs push through and elsewhere the new growth has lovely fresh shades of green particularly the honeysuckle rambling over the dead hedge. In the lower churchyard one of our team has done a splendid job of removing dead winter grass revealing a splendid view of snowdrops etc. Our various varieties of Alliums planted in pots last Autumn are doing very well and are ready to plant out which brings me to the point time to get some seeds sown under cover in fact another team member has sown some sweet Pea seeds harvested from last year's crop. As these were so successful last year we intend to make and erect a bigger growing frame. All very encouraging.

January 2025

 

January, the month that is 'midwinter' and it has lived up to that with a good mixed bag of cold wet and wintery weather with few Saturdays fit for working in the churchyard which is frustrating but a sunny Saturday morning was gratefully seized and quite a lot of clearing up was achieved and equally gratifying to observe the shoots of bulbs bravely pushing up shoots. A lot of last seasons leaves were cleared up and bagged, particularly from graves and the path opposite the South Porch door. Pausing for a mug of tea I was amused by the antics of a Blackbird and Robin rooting along the freshly cleared path obviously unearthing something worth eating.