Feathered Friends and Frolicking Frogs

The weather has been sunny and relatively mild
so

much of our time has been spent outdoors,

weeding, digging, etc.

The purple sprouting broccoli and the rhubarb are both doing really well;

 we have taken full advantage of these seasonal treats.

You know where this clump grows, Jonny!
It always does really well down there.

The watermill has re-opened for the new season.

Pay once for admission,

 and then get in free

for the rest of the year.

The animals, wildfowl, children's playground,

excellent home-made cakes
and freshly ground coffee

are all part of the attraction.

Harry and Frankie love playing in the Enchanted Wood
but they also love the wildfowl gardens
and the toasted teacakes with lashings of butter.

 Frankie is smitten with the feathered critters,
especially the hens.

while
Harry adores the marmosets and the otters.

*   *   *

 I took Frankie to see Arnold.

He was very happy to see her again,
but she seemed overawed at the sheer size of him,

or maybe she was just tired.

I had a chat with John.
He is finally free from the neck brace 

and feeling much better,

especially now that he has his new set of wheels.

He loves his new car
 - just a thought,

I wonder how many other 97 year old's have ever had that pleasure?

He confessed that the new car has a slightly bigger engine.

Now I know the identity of the boy racer who has been heard zooming up the lane...

*   *   *

Talking of noise,

I set off to photograph some new lambs,
which I could hear bleating, 

but got side-tracked by some very noisy

critters inhabiting nothing more than a large puddle in the paddock across the road.

The air was filled with a strange noise

as I approached the puddle the noise diminished,

so I stood stock still and waited...

first one head popped up

then a whole lot of others

suddenly there were several hundred frogs happily frolicking

in the water,  

making that curious noise

and ....

lots of frog spawn.

*   *   *

Spring is in the air.

xxxxx