Soil under my nails again :o)

Welcome back Eileen! Nothing so therapeutic as getting back to the greenhouse with your fingers in the soil . . .

I can understand how much you must have enjoyed being out in your greenhouse again and able to enjoy the warmth and the company of the blackbirds.

So pleased for you :-)

Great, it's good getting out there, even in winter, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

Hi Eileen, glad to hear that you've recovered enough o gt soil under your finger nails again, just don't do too much, too soon, Derek.

So pleased that you've been able to enjoy some time outside. Take care.

I'm pleased you were able to get out for a wile. Fresh air and a bit of gardening always makes one feel better.

I'm glad to hear you felt well enough to do some gardening. It is nice to get the sun even if it is a bit watery but the biting east wind was bad today. I still have bulbs to plant so I got to work in the greenhouse. You mentioned in answer to a members query that tulips need to be subjected to the cold to produce flowers. I put both tulips and narcissus in pots so fingers crossed I will get something if the birds and mice don't destroy them. The ground was frozen so no hope of planting outside. Take care.

it is lovely to be back among friends. thanks for all your good wishes. Hubby is fussing around like a mother hen so no danger of overdoing it :o)

Bless him! Mind you do as you're told, dirty nails or not...
But no harm in telling him how therapeutic is it!

Nice to see you back. Don't forget to take it easy and obey you know who !

Good for you Eileen. A bit of greenhouse therapyandenjoying the birds....perfect!

Hello, Eileen,
I have no idea what happened to you, but I'm glad you've recovered. Which is what really matters. And glad to know that you are back to your plants and can enjoy the birds around you. May the Lord our God give you great health.

Welcome back, Eileen. We've missed you.

I used to take probiotics after antibiotics but found they affected me adversely in other ways so I stopped. Apparently, the body soon recovers after the evil Antib's, so I was told. Not so my poor husband who has had four doses of the things since July to clear a bad cough (probably like you had). It's finally gone but since his immune system is very low and he is going on chemo next month I do worry that he'll pick up whatever is around I think we'll be confined to barracks for several weeks just to be safe as any infection he may catch can be fatal with leukaemia and low blood counts.

However, that's not your worry so just don't overdo things and have a marvellous Christmas and NY. Get your strength back and relax as much as possible over the winter months

There's nothing like a drop of sunshine and grubby fingernails to lift the spirit is there?
Have a lovely Christmas and a healthy New Year to you and all those you care about.

Arbuthnott : I hope all goes well for your husband. I know how worrying it can be,

Can't beat some gardening therapy can you..... enjoy!!!

I'm very late with all the news this month, (must try harder) but this is certainly very good news to hear. Any time spent doing what you love, whatever it may be, is Happy Time. Take very good care, we are all more important than we ever give ourselves credit for being, don't anyone forget that!

Been back in the greenhouse again this morning, checking pots of eucomis for vine weevils and repotting in fresh compost ready for growth in the spring. I only stayed out for an our as it was only 5c in there. But oh what joy. noticed crocus and I reticulata poking through in some pots on the pond wall.

I filled my bird feeder this morning. The birds must have spied me because they all came flocking towards me from all directions. My yard looked like a scene from "The Birds". It was a little crazy, but they got their seeds. Now we have a deluge of rain.

I have blackbirds that peck on the kitchen window when the feeders are empty. They wont take food directly from my hand but they don't fly away when I walk past them now.
we had a flock of long-tailed tits in the garden this morning and a pair of greater spotted woodpeckers on the nuts. the winter visitors are also popping through, fieldfares and redwings.

the squirrels are still very much in evidence, digging and burying nuts in the borders.