If you do some gardening.....

You must be more hot bloodied than I am, I only ventured down to check on my g'house and that was enough Seaburn...

What a very cheering blog Eileen - thank you!

Lovely to see what is bravely popping up in your garden. Pretty Cyclamen and Snowflake . . . I really enjoyed my hour in the garden yesterday, rained overnight and again this morning so 'rain stopped play' so to speak today. I had put many Forget-me-nots in the composter, lifted the lid today to put kitchen peelings etc. in and was amazed to see many small black slugs in the lid! They were quickly dispatched to the council brown bin . . . :o)

I had my biking thermal base layers on to help keep me snug Lincs as well as my own 'blubber'. well it is the winter ......

I agree with you re the signs of spring bringing cheer. Just a quick walk around shows so much hope.

Thanks for sharing. Yes, it's good to get out & do a bit. I think I've only managed it a couple of times this winter. No flowers in my garden as yet, except for the Calluna.

It makes you feel better just seeing the beginning of spring flowers , doesn't it Seaburn! I have some miniature daffs just poking their heads through.

Seaburn I am a Wally, I have some fleece lined waterproofs in my cupboard that I bought for when we were out in the Lake District, never once has it occurred to me to use them in my garden, I'm hankering to get out for a while, not today though as its raining again.....Sigh !!!

Loved your blog - helps us all feel optimistic!
I have been in the greenhouse tidying and have noticed lots of emerging shoots, especially on new alstros and peonies.
My 'Katherine Hodgkin' if flowering too outside. Quite precocious, I thought. Some snowdrops are also appearing. Once it stops raining (yawn) I'll have to push on with tidying; a job I too have left because of the wildlife.

Raining here today too.
Husband has fitted a new shower and basin taps. So I have been sorting out the cupboard under the sink.
Found 3 unopened large tubes of toothpaste, 5 packs of paracetamol and lemsips and 3 lots of matching shampoo and conditioner. Wont put those on the shopping list for a while. :o)

Mind you don't damage the waterproofs Lincs if you are still planning on getting out once lockdown is lifted.

lots of signs of new life all over isn't there?

Ha ha, I was sorting the medicine cupboards and drawers earlier, too, and found more paracetamol than we should need for the rest of the year. And shower gel. Clearing out seems to be the order of the day. Wardrobes have been stripped out and clothes drawers. OH has to keep moving in case he's next.

Isn't it amazing how an hour or two with nature can lift our spirits?
I also like to 'work' with nature and feel that we can sometimes be too tidy in our gardens at the detriment to the very bugs and birds we need to help us.
I noticed the other day lots of bulbs pushing through the leaf litter as well as some snow drops in full flower and I couldn't help wondering if the leaves had actually helped to keep them warm. I'm sure they did.

I'm glad you could get some time outside, it will have done you good.
It's so nice to see signs of spring already, Cyclamen coum is a good one for brightening up a dreary day.

At last I can do what you have been doing! Down here it has either been too cold or too wet to be in the garden but today shows promise. There is a watery sun in the sky so I shall be out there tidying up and having a good look round. Your pretty cyclamens are always a joy to see as are the snowdrops but they don't do well in our garden.
Thank you for these signs of Spring.

I find the cold winter air refreshing and energizing and I always sleep well. It's those hot dog days of summer from mid July through August that just drain me,

I always wondered what happened to lady bugs in the winter. Eileen, do bees hibernate in winter?

Many species of bee hibernate. In some species just the queen and when she emerges she finds a new nest site lays the first of her many eggs to get early workers and then goes on to develop a fully functioning hive.

I often find bumble bees buried 2-3" deep in pots. I always try to rebury them in the same situation. I know that in many cases they emerge undamaged come the spring.

Lots of invertebrates over winter some as larvae, some as pupae/chrysalis, some as sub-adults and others as adults. The beneficial as well as the pest species.

Thank you Eileen I appreciate your clear and lucid response

Isn't it great to see the first signs of spring - even if spring proper is still a couple of months away!

Lovely to see Snowdrops in flower & the Irises starting to flower as well! That Snowflake flowering for months quite surprised me! I didn't know they flowered for more than a couple of weeks!

I managed to get a couple more photos of the Narcissi flowering at the back of the church I attend - well, used to before the lock-downs for the Coronavirus appeared! Although the rain had knocked the flowers down they were still going strong! It's just one clump but has produced lots of flowers!

The other snowflakes in the garden usually only have flowers for about 1 month Balcony. Not sure why this one keeps on going but I am not complaining ;o)

Lol! I've seen lots of Snowdrops just today around town.