Spring Is Definitely Here

Outside in need of a trim

We can definitely report that Spring is well and truely here. Even though the trees have still got that winter twiggy look to them, they are either covered in blossom or leaf buds. At this time of year it really is as though someone throws a switch, hey presto Spring has arrived. Today I have been cutting the grass out the front, in temperatures of about 23-25C. Not bad for the middle of April, I'm sure that you will agree. So that the grass out the front doesn't get too long and unmanageable once again the lawn mower was dragged out from its winter hibernation in the shed. Keeping the grass cut short serves quite a few purposes, no hissers can hide in it, also the cats as they traipse through it are not so likely to get Ticks, and also our Kmet normally gives me the official nod of approval. As we are walled all of the way round, quite often working out the front is the only time that we get to see village life passing us by.

Looking down the lane

Today we have had Amy sat out on her bench enjoying the sunshine while she has been waiting for rugs to dry. Her son has been out on the 'green' playing with a football. Sayed has been going backwards and forwards with a horse and cart taking tree stumps from one place to another. Not only did he have his dog with him but also his goat, it is nice to see his dog playing at his heels instead of being tied up like they normally are. The goat lady has been busy pottering away in her garden, as have others. We even had a car drive past today, so they were probably lost as it is such a rare occasion. Net and Yolanta had hair appointments today so I was largely left to my own devices, luckily I had  Mr Cat to supervise me.

Peach Blossom after a shower

We have had a few showers but these have mainly been at night, so the seeds that we have sown have been nicely watered in. Either that or they have been washed to one end of the trenches that we have dug. Standing underneath the fruit trees sounds not too dissimilar to standing near a motorway, with that constant hum of traffic. Only here it is the village bees getting an early start. At least there is nothing genetically modified about the fruit blossom. A couple of years ago the village was surrounded by fields of Rapeseed, thankfully that novelty seems to have worn off. It used to play havoc with people's breathing, and probably caused heaven only knows how many allergic reactions. Even Dencho has planted fruit trees in the field behind us.

More Peach Blossom

Even trees that have never blossomed before are doing so this year, and everywhere you look there are varying shades of pink or white blossom. Birdsong can be heard, even at night as I have already heard the Nightingales in the village. The roosters can be heard calling from one side of the village to the other, It sounds as though Simeon is keeping a couple of Peacocks again, as you can often here their distinctive cry. What I haven't seen so far has been the Ostriches. It might sound odd, but in a village of this size someone chose to keep a pair of Ostriches. So apart from the occasional rotovator, tractor or car you only get to hear natural noises up here on top of the hill. I will give it until next month and the radios will be playing to the gardens. I don't know how true it is, but we have been told that the noise deters the snakes. If they are playing their 'twiddly' music it certainly deters me, still if you can't beat them join them. In a few weeks time you will find me watering the garden to the sound of Madness, Meatloaf and Queen, plus anything else we choose to play that day.

Baby Grasshoppers on Grape Hyacinth

So Mother Nature has caused everything to grow and regenerate, I do so enjoy this time of year. Even in the facebook group there is now a photo competition to depict Spring. Just to cheer those in the UK up, we are now just gone 6pm and it is still a very nice 22C out there, it feels as though I have caught the sun today. The only downside to warmer temperatures is that the flies are now back. We do have to check the dogs and cats thoroughly for ticks and other little pets, as we can do without them indoors. Before we know it we will be back in shorts and t-shirts. Net's studio has also had a bit of a spring clean, and some little bits of winter damage have been repaired. Sometimes it does seem hard to believe that we have been here for nearly five years. Time just seems to have flown by, but I wouldn't swap it for the world, and I am pleased to say that I consider Bulgaria to be home.

Springtime Ladybird

Before I forget I would like to say a very big thank you to all who have taken the time to read this blog, thanks to you all it has now been accessed over 10,000 times. So once again thank you very much, and here is to the next 10,000

It Is Officially Spring In Bulgaria

Forsythia buds

On Wednesday the 20th March Spring officially arrived in Bulgaria. This was the date of the Vernal, or Spring Equinox. On this day the length of both day and night are approximately the same. Even the word Equinox, which is based in Latin, tells us this, Aequus means equal and Nox means night. It is on this day that the sun rises directly in the East and sets directly in the West. Which is worth bearing in mind if you wish to put up a weather vane and you don't have a compass. The sun has now passed back into the Northern hemisphere, and believe it or not the weather is due to start warming up. I only point this out as we are still in March, and as previously pointed out Baba Marta can be a crotchety old lady.

March snow flurries

Even as this is being written we are looking out at flurries of snow.Luckily the ground is wet from last night's rain and the snow is not pitching on the ground at the moment. Maybe the Storks are starting to regret returning quite so early. Since they have come back, they have had to suffer torrential downpours, they have been battered by gale force winds and now they are being subjected to snow. Probably round about now their wintering grounds in Africa are looking so much more inviting. It is not only the Storks that we have to feel sorry for at the moment, if you listen closely in the evening you can hear the frogs and their chorus. Admitedly it isn't up to full volume yet, and the nighttime temperatures are still a wee bit on the chilly side, but it will not be long before each evening will be accompanied that background buzz.

Fruit tree blossom

Everywhere that you look in the garden there are signs of new life and growth. The snowdrops and crocuses have finished flowering, and the daffodils and tulips will soon be replacing them. There are leaf buds now showing on the trees, and on some of the fruit trees in the garden we have blossom. We are just hoping that this cold spell will not have an adverse effect on the blossom. I did notice that there were plenty of Bees round them yesterday, so if we are lucky they will already have done some of the pollination. At the moment we only have the one fruit tree in blossom, the only downside is that this is the first time it has blossomed since we planted it. As a consequence we are not really sure what sort of fruit tree it is, but it is reassuring to know that it is strong and healthy and has survived the winter. If I am lucky it will be a peach tree, it has always been a wish of mine to step outside  and pluck a fresh juicy peach from one of our own trees. That is not to say that I don't enjoy walking round the fruit and vegetable market in Gorna, with peach juice running down my arm and dripping from my elbow.

Blossom

Maybe I should take this opportunity to remind you all that in just over a week the clocks will be changing. On Sunday the 31st March at 3 o'clock the clocks will go forward one hour, so everyone will end up with an hour less in bed. Just in case people are like me and have trouble remembering which direction the clocks change, a useful aide memoire is "Spring forward, Fall back". It has saved me some confusion over the years, even if fall ought to be autumn, but that doesn't make  as much sense.

Some of the more observant ones amongst you will have noticed that the layout of this blog has slightly changed, with some badges on the left hand side. These are links to various ExPat blog sites, so if you write your own blog you can get them promoted there. They do work as I have had readers from Mauritius and Vietnam reading these ones. Readers can also vote on your blogs as well, but I don't know how that works, so to our fellow bloggers it is another way that you can reach a wider audience.

The final flurries?