The Ladybirds Have Arrived!

[Furry Knickers]

Well the sun is shining and the sky is blue here in Upper Beagle this morning, so me and Edwin And John decided we would have a root round me little garden as therapy from me terrible interlude with Miss Lovepond the night before.

Edwin and John were frolicking around as usual while I was examining me hollyhocks, I was filled with delight looking at the little green shoots all over me little plants from all over the world, even me lemon tree has a new lemon starting to grow. I gazed in wonderment at me Abutilons and was just full of the joys of life,  It's so marvelous what nature can do and I often sit down and wonder about the cycle of life of a pansy. Then as I was going inside to make a cup of tea and butter a slice of brack, Edwin came running over to me all excited and leaping in the air like a race horse, as he looked at me with his lovely little tan face, I saw a Ladybird walking along his nose! Well I was on the pigs back when I saw that! I asked Edwin to take  me to where he found the Ladybird and when we got there, I found another 3 of them on a twig on the ground not far from me gnome flashing his bum that I got from The Cheddar Gorge. Spring has sprung  in Upper Beagle! I wonder if anyone else has seen these lovely little friends of the gardener? I feel like singing now.......Me head is in a spin me feet won't touch the ground, when ladybirds are near to me, me head goes round and round......I love that song!

[Weedon]

Well! You could have knocked me down with the feather the magpie left behind when I snuck up, (if you'll excuse the phrase) commando style and chased it away from my bird table.  I was only telling Joey this morning that it looked as if spring were on its way to the north of the Loire.  He will be pleased when I tell him about the ladybirds in Upper Beagle (is that north or south of the Loire?) he will certainly ask and I don't like to lie to him.

I had to tell Joey about the Ladybirds of  Bangkok a little while ago, Joey didn't know they went that far! Charley I am afraid is a little less refined than Joey and told him in graphic detail just how far they do go.  It made poor Joey's green feathers blush I can tell you.

How was Miss Lovepond's hair when you left her?  Was it still backcombed 60s style or in that cute Brazilian fashion that is so popular nowadays.

Cheddar Gorge is a fascinating place,  though you would think they would have carved those caves a little further back from the road wouldn't you?  Mother Shipton in Knaresborough had the right idea and has her caves at the end of a long path, though why she put all those things on a washing line where the water could drip all over them beats me.

Perhaps the thing I miss most about living in France is not being able to get a nice piece of Cheddar, Wallace and Gromit now prefer Stinking Bishop, are you able to get it in Upper Beagle.  I believe it is available in Little Piddle, Pratts Bottom and Upper Dicker.

Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home your house is on fire and your children are all gone.

weedon

 

[Bob]

What a lovely story. Here's mine. Saw my first opened out daff of the year on Sat 04,03.06 growing in the Vendee  where I live

[Christine Animal]

Yes, he does tell lovely stories, our FK, and he is lucky to have ladybirds up there in Upper Beagle.  Down here in lower Poitou-Charentes we still have a bit of snow left after quite a blizzard yesterday.  But the sun has been shining a little today and perhaps soon the daffodils and ladybirds will be out...

 

Comme les coccinelles

Si j'avais des ailes

Comme les coccinelles,

Les nuages du ciel

Serait mes ombrelles,

Sous le chaud soleil

D'or et de vermeil,

Si j'avais des ailes

Comme les coccinelles...

Paul De  Roujoux

[chris pp]

The ladybirds are "out" in my garden Christine and have been for some weeks and I'm only over the road (N10) from you, look on the sunny side (in every sense).

Chris 

[Christine Animal]

We are looking on the sunny side Chris... honest.

Haven't they had enough for their nappe nephrétique yet ?

 

[chris pp]

We have had a few spots of rain, Christine, just about enough to top up the ponds and lakes, but no, not enough for the nappe nephrétique, sorry. It was good while it lasted and an unusual time of year for it, excellent for the frogs.

Chris