Recently I began writing about our garden here on this blog. I have begun to notice some small changes since then. Down the right hand side of the garden up against the wire fence are some very broad sharp leaves pushing through the ground. Since first noticing them about three weeks ago they are now about 10cm in height. At first I was thinking they might be Crocosmia (formerly Mombretia), now I think they may be Yellow flag iris, or just Yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus). The reason I think it is this plant is in the last week we had a lot of rain. The rain runs down the hill and gathers at the bottom which is where our house is situated. On one day there was quite a pool of water! Yellow flag likes damp conditions and often is seen growing around ponds and river banks. It flowers in late April early May I believe. Watch this space.
Sadly during the recent storms the cherry (Prunus avium) which had not long flowered snapped at the root and fell into the garden. The blossom was very dense as if it knew it was going to have its demise so put on a special flush for us. I sat and wrote this ode.
How long have we know you?
You have lived like us these years
You have grown like us and flourished
You’ve seen cut backs and felt them in your wood.
Now you are laid low by forces beyond your control.
Snapped from your base, your root.
Eunice lowered you
You went so silently.
We appreciated your height
We appreciated your span
We appreciated your tiny buds now fleshed out in pink.
Wood pigeons appreciated your perch
Now you are laid low
Beyond recovery
You will be sent away we know not where.
The cherry as of this day of writing has gone. Tree surgeons came early and chopped her all up. Before Forest Church I left and she was still visible, when I came back all that was left was very fine sawdust.
At the front of the house bulb shoots began to show a couple of weeks ago from the time of writing. The shoots looked like they belonged to daffodils (Narcissus). We had a showing I missed as I saw one or two with dead heads hut currently we also have a few which are showing nicely.
As far as birds go we’ve had a couple of blackbirds (Turdus merula) together. It has been lovely to hear a robin (Erithacus rubecula) singing in the morning but I’m not sure it’s in our garden. I’d like to think so. The other species that turned up this last month which has been sitting in our largest tree is the collared dove (Strepopelia decaocto).
The latter end of the month has been very windy with more damper days yet still in single figures temperature wise.
The buds on the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) don’t seem to be filling too much as yet. After writing about it last time I remembered I had been given a set of books by an elderly lady who thought I would be interested in them. The author is a local man, Chris Howkins and has written on various natural history topics. One of the books (more booklet) which I will read at some point is about the horse chestnut. In the booklets there are some quaint hand drawn pictures from yesteryear which add to their charm. In the booklet he says the horse chestnut was believed to have medicinal properties especially for horses hence its name.
I have seen very close to the house in the last couple of weeks a pair of red kites (Milvus milvus) flying quite low. (Technically they were not in my garden and the month I saw them was February not March). One of them was very bulky in build which I think was probably a female. They apparently nested according to a client of mine not far from here on the Worplesdon Road. I won’t say where to keep the pairs privacy and stop any egg thefts which do still occur in this country.
Yesterday I was working in a clients garden and someone rang me. Further into the conversation a bird caught my eye flying over about 50 feet up and I couldn’t contain my excitement. A Raven (Corvus corax) was flying over my head, even though to some it’s just a black bird, it was pretty special . I include it here as it was flying over two roads along from where I live and came from the direction of our house! How did I know that it was a raven, you may ask? Well it displayed a very distinct diamond shape tail. It was flying in a northwesterly direction and looked like it was searching for something as it kept moving its head from side to side. That’s when I noticed the bill which is a chunky broad bill not like the crow (Corvus corone) or the mask-like rook (Corvus frugilegus) which we don’t really see round here.
The other thing about the raven was the time I clocked as it flew over. I am into the mystical Christianity so it may made sense – the time was 3.30pm. In fact it was probably nearer 3.33 as I know my watch runs about 2 minutes slow. These things aren’t exact! There’s a tendency in me as most human beings to pareidolia.
‘Seeing familiar objects or patterns in otherwise random or unrelated objects or patterns is called pareidolia. It’s a form of apophenia, which is a more general term for the human tendency to seek patterns in random information. Everyone experiences it from time to time’. Earthsky
A raven occurs in the bible a few times. The two most well known times I remembered is when Noah sends out an raven from the ark to see if any land has been sighted. It doesn’t return yet the dove he sends out does. (The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew word for hovering used in Genesis 1.2 of the Bible is meant to convey bird like qualities. Later we see this at the baptism of Jesus too). The next time we see the raven in the Bible is like the opposite of the Noah occurrence. The raven does come back this time and it’s sent by God to provide for Elijah.
Maybe the message to me is that the Lord will provide. Good gifts come from him. Or he may be drawing attention to a specific Bible verse or just the reminder that he is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There may be something in the number 3. I could dismiss this or I could ask Him if there’s anything more in it. The fact that a raven and the time 3.33 coincided made a rather special moment. Like I said to a friend I had been practising the presence of God by loving on him whilst gardening. I feel like I’ve become too right brained recently, or cerebral, or focused on analysing, trying to understand things with my mind instead of enjoying, smiling, delighting, singing et al especially being thankful for who He is. This is what I mean by practising the presence of God. So the fact that this incident took place at this time was to me like his smile on me!
Postscript
A day after writing this I went down the garden to prop something up and on the way back noticed a cheery single clump of primroses (Primula vulgaris) which had been obscured by the fallen cherry. Now that put a smile on my face. When I arrived back at the house I was just going in the door and looking further down the garden when I noticed a second clump of primroses which I had walked right past!
