March 2015

March arrived with a bang! The sun came out, the temperatures soared to 22C and we threw off our winter coats! We shopped in the market and exchanged many happy greetings with the friendly stall-holders. The pottery lady came out of hibernation and waved at us. The tourist train chugged up and down the little cobbled streets. Hurray we cried! This is why we came here! It lasted a week. The rains and the icy cold blasts of winter returned and we re- lit our wood-burners and put our coats back on. Still, as ever, there were many glorious skies to keep us happy. 
We managed a quick trip to Edinburgh where we froze, especially on top of the castle. It was a good thing that our lovely daughter, performing with the Edinburgh Studio Opera, warmed the cockles of our hearts as we nearly burst with pride. Such talented young people! We flew down to Bath, still glowing, and stood for hours in Queen's Square, cheering on runners for the Bath Half, one of which was our other daughter. She ran to raise money for MENCAP, a charity very dear to her heart as she has been a volunteer for the Saturday Club for handicapped children for 4 years. We experienced another burst of joy (and relief that she finished it in one piece) and had hearty dinner to warm us all up again. Was Spring ever going to Spring?
Well, it has. The delicate Almond blossom is out, the hawthorn is blooming in the hedges, the cowslips line the lanes and paths and the daffodils is swaying in the breeze. Gorgeous! 
I am obviously missing the fields of yellow sunflowers and the bright summer sun.  I had started to paint the furniture on the mezzanine of the main bedroom grey to match the rest of the subtle coloured furniture but in a moment of madness I painted over the whole lot in bright Annie Sloan yellow! Glorious!