Winter days in our courtyard garden

Is it me or does the winter seem quite long this year? I know I'm already dreaming of summer now. One thing that never fails to cheer me up is our Mediterranean inspired courtyard garden that we made in the old farmyard just looking at the Date Palms always cheers me up every morning as I open the blinds.

The fig trees that line the courtyard are bare now of course but they already have fat buds forming to give a gentle hint of the spring days to come and let me dream just a little bit of the warm mellow summer days to come when they will agian with their deep green glossy leaves that hide sweet fruits in their midst.

Nearly a sunset

We very nearly had a sunset last night - in fact I even brought the camera out in anticipation but instead the distant glow of the sun only pierced the clouds for an instant, as the dark of the winter evening wrapped us again in its embrace.

Ollies splendid outing

With the sudden sunshine Olley emerged from his self imposed hybernation and plodded solemly around the garden behnd me stopping to take in the view every now and agian and even crossing "no cat's land" the lawn in order to supervise me taking photos of the Daffodils - although he did draw the line at walking down to the wildest part fo the garden where the earliest ones grow. He can be seen here resting after his marothon walk, on a weathered bench helpfully positioned to  soak up the wrmth of the afternoon sun, helped by the radiator effect of the old stone wall behind him.

"Grass needs cutting" Ollie Taylor

Watching very carefully

Spud ventured as far as the sheltering hedge of the horses fields

The shadows of the Palm trees were somehow beguiling after so many
dull days

An avenue of adventure

Back to the terrace - Spud can't resist demostrating his superior
springing power!

At last the purrfect spot just below the Apricot room

and that is how olley got there!

Welcome February...I think!

Sunset from Ednovean Farm garden in February

Little shards of ice had spread across the lane form the frozen puddles yesterday morning, sign of that a car had driven along before me as I walked down to feed Diva and Belle, our two TB brood mares, on the first morning in February. It is surprisingly cold for Cornwall but poor Europe with minus 37! now that is cold.

The house and Parterre the first day in February

Ice had formed on the fountain in the middle of the courtyard and the cats were dubious about the idea of "outside" and after  brief foray said they preferred "inside" thank you - In fact Ollie is still sitting beside me puring gently this morning and he normally gets up at a heady 5.ooam for his morning constitutional I think last nights clear skies will lead to another Ollie grounded day too but at the moment it is too dark to tell. Certainly i spent a little time yesterday evening manoeuvring the geraniums nearer to the house walls and covering the more tender plants with nets to keep them warm - lets hope it works. And of course the clear skies have led to another "sunset photo - while I was waiting i saw the two little mossy, granite steps caught in the pink glow of the setting sun a fitting end to the day and the beginning of the month.

Granite steps leading up o one of our terraces - see the Blue room to the right too

I've finished my facebook photo album for January - do take a look you should be able to view it even if you are not a facebook users and don't forget to look at our facebook page ever now and then the link is at the very bottom of the web page - I put the latest local events on there if I find them.

January album:-
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.277899998934795.65145.126610574063739&type=3&l=8639d86e5e

The start of my February album!