Up early this morning and out before breakfast to see a steam train leaving from Penzance on its way up country. The Duchess of Sutherland came down on Thursday and returns today. I love the sound and the smell but didn’t get a good photo. A friend took this photo at the station. Thank you, R. 
The Wall flowers that we planted at the front door to greet visitors with their glorious scent are jewel like and gorgeous. Sorry I can’t bottle the scent for you. 
Last Monday, at choir, was our first singing of this beautiful song learnt from a video by Anni Zylstra. It’s a Ukrainian blessing meaning, ‘Many Years’ or the implied meaning “wishing you many years of life” – a traditional Ukrainian celebratory song and is sung at weddings, namings and other celebrations. We sing it here in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
We still, just, have white tulips.
Our edible trough has lots of seeds planted and, so far, just a few edible flowers which I like to use on cakes and in salads. 
We planted lots of bluebells under our Silver Birch and they are looking lovely.
I love the little top hats on the Californian Poppies which pop off as they bloom.
We have just a small number of real English Bluebells.
I think the ones in the top photo are Spanish bluebells and the darker blue ones in the second photo are English but I need to go and check their pollen as I’ve learned this from The Natural History Museum
“Pollen colour
The easiest way to tell the difference between native and non-native bluebells is to look at the colour of the pollen.
If it is creamy-white then the bluebell is a native. If it is any other colour, such as pale green or blue, then it is definitely not native.
When the pollen is shed, the empty anther can be a pale cream colour, so make sure you look at the most recently opened flowers at the top of the spike, to find the true colour of the pollen.”
I’ll let you know. 🙂
The Clematis Montana Elizabeth is once agin covering the fence in the front garden after being severely pruned two years ago.
The Nelly Moser and Huldine are blooming on a trellis fence in the back garden.
This one is for Helen who asked about the plant the bee was feeding on the yesterday.
Scilla peruviana
Bees, wasps, flies and many other little creatures act as pollinators and are responsible for much of our food. I learned at our allotment talk on Sunday that bees have four wings and flies only two. To me this looks like a bee but it appears to have only two wings…….
Our Nelly Mosers are blooming.
Brian Bilston, a poet I admire greatly, has, very generously, given his permission for me to post this gem here for you, Dear Readers.
By Brian Bilston
I’ve spent several hours at the allotment today, tending seedlings, potting on some baby tomato plants,( a gift from another allotmenteer yesterday) and digging in lots of compost. The sun shone and the peaceful activity did me good as did singing at choir this afternoon.
Two kinds of Courgettes and Sweetcorn
A lovely time was had by all at the allotment this afternoon where we had a fascinating talk about pollinators followed by the planting of a small Crab Apple, just beginning to blossom, in memory of a dear allotmenteer, former secretary and organiser extraordinaire, whom we lost last year. In the background is our current chairperson, cracking open the bubbly to toast E. 
Along the edge of the wall at the allotment are these lovely, almost white, primroses. 
In my suffragette garden, the aquilegias are in flower, beautifully purple, white and green and very pleasing. 
We made a birthday bouquet from our garden for a friend who shares her birthday with Shakespeare.
A week or so ago my choir recorded a beautiful piece to be played at a funeral of a Mum who had been one of our stalwarts in the audience. It is such a lovely piece I thought you might like to hear it here – The Shoshone Love Song. Please press play even thought it seems to show 00.00. It does play! This is for Helen.
Supper tonight was delicious – a new recipe for Cod and Chorizo Stew.
Today is Earth Day
“EARTH DAY 2022 APRIL 22 All TOGETHER now! This is the moment to change it all — the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on climate. Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, our livelihoods … together, we must Invest In Our Planet.” Taken from the Earth Day site.
Two of my blogging buddies have written today about Earth Day and have very different takes which are well worth reading. Ladysighs has a song for you and HeyJude, some ideas.
Finding the beauty on our earth is what I try to discover and share every day and here are some more April blooms from our garden, this time the white flowers..
More garden flowers, lots of blues, but before them, a very large bird that landed onto a post in the field behind. At first I thought it was a buzzard as we do see them around here but the colouring isn’t right. Any ideas, dear readers? The photos are rather fuzzy being on the longest zoom available. 
Commentator Award
