If this header photo makes you feel shivery, then that’s how it feels today in Shropshire (21 April ‘24). We don’t have ice, outside or on the windows. And the only snow we’ve had
was back in March, and nothing like the winter white-out we had a few years ago (second photo).
But today the air, beneath a bank of sullen cloud, has a razor’s edge. When, at midday, I went to check on things in the greenhouse, I was glad I’d put on a second woolly jumper. And even that wasn’t warmth enough; still the cold crept into my bones.
What is going on? We’re three parts through April, yet the soil is cold. I keep putting off planting the seed potatoes; leaving them chitting on the potting bench. Soon they’ll be more chit than spud.
And yet, when the sun does shine, as it did yesterday, you could almost believe it was spring. (This should tell us something elemental about what warms the earth. The presence of SUNSHINE). The tulips are certainly saying spring; and the mass of wild flowers on the lane verges say so too: the star-like stitchwort, cowslips, primroses, Jack by the Hedge, the gaudy hoards of dandelions…
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And the trees are bursting into leaf, the first flush of greens tinted bronze and pinky-purple and pale gold:
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And then the farm hedges are white with blackthorn, and the farm fields bright acid yellow with oil seed rape flowers:
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And in the garden the lilac buds are forming and the apple blossom full-on:
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Meanwhile on the house renovation front, we are very glad, (what with the persisting coldness) that the roof is now restored:
and that we’re almost done with the conservatory demolition. This is the floor:
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And that our hero builder has cleaned off and saved over three hundred bricks from the dismantling to use on the extended exterior.
For now they’re stacked on the garden wall, making their own installation:
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With all that’s going on, I’m also thinking that a state of abstraction is good place to be just now. So many thanks to Ritva at Lens-Artists for this interesting approach.
Lens-Artists: Abstracts This week Ritva gives us abstracts. Go see her post and be inspired.
Tish Farrell 
It is even a cold north easterly down here in Somerset, but out of the wind it is gloriously warm in the sunshine. A confusing April indeed – glad you haven’t actually got snow or ice though!
Yes, that is definite plus, Becky. No actual snow or ice 🙂
Shiver me timbers… Indeed.
And just to thaw you out, you being a former African an’ all that. 😉
We are on the tail end of autumn.
1400 this afternoon here in Jo’berg… 29 degrees.
Chilly, hey?
29 degrees sounds v. desirable, Ark. And a sighting of the sun would be good.
well..my comment just left the area..lol..I do love all of the progress at your estate
Cheers, Beverly.
Thank you for the beautiful photos. Even winter-like weather in April can be very pretty. The house renovation is really coming along!
Thanks, Jenny. Progress is happening 🙂
Hooray!
cold here again as well, love the pic
Seems to be lots of chilliness in the northern hemisphere, Beth.
You just feel mean responding to this in a sunny square in Faro, with a beautiful orchid tree in full flower within a few feet, Tish 😢🩷
Ha! I can cope. Happy to know you have the sun, Jo 🙂
🫣💙
Great post Tish! I love your images. We finally got some spring weather, but I don’t know how long it will last. May and June are months where the weather can go either way. I hope you get those potatoes planted soon.
Yes, I need to get those potatoes in, Anne 🙂
😊
Spring is quick fickle as I wrote in my latest post. One day I’m able to sun lounge in the backyard hammock and the next day we are lighting a summer to chase the chill away.
Fickle is the word, Pam.
Well, I remember Shropshire cold at times a few decades ago when I visited my parents….brrrr at times. Then more recently noticing the hedges are white with blackthorn….thanks for triggering memories, Tish
Happy to trigger memories, Sue 🙂
The photos are wonderful, Tish.
We recently had an eclipse. A friend reported from Nevada that, when the sun was completely blotted out by the moon, the drop in temperature was as astonishing as the dark . Perhaps more so because the actual 100% cover did not last that long. We have heard of the vast shoals of orcas and whales whose heads appeared on the surface of the ocean off the Galapagos, their eyes gazing towards the sun. The unexpected cold and the dark must have affected them too.
The summer is coming, though….. Sarah
Yay, summer is coming. Thanks, for that warming thought, Sarah. As to eclipses, I remember a partial one we had a few years ago. It was anyway a crisp spring day, and I went up Windmill Hill to watch, but as the eclipse was happening, it was as if all the warmth drained out of the world. Most unnerving, to say the least.
I was so happy yesterday, it finally felt like Spring. Today is a different story, winter is back, or so it seems. I have some potatoes growing already, not that I had anything to do with it…!
Love your first shot, so interesting and inspiring.
Many thanks, Sofia. And yes, the weather is teasing us, all this chop and change.
This is such a clever post, Tish, showcasing some very interesting abstracts whilst being thoroughly topical as well. Go to the top of the class!
Am taking a bow, Margaret. Thank you 🙂
How convenient that you’re in the midst of work on your home Tish – all of the building have you a great opportunity for abstracts. That said, I think my favorites are the icy and snowy windows you opened with. here’s hoping there’s not much more of that ahead!
Absolutely, Tina. Snow and ice we can well do without, although as you say, they did provide a photo op or two. I don’t think I even needed to edit the header, apart from cropping it.
So many to love in a walk through your world, Tish. I actually thought the header image was maybe minerals in a rock. So a surprise to learn it was ice. Looks like you had great fun playing around with the challenge. I love it when builders reuse brick on a renovation project, kudos to him. And I kinda like the way they are stacked. Little did he know he was working on Abstract with you.
Tish, you shared a beautiful abstract collection. I liked your various approaches with monochromes, especially. Beautiful gallery!
Many thanks, Egidio. I enjoyed this challenge 🙂
Gorgeous! The reuse of those bricks will make your extension seamless, as if it had stood as long as the house and a roof is just what you need this April, Tish. I’ve just written a gardening post for tomorrow about our cold weather – and next week is cooler still!!
It’s very wearing, isn’t it, persistent chilliness. And that’s not good news about next week. It’s hard to know what’s what with gardening schedule.
a disheartening damper on our enthusiasm!
I enjoyed this post…as I sit here fully dressed with a long dressing gown over the top for extra warmth:) Glad your roof is in good condition in case of more deluges. x
One does need to wrap up, Janet. Winter layers persisting 🙂
It sounds like home to me. We had a few nice days, then bang. Grey sky, cold rain, and it gets surprisingly cold — close or below freezing — at night. The water for the birds sometimes freezes overnight. The trees are confused. They aren’t the only confused beings around here.
I LOVE your roof. We have to reroof soon. I am hoping the roof will make it one more year but we might have to deal with it sooner. It’s not leaking — yet.
No two ways about it – re-roofing is challenging all round. Good luck if/when the time comes for action.
I can so relate to your Shropshire shot, and it is such a beautiful liquid like shot. it is my favorite, but I like the minimalism in the tulips too. It is so cold here too, no sign of spring. Icy rain or snow is on forecast.
Ooh, icy rain or snow. That does not sound good, Ritva. Many thanks for the kind comment.
🙂
Wonderful! That melting ice specially appeals to me: I see it very seldom
That’s sounds good, I.J. – rare sightings of ice 🙂
Not so good when you are being cooked alive 🙂
Lovely!
Thank you, Thom.
It is certainly a strange sort of spring this year! I’m glad your roof is finished at least. And those old bricks have cleaned up beautifully and make a great semi-abstract pattern for this challenge 🙂
The bricks do look good don’t they. Thanks, Sarah.
Wowww. Outstanding selections. Excellent. 👏
Many thanks, John.
I love the floral examples, but that opening photo is my favorite. Excellent work, Tish.
Many thanks, John. I think the opening shot is my favourite too 🙂