Renewal!

I woke up to frost this morning. Blue sky and sunshine but very cold. There was ice on the puddles again along the bridle path. I wondered as I ran if the cold affects the frogspawn in the slow moving stream alongside the path. (Random thoughts go through your head as you run!) Maybe it just goes a little more slowly. Rather like the snowdrops which got started in January, went into suspended animation when the snow came down, bloomed properly in late February and are only just dying off now. 

In the middle of the grass is a little clump of darker green leaves, twice as many as last year. This is where there will be bluebells, eventually. For ages I contemplated digging up some bluebells from along the bridle path, a completely illegal activity, or so I have been told, as bluebells are an endangered species. Proper English bluebells, that is. In a pot on the garden wall I have some inferior Spanish bluebell. Well, I was told they are Spanish. Definitely smaller than "proper" bluebells. They came in a pot of spring flowers bought last year or the year before from the market. But the true, British bluebell appeared all on its own in the garden, the year before last I think it was. I never got myself sufficiently organised to take a trowel and a plastic bag with me to kidnap wild-growing bluebells. Nor did I get around to buying some, at an extortionate price, from the local garden centre. And then one popped up of its own accord. 

Actually, I think a squirrel may be responsible. Somewhere there is a confused squirrel going around looking for a mislaid bit of food he buried long ago. Doubling up every year, it is gradually becoming a bluebell patch in our garden! Nature's powers of regeneration and renewal never fail to amaze me! 

We've been doing a bit of renewal at home as well. Throwing out the old three-piece suite and replacing it with something different. Consequently, we spent part of yesterday doing giant jigsaws as we put together furniture which arrived in a flat pack. Why do we put ourselves through this stuff, I ask myself. But we successfully completed the task. I had received a call while out running, announcing the delivery for later in the morning, between 11 and 12. At around 10.45, Phil thought he heard knocking on the door. The delivery, earlier than expected. Such faint knocking though. If we had had the radio on we would not have heard it. There is a doorbell, which chimes loud and clear and can be heard throughout the house but most people ignore it and just tap gently on the door. Why? No idea! I could understand it if we had a huge, impressive door knocker but that is not the case. I need a sign that says RING THE ************* BELL!!! I have just about trained the postman to use the bell. Goodness knows what will happen if they change the staffing! 

Anyway, Phil is now having nostalgic moments about the now-retired suite. The delivery men took it away with them to go a recycling place. So it has moved on. Renewal has taken place. But some people are rather resistant to change. Our eldest granddaughter is threatening to boycott our house. She protested about our cutting down a tree in the back garden (about 18 months ago) and my repainting the kitchen (probably 18 months before that) and reminded me of these protest just the other day. 

She does, however, appear to forgotten that I repainted the front door (probably 5 years ago now) or maybe she has finally forgiven me.