In the weeks since we got back from our month in Edinburgh – a month we have already booked again in Edinburgh for 2026 – we have settled into a home-based routine.  This has been especially pleasurable due to the exceptional Spring weather.  It has been largely sunny, the mornings have been fresh and clear and, since the clocks went forward, the evenings have been long and getting longer.  It has been a lovely time to be back at home in the country and to see the trees, bulbs and perennials start to come back to life and into flower.

The walks into the local town for the newspaper and daily provisions have been chilly on the way in but warm on the way back.  The dry weather has opened up previously muddy routes across the fields.  The paths have offered views in the local woodlands and hedgerows of, first, the last snowdrops, then daffodils, then bluebells and primroses, and, now, wild garlic and cow parsley. 

The bursts of white from the blackthorn and, now, the hawthorn have been terrific while the early flowering cherry trees have now been supplanted in their splendour by later flowering cherry, apple, plum and pear tree blossom. 

In the midst of all of this we have had a late Easter celebration with our grandchildren and their parents.  The weather was kind and made the construction of my Easter Egg Hunt for the grandchildren easy.  First Grandchild in particular, really enjoyed it and we all enjoyed watching him gather up rather too many Easter eggs.  FG and his parents live in a central Edinburgh flat and he really appreciates the contrast of English countryside.  It was so rewarding to see his excitement on the Easter Egg Hunt and on other nature hunts and adventures we had organized.

FG also loved seeing and holding the brand-new baby goats owned by some village friends of ours. I was amazed at how gentle both the baby goat and FG were.

Second Grandchild was too young to join in everything directly but he too seemed to capture the vibrant atmosphere of our Easter weekend.  He always seems to be smiling. That was particularly the case at Easter with so many people around including, especially, his cousin.

The good recent weather has allowed me to catch up on clearing vegetable patches.  There is more to do and I need to be careful not to aggravate joint aches and pains, but I am pleased with the progress I have made.  Plus, the sunny evenings are starting to beckon us out for relaxed drinks amongst the euphorbia, Judas Tree and wisteria and, soon, the alliums and salvias.

Against this Spring backdrop, there have been a few other highlights.  We made a rare trip to London for a wedding (of Jane’s God-daughter) and to see and stay with some old friends of ours.  The finale of a decade-long set of ‘boy’s nights out’ with mates dating back to the 1970’s was arranged to coincide with our trip to London.  Apart from the hangover, it was a splendid trip and very enjoyable, particularly as we got to see our friends’ newly renovated house.  It was great that the final boy’s night out was a little extravagant with a private room, silly hats and a wonderful souvenir booklet produced by the prime organizer.  This included pictures of long-ago evenings together that encapsulated fading but amusing memories.

Also, back in March, friends in the village took Jane and I on an excursion to Dyrham Park.  We have long admired this couple for heading out on quickly arranged short breaks and excursions when the weather looks promising.  This time they took us off with them for a very relaxed and interesting time together.  

We didn’t venture into the Dyrham Park house which has been renovated comprehensively recently, but the gardens were lovely.  The daffodils were in peak season and the beautiful pale limestone of the baroque hall provided a great backdrop to views of the planting.  The parkland around the house offers splendid views of the south Gloucestershire and Avon landscape. 

I hadn’t been to the park for several years, when I went with my parents well before my Mum died, but I’m keen to go again in Autumn.  By that time nature will have moved on and the trees and gardens will look very different.

Two other highlights: first a very enjoyable visit to Tetbury Goods Shed to see a band we have seen a few times called Faeland.  They were on good form with an extended lineup and the lead singer’s beautiful clear voice resonating around a well-designed venue.

Second, I finally pickled the crop of shallots that I harvested well over six months ago.  They have been winking at me from the string bag I had stored them in every time I went into the shed.  Two years ago, I set myself a New Year resolution to do something creative at least once a month; I have failed on that. But pickling well over a kilogram of stored shallots counts as being creative for April – even if I haven’t actually tasted them yet.

Not everything in March and April has gone smoothly.  My knee and ankle are improving slowly with help from physiotherapy but both have been annoyingly painful at times.  Plus, a couple of weeks ago, I had a ‘fall’ (when approaching 70 one seems to call them ‘falls’ rather than a ‘trip’ or a ‘slip’ which would have been a more accurate description of the event) which wrenched my shoulder.  But, overall, it has been a very good early Spring and I have appreciated being retired and so able to fully appreciate it outdoors rather than from an office window.