1st Blossom

Japonica (  Japanese Quince )

My first shrub to blossom.

Last week end I cut some of the longer branches I'd missed when  pruning it in Autumn,

I brought them into the house to force the blossom

and

now I have a lovely vase of the blossom almost in full bloom.

This picture is an aerial view of our last house taken in 1990 just before we left 

to live in France

We lived on Dartmoor in Devon, which is the south west of England. 

A beautiful part of England.

This little arrangement is in small jar that I had found in the old barn of our first house in France.

I also found these shoes in the barn.

can you guess what they were used for ?

Do you remember me telling you  in an early post Sowing seeds at the right time - in tune with the moon.  about Leonard my old friend
who used to tell me how to garden , he told me they used to fit them on the cows feet
 when they went on the road pulling the cart to take their produce to the city for the big market.
This city is Limoges 40 km from where I lived.
Can you imagine having to travel all that distance to sell their chickens and vegetables.

I hope the spring blossom is in bloom where you live.

If  not, I'm sure Spring is just around the corner.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian