Snowdrops and Stir fry!

You can not possibly lead the exciting life I lead!
No I don't live there! Lady Mary does.
BUT
Tonight we are having a stir fry composed of chrysanthemum greens,namenia and green mustard with lots of garlic and some chicken! The veggie box surprises and educates me every week!



Last week we walked the Snowdrop Walk at Hawick Hall. To be truthful, we sat a long time in the beautiful tearoom supping soup and watching the various assortment of coal tits, great tits, blue tits at the bird station outside the window.


Then we braved the blast of icy northern winds piercing the sunny tracks through the woods; frozen little mitts = camera shake!



We mosied among carpets of aconites and snowdrops before viewing cyclamen in the more formal garden immediately outside the tearoom.




It was freezing!But the hall looks majestic whatever the weather.



The leafletting on the night of the black ice worked- it helped by whipping up support for the Big Walk; 500+ people turned out to show their feelings & wishes to protect the green belt around the north of Newcastle and in particular to try to preserve Gosforth Park Nature Reserve; but will the Council be persuaded into developing brown field sites before developing green fields unnecessarily?



We walked the Ouseburn corridor, spotting a kingfisher en route; Jesmond Dene, Armstrong Park, Heaton , the Cluny, behind Seven Stories, stopped at the Tyne Bar down by the Ouseburn Barrage, walked along the Tyne looking at my city then stopping at the Pitcher and Piano to watch the Millenium Bridge traffic & after our demonstration we called in at the Eye on the Tyne (disappointing -H1's burger had unannounced chilli mixed in with it- for a man with great reservations regarding food this did not go down a treat- in fact it did not go down at all- he took it back!) When I look along the river at the Sage(Concert Halls), Baltic(Gallery), all the bridges I wonder if P&K in Menorca and A, & R&T in Australia recognise their city roots now?



The Theatre Royal celebrated its 175th anniversary with displays in Grey Street... a stilt walker, MacBeth's witches, Fagan and his boys, the Ugly Sisters, a birthday cake and fireworks on the hour each evening this week.



Crocus are popping out all over my garden & everywhere else- a trip through Backworth village is so worthwhile- and there are crowds of daffodils which will be wonderful to see in the next 2? weeks.



Ly & I walked the Long Sands again today; what were those crazy lads doing plodging up to their waists in the North Sea? Brr!



Talking of crazy- who else but D3 could be thrilled with a compost bin for a birthday present (she did get other gifts!) and yes! I know it is blurred but excitement makes for leaping up and down like a mad dalek!!



I confess- I would be thrilled when I too get a hodgepod ( from Blyth Wildlife Rescue) for the hedgehog which hoovers my garden nightly.