That's better! I've made a start on the garden.

It's been a pretty good day and I suddenly felt quite motivated about working in the garden.  First of all I had to inspect everything.  My tiny pond is full of frogspawn and there is a lot of activity going on in it!  The snowdrops still look good, as do the hellebores and a few primroses.  The fritillaries are well on their way up too.  In the front the crocus were fully open in the sunshine (after a frosty sta rt to the morning).   The first job was to saw down a dead ceanothus and to demolish the small fence behind it.  I've left the thicker base of the shrub for another occasion - or maybe one of my sons could finish it off for me.  Then I set to, rather reluctantly,  sawing down the tall stems of a golden hazel.  Like the dogwoods, which I have already dealt with, this should send up even more straight stems over the coming season, and the new stems always bear larger and more golden leaves.  The stems wont go to waste as I can use them for supporting climbers in the garden or on the plot.  I had intended to carry on in the garden, after lunch, but common sense prevailed as I thought I'd done enough pretty physical work out there, so I've spent the rest of the afternoon ironing (!)

The other day I made my first woven necklace, using strands of crotcheted wire and ribbons, and silver coated copper chain, with various shapes of agate, and all plaited together.  I'm quite pleased with the result - it reminds me of  the Spring.  I also made the little 'bug' which I considered adding to the necklace, but it doesn't show up too well, so maybe I use it on something else.