The spring has sprung (finally!)

Spring has come late to Ballarat. We've had so many cold days, with lots of rain and some hail at times, and I'm sure all of us who live here have wondered if the season that follows our long, cold winters would ever come.

But we've had a run of fine days at last, hooray.  While the over-supply of rain means our local lake is full to overflowing, and the walkways to the boatsheds are mostly underwater so the boatsheds look as though they're floating, the birdlife is very happy, thanks. Especially the swans - they've been breeding like mad and it's such a delight to see the stately black adult birds and their little grey puffball babies grazing on the banks or forming a happy little flotilla in the water. It's also delightful when they cross the road, which can be quite busy at times. Drivers stop at once, and never seem to mind the delay. It's a magical moment.

A stroll around our back garden was just the thing after a busy day. The birds are chirping (we are visited by magpies, wattlebirds, doves, occasional spinebills and blue wrens, which are all beautiful, but would happily do without the starlings nesting just under the roof and all those pesty sparrows making a dust bowl in one of our garden beds). Everything including the weeds is growing like Topsy and our first potato crop, planted in a grow bag, is promising - judging by the leaves, at least.  The quince blossoms are looking a bit raggedy as they prepare to turn into fruit and one of our two olive trees has teeny tiny buds. The roses also have buds galore - for once I had them professionally pruned instead of my usual hack job and they seem pretty happy about that.

I'll leave you with a few images from my little world. I hope everyone's having a lovely weekend.