The Quiet Countryside ?

The daffodils on the stream bank have survived their snowy ordeal and add a splash of colour to the view from the window by the piano.
Meanwhile by the front door the luscious golden crocus (crocii?) , have started to appear. I have been completely on my own today as Romas left with Peter to catch the bus to Bude. It has been wonderfully peaceful and I feel that I have got a lot done - the morning on the laptop organising my planning for the next half-term, some tidying and cleaning and an hour or two out in the garden. It has been quite warm and the pond has been reverberating to the croaking of toads. If you creep up on them carefully you can see lots of splashing about but if one spots you they dive down to hide in the mud.

I was stealthily approaching the pond when Elwen decided to see what I was up to and scared the toads away. I just managed to take a photo of this one diving under the frogspawn. Later in the spring the toads start walking down to the lake and you have to clear them off the drive before you drive along it or there will be squished toads. The jackdaws must be starting to built their nests in the chimney as there were lots of squawks coming down the chimney as they argued over who gets the chimney and who has to make do with the loft. Early mornings the Barn Owls have started hooting up and down the valley. Who said the countryside was quiet ?