................except for the expenses.
It's bad planning how so many things need renewing and paying for in April. TV licence, house insurance and dentist for a start and birthdays, but then it's my birthday month and more spring-like too which makes it my favourite month except for June - due to strawberries and Wimbledon tennis on TV (although I've just googled and the dates are mainly July this year - so that's mucked that one up!) Never mind still looking forward to a good second-favourite month.
And it's no wonder I'm feeling cheerful. The weatherman said March was the sunniest ON RECORD for Norfolk and Suffolk - that means the sunniest for many, many years. Really good for mental health.
This bit below was written in my April 1st post of 2019
There are often a few warm days at the end of March or beginning of April which brings the Blackthorn into flower then the weather will often turn colder which is called The Blackthorn Winter. According to forecasts that looks very likely for this year.
It was the same in 2022 and much again this year, warmth at the end of March and into April, so there is bound to be some cold sometime in April.
The rest of this post is bits from 2020 and 2022 post so I apologise for repeating.
The Ousel-cock, so black of hue, with orange tawny beak.
because until the C17 blackbirds were just one of the birds of the ousel family, they didn't have their own name.
This year...............
Easter is almost the latest it can be and falls just after my 70th - family get together planned for that which will be good. And then of course St Georges Day on the 23rd, but there are lots of Saints in my book who are less well known. What about St Vincent Ferrer on the 5th, St Waudru on the 9th, St Zeno of Verona on the 12th, St Soter on the 22nd and St Zita on the 27th? Some wonderful names and stories.
Back Soon
What a lot of saints, none of whom I know apart from St George. Gorgeous illustration and I agree about the sunshine being so helpful for mental health. Next winter I am going to try some different tactics to help me through the low light and if that doesn't work I'm going to save like fury for a few days winter sun!
ReplyDeletePenny
Some weird Saint's names that we never hear nowadays
DeleteMarch has been SO sunny. 98% of our electricity came from the solar panels on the roof, last March it was only 73%. Have a good April!
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful about your solar panels. Wish my bungalow faced the right way to have them
DeleteMarch has been fabulous. Has it set us up for disappointment for the rest of the year? Our solar production has been phenomenal. March 23 was 233kwh March 24 303kwh and both topped but, what I suspect will never be beaten, March 24 427kwh.
ReplyDeleteHow handy that the Easter break is well timed for you all to get together for your birthday.
I said to someone yesterday - if we could have this weather (with a little rain each night) with the daylight hours we have now on a permanent basis - I would be perfectly happy.
I hope you are wrong for the rest of the year and I would be happy with a warm summer too
DeleteMarch certainly went out like a lamb this year and ushered April in quietly with blue skied sunshine! Hurrah!
ReplyDeleteEaster is late, hopefully it will bode well for good weather over your birthday! I suppose it will mean not much time off between Easter and Mayday holidays too. Always find Bank Holidays confusing when they come close together.
I remember being able to sit outside on my birthday one year, but mostly mid April can be chilly
DeleteThe sunny weather is good for the soul, but we need the rain, my water buts are low, and I'm using them all the time, if the month is dry, I will run out of rain water.
ReplyDeleteI had to empty one water butt as it had tilted backwards and was leaning against the house wall - no idea when it will fill up again
DeleteYes, April is our month isn't it. This year my birthday falls between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, so I've told Alan I want an Easter Egg a day for three days instead of a birthday present. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe last couple of weeks of sunshine, even though it has still been chilly, has been lovely hasn't it. I love the sun, but hate the heat of Summer so this is my favourite month too.
My 11th birthday was on Good Friday, I had a party the day before and went down with chicken pox on the day - which is why I remember it!
DeleteThe blackbirds are so beautiful; they hop around my garden and, above all, search the meadow for food. I'm always happy to see them.
ReplyDeleteI wish you a happy birthday month, including a wonderful Easter... I'm really looking forward to it...
This month we've had a lot of rain and occasional sunshine. May is the lucky month here.
Best wishes, Viola
Hug to you
I'm hoping for kind weather for Easter but it could be anything here. May is a lovely month for colour with the trees all leafing up different shades of green
DeleteWell April has started very well here and it’s such a tonic to see the sunshine. May is an expensive month for us with insurance and servicing for the van. Catriona
ReplyDeleteAnd this year an even more expensive month with absolutely everything going up and up
DeleteHope the weather stays nice and you can celebrate all month, Sue!
ReplyDeleteThat would be good
DeleteI like April, too, and not just because it's my birthday month. It's a hopeful time of the year.
ReplyDeleteSo many bloggers have birthdays in April - it's odd
DeleteAnd so many of us are called Sue ... it's very odd. ;-)
DeleteYour sunshine sounds glorious.
ReplyDeleteWe've just had three days of rain and today is sunny, breezy and cool (40 degrees F). Everything is more or less still sleeping. Trees are full of buds, but no leaves and Spring bulbs are just peeking above the soil.
April is usually a rainy month for us. I've read: "April showers bring May flowers."
Lots of people need rain for their gardens and farm fields now - it's been a dry and sunny time - I don't mind at all
DeleteThere usually are a few more cold snaps in April - I never put anything out until May, just in case. Several decades ago, it was closer to June, the May/June half term, when I did most of the planting out. It's earlier now but even so, one had to be careful. xx
ReplyDeleteThey always used to say that we in the east could get frosts right through May but as you say doesn't happen often now
DeleteI love the illustration!
ReplyDeleteApril and May are my favourite months but we’ve had a good March here..and we actually need some rain now! I also love the autumn colours when November arrives.
When I had my daughter, way back in the early 80s, in April, us new mums were all sitting outside sunning ourselves! I remember going into hospital with a sun tan and a friend came to see me and she remarked , ‘Good gracious, where have you been on your holidays you are so brown?!’ My answer was ,‘ ‘The back garden!’
Have a happy April! 😁
I think it was my birthday 1980 when I was hugely pregnant that I sat out and enjoyed the sun
DeleteLovely illustration.
ReplyDeleteI like April but it's still very changeable here. There will probably be at least one or two days of snow and the cold is still...well, really cold.
The weather here has been a real treat. This year we can say Snow? what is that!?
DeleteNow that is a great many Saints.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
and very strange names
DeleteI love your April illustration! We are in the midst of rains here and up north, ice storms. I'm hoping for sunshine and real spring soon!
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