Hello May

It's been a funny old Bank Holiday weekend. Changeable weather (and Joe feeling distinctly under it), getting your days a bit mixed up because of Monday not being a proper Monday...

Joe started with some nasty stomach bug on Friday and has been a bit floppy and washed out ever since. We still had visitors and plenty of good food (well, he didn't - that legendary huge appetite took a bit of a bashing), but he's also been very clingy. As in wanting to just lie on you and watch endless episodes of Peppa Pig.

There have been sleepless nights and messed-up routines (and bedding) but things are starting to return to normal again.

It's a good job there was some decent drying weather in between rain showers. And if you follow me on Instagram you'll know my geranium cuttings are flowering away. I do love a red geranium.

We've managed the odd little amble. April's purples and yellows are giving way to pinks and blues. May's such a beautiful month; I can't wait to see all the cow parsley and hawthorn blossom in another few weeks.

The railway station has all kinds of floral prettiness along the verges: clematis, bluebells, euphorbia. And the lambs... Sigh. I tried photographing them from the platform but I don't own a zoom lens so you'll just have to believe me - they're adorable, especially those in their little orange plastic lamboraks.

Even though we've been taking very short walks due to Joe not having much energy but still refusing to sit in his buggy, I did get out alone. Bluebell-gazing and wild garlic gathering. The woods are looking so green and the sunshine disappearing behind clouds then re-emerging seconds later made for some interesting light.

There are so many signs of life: uncurling, unfurling, buds, new leaves...

I love the way they start out in shades of shell pink and coral.

There's a little path I take at this time of year. It's away from the usual route; you have to clamber over a half-fallen tree and climb a steep bank. Not many people go there. But it's bluebell heaven: silver birches and a stream and long, lush grass. The bluebells are a little late because it's a shady spot but that just means for the next few weeks I can go back and enjoy them before they flower fully and then die back.

When you rejoin the main track and head back into the sunlight you're greeted by more bells, this time fully opened and beautifully blue.

Nettles are growing in huge clumps. I've always wanted to cook with them - it's time to consult the recipe books and maybe take rubber gloves next time I head into the woods.

I'm looking forward to lots of things this month. The first of May was the anniversary of our first date. My birthday's in a few weeks and I'm going to get my hair cut in a salon instead of trimming it myself with the kitchen scissors. There are a few nights out planned, a meal (just Jay and me, venue to be decided) and on my birthday we're going away for a little holiday.

It'll be nice to have a break after a difficult couple of months.

Of course, the house purchase rumbles on. And I'm trying to catch up with things now that life's starting to settle down again. But there's a lot to be grateful for. Little Poppy came home from hospital last week and she's steadily gaining weight. She may be tiny but she can empty a bottle of milk very quickly. And she loves being cuddled.

On a completely unrelated note, you may have noticed I'm trying out using square images. I quite like them - no need for resizing either. I've found that cropping to a square works better with landscape-orientated images though, so that'll be a challenge. I always take photos portrait-style and have been trying to break that little habit for a while so this should give me a bit more of an incentive.

I hope you had a good weekend. And I hope this little person gets better soon, he's been beyond grouchy...

Joining in with the Photo Gallery (this week's theme: One Day in May).