February update in English

Now, who would have thought that we should see Skivholme’s first honeybee of the year out gathering pollen on the second to last day in February?

A sure sign that spring is on the way – at least sometime soon.

Just two weeks ago we reached temperatures of minus 17 degrees centigrade. Everything was covered in frost and snow. It was amazingly beautiful.

Then from one day to the other the wind turned, the snow melted and it very convincingly felt like spring. We know there will be frost again. March and April are notorious that way. But those early springlike days are a blessing.

Fallen leaves from the big trees surrounding the house keep blowing in and settling in every corner of the garden. Apart from armchair gardening and buying seeds, raking leaves constitutes my February gardening.

Every supermarket sells pots with spring bulbs and flowers. I just love buying them to brighten up our living room and kitchen. They don’t last long inside, but they can all be planted in the garden later.

Maggie had an accident at her first training session of the year. A sharp stone in the frozen ground cut up her paw so badly that the vet had to stich her up. She had to wear a sock inside and a little trainer outside for 10 days to protect the healing wound. The little trainer looked so cute, I thought.

Maggie obviously thought that socks and shoes are for people and that dogs are just embarassed by that kind of thing.

She’s fine now and full of energy, running like the wind again.

Cooking in February? I baked some very good sandwich rolls with shredded carrot and seeds – you should try them. They’re very easy to make and truly delicious. And the crust is soft and doesn’t press out the sandwich filling when you take a bite.

I got a new pie form – a square one with a loose bottom plate. That way you can get the quiche out easily without breaking it. The square quiche looks so pretty. I guess my husband’s enthusiasm for quiche is waning a bit and that I’ll have to use the form for baking a fruit pie of some kind soon.

All in all it’s been a very normal February – apart from the corona restrictions. Because corona-wise, we are still in lockdown. Many small businesses have been facing financial disaster. Tomorrow, on Monday, the smaller shops are allowed to open again and more school children are to be allowed back in school. Poor kids not having anyone to play with for so long.

I hope and pray that this pandemic will be over soon – and I might go shopping in the nearest town next week just to support our local small businesses. Who doesn’t need a nice and warm spring colored sweater?

Have a great Sunday – and a great March.