The Bluestocking - where Spring has sprung and the grass is riz.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Welcome all. Can the gerbils please ensure that all the Tunnocks products are safely stowed in the capacious larder, and perhaps the quokkas could be responsible for counting everyone onto the bus and back off at the new thread - many thanks!

The turmeric and black pepper mixed with the cocoa is meant to be good for my painful ancient knees, and I think it does help. I put plenty of whole milk in at the end - heat and fat are supposed be necessary to get them to work. It's more or less equal quantities of cocoa and turmeric (which tastes of nothing) and little bit of the pepper.

Will I have the surviving cheese scones for breakfast or save them for lunch?

Yes, that’s why I’ve left the traybake thread unread!
I used to read my mother’s Woman’s Weekly from childhood, the very word ‘traybake’ starts up some sort of Proustian response as they were a staple of the recipes pages. And their romances, a short story and an instalment of a serial. No sex before marriage in those days, so sometimes the plot would contrive a marriage of convenience at some point before the couple finally declared their love. “Come here, you little fool”, he murmured huskily….

I'm glad you find the Bluestocking a comfort, Inky. It's a good space for a bit of a laugh and some general absurdity.

Also it is spring. There is something irrepressibly jolly about daffodils, and cheering about all the birds singing.

I was woken up yesterday by a bunch of seagulls. It's spring for them too...

We’ve been having a discombobulating month too, and the glorious spring weather (as well as the Bluestocking) are cheering. I work part time so we usually get out for a good while if it’s not foul - yesterday up to an RSPB reserve with scarlet elfcups dotting the ground and bitterns booming, among the other birdsong.

I do love the Spring. It seems so full of hope and joy, and finding things in the garden I had totally forgotten about. ( Plants, not the cats!)
The flower buds on my crab apple trees are ready to burst forth any day now.

Mine aren’t quite that far yet but a neighbour’s white cherry is bursting out. The pink ones come a little later, I like to pause under them for a little bit of hanami, though I stop short of picnicking on their lawn.

Just heard that I didn't get the job I interviewed for. They've spent the last 12 days trying to decide who they want to interview. Apparently I couldn't have done any more, they just picked two others. Disappointing. The recruiter will call later today.

It is sunny but the rowan is still bare. We had it pruned in February so it might be sulking.

Sorry about that Myrtle.
My rowan is bare too - leaf buds not yet erupting.

The cherry tree outside our house is full of blossom and early bumble bees. Spring is edging into view, there may still be some frosts to set things back but, on our side of the planet, we're turning toward new beginnings.

Fuzzy, you're looking very spiffing in your summer clobber.

Sorry to hear that Myrtle, don't lose heart, you have other irons in the fire.

Enjoy the now of the rowan tree in the sun, bare but with the certainty of leaves and berries.

Oh buggeration, @MyrtleLion. Hopefully this means the Universe had an even better job for you, just round the corner.

We are starting to see signs of Spring here, though being Scotland, we are a bit behind. My magnolia is starting to flower though. I've got an apple tree and what I think is a crabapple tree in the back garden - we sometimes get an absolute glut of apples, which is lovely.

@inkymoose - I'm sorry things are a bit crap at the moment. I've just finished reading In This House of Brede, where one of the characters talks about martyrdom by pinpricks, and says that even though each pinprick is only small, martyrdom by pinpricks is still awful.

@DeanElderberry - I take a turmeric and black pepper supplement every day, in the hopes it will help my aged joints. No hot chocolate for Woleys. 😭

We are starting to see signs of Spring here, though being Scotland, we are a bit behind.

You probably all know this already, but I was charmed to learn that Spring moves up our islands from the south at walking speed.🚶

Does that make it even more anticipated and welcome when it reaches you in Scotland, Woley?

@MyrtleLion I'm sorry. But as the others say, you have other irons in the fire.

@MarieDeGournay I love the idea of spring walking slowly north.

Mind you, yesterday as I walked the dog I caught the unmistakable whiff of nettles growing. I've never seen this mentioned anywhere and wonder if I'm the only person who notices it.

It definitely does, @MarieDeGournay!

It walks slower uphill for some species, I think

I am reminded of the story of the progress.of a tiny rare snail at a country house that moved about 500m from the balcony down to the garden over two centuries or something. I can't find a record of it now.

Every Spring brings hope.

Magnolia in flower here, to help lift the spirits of @MyrtleLionand anyone else in need!

Sympathies @Myrtle.

I highly recommend liquid glucosamine for arthritis pains - makes a real difference to my arthritic right knee. This was evidenced when I visited the UK for two weeks last October and didn’t bring it because I only had a carryon and couldn’t get it through security. By the time I got home my knee was playing up again but eased as soon as I went back on the Synflex. I was visiting people rather than touristing so it wasn’t extra walking causing the pain. I also take a turmeric and cucurmin supplement and a resveratrol supplement and I think it’s the combination of the three that is so effective, but the liquid glucosamine is central. I take Synflex, which is an American product, but there are ones available in the UK.

Quick message to say love to all, commiserations to Myrtle & may I add to the chocolatefest with a hearty recommendation of this type of chocolate ⬇. Someone sent me a bar (thankyouthankyouthankyou) & it's amazing: a grown up version of Caramac.

https://www.hill.st/products/hill-st-maldon-salted-caramel

Luckily they don't sell that on my side of the Atlantic, and I refuse to google and find out if anybody delivers it here at a reasonable price. In my mind I'm going to keep it as far too expensive to bother with.

It's beautiful! but so beautiful it would be a shame to eat it, wouldn't it?

Ok Ok don't all shout at once, I get the message!

I wonder if that company does subscription boxes... Would make a very lovely birthday present.

It's ben a bit breezy but wonderfully sunny here today. I was giving Brains and Batshit their afternoon walk when a flock of widgeon took off, whistling madly. There was a bird-watching bloke in range, hung about with telescopes etc and I commented on it to him. 'I'm just wondering,' he said, 'what put them up... Ah, look, a marsh harrier.' He gave me a quick lesson in how to tell marsh harriers and buzzards apart when all you can really see is a shape against the sky.

Widgeons, marsh harriers, buzzards - what an interesting afternoon walk, Edith

I saw those yesterday, along with a fair few other birds (goldeneye being one which is more unusual round here). We’re so lucky to be in an area rich in varied habitats - reedbed, mudflats, moorland and woodland. Today’s walk was largely the latter, the birds mainly heard rather than seen. We’re gradually learning the songs and calls with the help of the Merlin app. It didn’t pick up yesterday’s bittern boomings at all, but they’re unmistakable - like someone blowing over a big bottle.

That sounds wonderful, Errol!
I feel... enclosed and deprived in comparison.
But that's just the way things are, and there are always the lovely snazzily-dressed magpies in my back garden