It's that time of year again

Taken at 16:00 after a day with thermometer hitting +20°C.
Was too warm even to take the horses out for a ride so they had the pleasure of a new field to find what they can. Angie is more clearing upleaves etc than mowing grass but did a great job and things look a lot tidier.

I spent most of the day trying to clear up in the garden beds, cutting back died foliage which we like to leave over the winter for the birds and some of which can look attractive (ornamental grasses) until a heavy snowfall.

Quite unbelievable what is going on. Fish pond is free of ice for the first time since mid November and the fish even came to the surface. Don't every remember having the pond ice free before end of March. The recommended depth of ponds here is at least 1.5m to give the fish a chance of living over winter. 50cm would have been adequate so far.

No doubt we will be hit with a few cold snaps in the weeks to come, the mullein weather forecaster I mentioned back in the autumn has been right so far and he said snow at Easter. So while I also saw my first cabriolet of the year today, as SonofThunder commented a few days ago: "one cabriolet doesn't make a spring".

Great day rounded off by a Bavarian version of shepherd's pie which Angie loves. However starting off with it not having lamb meat it ought to be called something else - horse owner's pie perhaps but that could lead to more problems. At least we do have 2 border collies and will stick with the sheepy name.

PS Bees had a good day too although one hive still looks to be as good as dead.