It's April already and although we had a few beautiful days this week, today we're back to rain and much cooler temperatures ..
Looking back at blogs from previous years it seems that nature is a couple of weeks later than 'normal' although we've had very wet springs before.

During one of those nicer days earlier this week we got the first sighting of a deer in our meadow this year:

Fortunately the dogs didn't see her and she stayed for a little while, nibbling on the fresh new leaves of the shrubs.
I think I saw another one on the other side of the fence but it was too dark in there to get a picture.

More and more trees are blossoming:

And still more and more calves are being born at the neighbor's.
I see 'new' ones every day and this one was only just born when I walked by. You can still see it's umbilicus-cord attached to him/her if you look closely:

It's mother was vigorously cleaning him and licked him of balance a couple of times!

Down at the river the Ospreys have returned to their old nest, as they are known to do, and are cleaning it up and adding some bits and pieces to it.

They're not very picky about what they add, they can use anything!
(Like that bit of pinkish rope hanging there from the bottom).

While one of them is busy re-arranging the nest, the other is keeping watch in the dead tree across the river, right opposite from where the nest is.

                                                     

I've started to prepare my raised beds (or rather raised 'tubs' in my case) by removing some of last year' soil, that I wasn't very happy with at all, adding the first of my homemade compost (!) and topping them off with a (hopefully better) soil, especially made for raised beds and containers.

               

I couldn't resist sowing some 'cold weather' vegetables as well!
I know, I know ...
Last year I sowed some early seeds in my little plastic green house which turned out to be a total bust so this time I'm trying to go 'cold turkey', quite literary, and see how it goes.
Keeping my fingers crossed!

            

That's Snowpeas, Kale, Chard, Mesclun mix (salad greens), Arugola and spinach in that tub.

A girl can dream can't she?

Well, that's about all I have for this week.
I'm preparing a little for my trip to Holland at the end of the month.
Checking clothing especially .. what to wear, or better what to bring, is always a little bit of a dilemma and depending on the weather of course.
I'll be there in those difficult 'in-between' weeks when it can still be cold or maybe (un)seasonal warm already .. who knows.