Sharla

Week 15 At last I managed to get a half way decent photo of a goldfinch – two of them waiting for me to stop peering at them so that they can get on with eating the Niger seeds.

E = Echinops (The Globe Thistle)

Corrie, Happy Birthday and all best wishes for a wonderful trip.

A = Aster

It does and is surprisingly loud for a little one!

X = Xerochrysum

Week 14 Sorry, I’m so late. My photo shows one of the delightful chaffinches that visit my garden.

O = Orchid

Week 13 Two rooks getting ready in lots of time with nest building

Week 12 At last, the taller daffodils are opening. These are in our local churchyard – I just loved how vibrant they looked.

M = Meringues

Week 11 This collared dove is a regular visitor to the garden. She is perched on a walnut tree branch but behind her you can see some pink and white blossom on other trees - spring has definitely started.

E = Eccles cake

Week 10 This photo was taken as the day was coming to an end from an upstairs window. It was taken extending the zoom on my little digital camera as far as it could go to capture trees and a snowy hillside a long way in the distance past chimney tops and roofs. I haven’t altered it in any way because I rather like its bleak moodiness at the end of a grey day.

N = Napoleon Cake (a classic Russian cakes, made of very thin and flaky puff pastry cake layers and a smooth, rich and luscious pastry cream)

J = Ji Dan Gao (a traditional Chinese dessert usually eaten on the first day of the new year)

Z = Zuccotto: a Creamy Italian Dessert Cake

W = Waffles

L = Lemon Meringue Pie

I = Iced Doughnuts

C = Cream in all its different types and forms

Shiver, I can't even imagine what that feels like. In England, even up here in the north, it rarely gets below -5 and that's a rare event. Spring is definitely beginning here, I have started seeds in my little greenhouse and am keeping my fingers crossed we don't have a sudden cold spell. A couple of years ago all the blossom trees were damaged by a late frost (one of the very cold ones) and some have still not recovered.

K = Key Lime Pie

Week 9 A Siskin finch, on route to our bird feeders, kindly posed alongside some early cherry blossom.

I = Ice Cream