Värlebo

The last few days have been cold with temperatures reaching -° in the night. Yesterday, it snowed.

More birds have arrived but they are elusive and I have not been able to spot them all. The neighbor saw and owl by the barn. Two different birds of prey, Röd glador / Red kite, have been flying too close for comfort to the chicken coop. Last week, a Duvhök / Northern Goshawk attempted to get inside the run.

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The female Brimstone Butterflies / Citronfjäril are awake. I spotted a pair of Long-Tailed Tits / Sjärtmes using feathers from my (taken) hen, and carrying them to what I assume is their nest.

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As they say, "April showers bring May flowers"... and apparently, also all the little birds to the yard. It's not quite April yet, but the rains have started. When I opened the front door this morning, a flutter of small bird wings filled the front yard as I disturbed them during their worm pickings.

Also, chubby bumblebees are buzzing around, enjoying the small Krokus as well as the newly bloomed Pilewort / Svälort (Ficaria verna). The Peacock Butterflies also visited the young blooms this weekend.

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The greenhouse went up and the front porch got a new DIY flowerbed made of repurposed terracotta roof shingles. I saw a number of happy earthworms dancing around and some less desirable beetle caterpillars. I gathered some Dandelion / Maskross (Taraxacum officinale) roots in the process of digging and refilling with soil.

Found a budding Pussy Willow / Sälg (Salix caprea) along the road. All the Hazelnut / Hassel (Corylus avellana) shrubs have their catkins. The purple Crocus / Krokus (C. vernus) have bloomed.

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