Brrrr!

... in the garden of the Selfish Giant it was still winter.... The only people who were pleased were the Snow and the Frost. "Spring has forgotten this garden," they cried, "so we will live here all the year round." The Snow covered up the grass with her great white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then they invited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. He was wrapped in furs, and he roared all day about the garden, and blew the chimney-pots down. "This is a delightful spot," he said, "we must ask the Hail on a visit." So the Hail came. Every day for three hours he rattled on the roof of the castle till he broke most of the slates, and then he ran round and round the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice.

Most of the ice and snow have gone, this morning's frost has melted, except in the back garden, shady and sheltered as it is. Our stretch of road always seems several degrees colder than other parts of town. It's definitely winter.

We put up one nesting pocket, two feeders and a container of nesting materials for the birds this week. Next we must sort out a proper supply of water and get some more seed. With the loss of next door's hedge, we're considering sparrow boxes too.