Monday, April 20, 2009

Smiles

If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it. ~Andy Rooney

Some of the visitors that turn up in spring make me smile. We now have three bats that wizz around in the air above the garden, they make me smile. The toads have turned up too, I like them because they are a bit comical, however I become fearful that I will maim one whilst gardening ..AGAIN..

The swifts, swallows, or hirondelles call em what you will, always bring a big smile to my face, although they drive the dog crazy. woof, I look forward to their arrival.

The bluebells are opening, and the orchids are starting to push their way through.
The bank alongside our garden provides us with a show of pink orchides with spotted leaves. Like all the villages around here all the weeds (wild flowers) get strimmed by the men who are paid to keep the villages tidy. Although here they arrive with their strimmers after they have flowered. I took this picture last year before the strimmer arrived.
Voila une fleur my Roadside Orchide

But not all the things that turn up in spring make me smile, the darned ANTS are back indoors, this year in the bathroom!

The French word for smile is sourire.

The French word for ant is fourmi.

Etymology for the word smile.

10 comments:

Diane said...

We get these awful earwig bugs in the spring... I hate those, as they give me the heebie jeebies!

Blu said...

Eek I am not keen on earwigs!

Jude said...

What a beautiful orchid.
We've just had the strimmer men, they also paint everything with lime wash, steps, curb, lower part of tree trunks, flowers, anything!!

French Fancy... said...

Oh I love to see the verges full of the wild flowers - I wish they wouldn't strimmer so fiercely.

shame about your ants

ArtPropelled said...

A feeling of anticipation in this post. We have fruit bats that chink and cheep, in the date palm outside our window every night. Sounds like a hammer on anvil. They're very vocal but quite comforting.

I thought of you this evening whilst watching a T.V program on french cheeses. (French Cooking at Home)

bindu said...

Sounds like the whole place is coming alive! Great things to smile about.

claire p said...

As long as the ants are in the bathroom and not your pants!! I hate them though. And I saw the first wasp yesterday, hate them more.

The orchids are fantastic. We get them in some places here. At the moment it's wild garlic everywhere.

LadyFi said...

Isn't spring wonderful? Now do tell us the story of how you maimed a bat WHILE GARDENING? Were you pulling up weeds in a belfry?

;-)

Blu said...

Jude I wonder why they whitewash the trees? LOL

French Fancy I wish they wouldnt cut the trees so fiercley!

Fruit bats woohoo I bet they are big!

Robyn Yes the place is coming alive!

Claire I dont like wasps at all!

French Fancy... said...

Hope things are ok