We also have rabbits again. So far, relatively well behaved, sticking to the grass for culinary needs. Apart, that is, from one of the daylilies, which looks rather sorry for itself. And the primrose, which one of them ‘deadheaded’ whilst I was watching.

#rabbits #wildlife #GardenWildlife #WildlifePhotography #ArtistsGarden #ImperfectGarden #garden #GardenPhotography #Artist #wolfkettler #Photography #GardenWiltshire #WiltshireGarden #Wiltshire #natural #NaturalGarden #WildlifeFriendly

First sighting of a pair of ducks this year.
I had seen the male and the female earlier but today is the first time that I saw them together. I approached carefully to say 'hello' and supply a little more breakfast, expecting them to be shy initially. They weren't - both were supremely relaxed with me and confident.
They are also used to me pointing the camera at them.
We know each other well from previous years.

#ducks #mallard #MallardDucks #wildlife #GardenWildlife #WildlifePhotography #ArtistsGarden #ImperfectGarden #garden #gardener #gardening #GardenPhotography #Artist #wolfkettler #Photography #GardenWiltshire #WiltshireGarden #Wiltshire #spring #natural #NaturalGarden

Since the beginning of the year, we had only six days without rain.
This afternoon, beautiful sunshine and mild. Suddenly, spring has decided to arrive.
It won't be long now before the big spring tidy in the garden.
‣ Upright. Click to see properly.

#crocus #ArtistsGarden #ImperfectGarden #garden #gardener #gardening #GardenPhotography #Artist #wolfkettler #Photography #GardenWiltshire #WiltshireGarden #Wiltshire #sustainable #spring #bloomscrolling #biodiversity #natural #NaturalGarden #WildlifeFriendly #PlanetFriendly #PollinatorFriendly #ecology #climate #ClimateChange #conservation #sustainability

Baked λαγάνα - Lagana, a Greek flatbread traditionally baked just once a year on this day, Clean Monday (καθαρí Δευτέρα, katharí deftéra), the first day of Greek orthodox lent.

#wolfkettler #Photography #bread #lagana #Greek #Greece #traditional #lent #baking #BreadBaking #RusticBread #BreadCulture #GreekBread #HomemadeBread #HomeBaking #MediterraneanDiet #food

Catkins on a Salix gracilistyla Mount Aso. The catkins are produced in spring before the leaves.
I moved this shrub a couple of years ago from an area, where it was not doing well. It is meant to grow up to three metres tall but is still tiny, probably on account of its hard start in life.
‣ Upright. Click to see properly.

#catkins #salix #ArtistsGarden #ImperfectGarden #garden #gardener #gardening #GardenPhotography #Artist #wolfkettler #Photography #GardenWiltshire #WiltshireGarden #Wiltshire #sustainable #winter #biodiversity #natural #NaturalGarden #WildlifeFriendly #PlanetFriendly #ecology #climate #ClimateChange #conservation #sustainability

Biscotti Morbidi Ricotta e Limone - Italian Lemon and Ricotta Biscuits
Made these for the first time, after a recipe by Elena Paravantes (olivetomato.com).
'Morbidi' has nothing to do with morbid. It comes from 'morbido', meaning soft, smooth, fluffy, mellow.

#biscotti #biscuits #cookies #Italian #ItalianFood #ItalianCooking #ItalianBaking #mediterranean #food #baking #morbido #wolfkettler #HomeBaking

Started my sowing at the weekend. It's odd. Every year I am determined not to grow anything other than the essentials - vegetables and a few annuals. And every year I end up with a planting list as long as my arm. Does this sound familiar???

#sowing #SeedTray #ArtistsGarden #ImperfectGarden #garden #gardener #gardening #wolfkettler #GardenWiltshire #WiltshireGarden #Wiltshire #GrowYourOwn #VegetableGrowing #vegetables #sustainable #winter #biodiversity #natural #NaturalGarden #PlanetFriendly #ecology #climate #ClimateChange #conservation #sustainability

I have a wall calendar printed every year with my own work. The photograph for February is a street scene observed in Steyr, Upper Austria, in 1982 (around this time of the year) - when I was still very young, the world was full of endless possibilities and the future was far, far away.
Goodness, this was 44 years ago!
The photograph was conceived on Agfapan 100 film.

#StreetPhotography #WallCalendar #Steyr #UpperAustria #Oberösterreich #Austria #Österreich #1982 #Agfapan #Agfapan100 #Artist #wolfkettler #Photography #PhotoArt #ArtPhotography #urban #UrbanPhotography #BlackAndWhite #bnw #monochrome #bnwPhotography #BlackAndWhitePhotography #film #FilmPhotography #FilmIsNotDead #AnalogPhotography #35mm #SelfDevelopedFilm

In Austria and probably other German speaking countries these are called Barbarazweigerl.
Barbara referring to St. Barbara and Zweigerl meaning twigs.
Typically, the cuttings come from fruit trees. I have used wild cherry and Forsythia, both also traditional.
They come in on St. Barbara’s day (4 December) and should flower by around Christmas. Mine never do, they have only just started to flower a couple of days ago.
Admittedly, not exactly impressive but I have found a few ideas for how to help them to do better next year.
‣ Upright. Click to see properly.

#Barbarazweige #Barbarazweigerl #traditions #customs #Austria #ArtistsGarden #ImperfectGarden #garden #gardener #Artist #wolfkettler #permaculture #Photography #GardenWiltshire #WiltshireGarden #Wiltshire #winter #bloomscrolling #biodiversity #natural #NaturalGarden