February arrives

February gets a bit of a bad press. Bad weather and winter depression probably contribute to its lack of popularity, but it’s one of my favourite months and therefore presents the opportunity for a spurious list:

1. I always have a week off work in February (being a teacher I am most blessed in the holiday department) and I always try to go away somewhere for at least a couple of days. (Actually “somewhere” is rather inacurate – it is almost invariably to London and this year is no exception.)

2. The it starts to be noticeably lighter during the late afternoon/early evening in February, so I get to see my garden in daylight during the week. Which leads nicely onto…

3. Hellebores appear. I bought a cheap pack of these years ago when I was first planting the garden. They took ages to establish, but the ones that did are gorgeous.

4. Snowdrops appear. I just can’t grow these beautiful flowers, but a man who lives in a house about half a mile down the road can. I used to feel guilty about furtively staring at the snowdrops (and later on the crocuses) in his garden. When the houseowner caught me whilst I was gawping, I mumbled embarassedly that I was admiring his beautiful flowers before trying to retreat, but instead of being annoyed at my bad manners he enthusiastically told me all about his garden.

5. I like numbers, so I greatly enjoy Diamond Geezer’s habit of counting slightly random things.

6. And finally…. I have a special reason for liking February, although I don’t always celebrate as much as other people seem to think I should. But more of that later.