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Hilda Scheenstra's avatar

Oh Claudia, such a nice way to look back on your year! So much beautiful encounters in your garden! The hedgehog having a little meal, so adorable! I do also hope he’s back to sleep again. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏻🤍🌟

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thank you, Hilda! I imagine there have been wonderful wildlife encounters and observations in your (much bigger) garden, too. I loved the ones you shared from time to time. 😍

David Barton's avatar

We are expectantly awaiting the arrival of the crocuses in the garden next - so many lovely garden moments to cherish throughout the year 🌿🌸

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

So true. I've looked for snowdrops today, they are still really tiny, but they are out. 🤍🤗

Csermely Szilvia's avatar

Such a brilliant post, Claudia! Your photos and descriptions of your garden last year made me yearn for the spring to come on this dreary, melty, icy day. I hope the snow melts soon so that life can begin once more!

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thank you so much, Csermely! It makes me really happy that you loved the post. I'm not usually one for looking back, but sometimes memories and pictures are just perfect to remind us that spring and brighter days will come. Sometimes it's just the ‘colour explosion’ in a spring photo that makes all the difference, right? Hard to imagine at the moment, but these days will come again. 🌷

Csermely Szilvia's avatar

In only a few months everything will be green and verdant again... It's hard to imagine, but I can't wait for it!!!

Hayley's avatar

Ah so lovely. I love seeing other people's gardens. I think to see a hedgehod in the middle if the day apparently means it is unwell ☹️

And red squirrels wow! Do you not have grey squirrels?

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Fortunately, we still have plenty of red squirrels in Schleswig-Holstein, and I'm so glad about it. Where I live, and where there are trees, there are red squirrels, so cute! 🥰 We don't have grey squirrels here so far, but that's surely just a matter of time ...

Sophie S.'s avatar

Lovely moments in your garden, love the bee pictures, what a great way of looking back on the year 😁

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thank you, Sophie. I can imagine you’d have lots of wonderful stories and special moments where you live. I mean, kingfishers, wow!

Sophie S.'s avatar

Two weekends ago the baby Kingfishers left the nest! We spent most of our weekend watching them learn how to fly and hunt, it was the cutest thing ever

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Awww, how cute! 😍 And definitely better and much more worth watching than any TV show or any other thing on a screen. Period! ☺️

Rebecca Bradley's avatar

This is so lovely! I'm so jealous of the red squirrel 😍 and I'm so glad to have inspired you with the trail camera, can't wait to see who visits.

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thanks for reading, Rebecca! I’m very much looking forward to finding out who visits this year and a trail camera is such a good idea.

Lani V. Cox's avatar

Wonderful and bravo on your success with the bee hotel! 🐝😍

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thank you, Lani! I’m looking forward to the next season. 😍

Dana Somatics's avatar

Bees settling into their rooms, a heron quietly surveying the neighbourhood, a hedgehog braving the icy birdbath… I love your wildlife garden updates, Claudia! Thank you for sharing these magical moments 🙏🏡

So far this year, our garden visitors have included birds (mostly starlings, crows, and seagulls) along with snails, slugs, the neighbour’s cat, and even a mouse that the cat seemed very interested in! Plus, we’ve also had a hedgehog taking shelter under our shed 🦔

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thank you, Dana! 💗 So lovely to hear what's going on in your garden as well. Just noticing can connect us more to the natural world and it doesn't have to be something spectacular. 🐾🐦‍⬛

Tony Mette Aamodt's avatar

So much going on in your garden Claudia- wow this is amazing 🥰🌷🌿 I love the bee hotel and thanks for sharing your observations there🙌🏾😍

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thank you for reading, Tony, glad you enjoyed it. It's a rather small garden, but when you look for it, there’s so much going on. 🤗

Cheryl Magyar's avatar

I love how you are quietly rewilding your garden, allowing all creatures, big and small, to enter. I've never seen a hedgehog in winter, only summer - enjoy the moments you get to spend watching it ♥ I'm sure it's very grateful for your gift of food and water.

Claudia Kollschen's avatar

Thank you for your kind words, Cheryl! 💗

There would have been even more worth mentioning, I totally forgot about all the interesting, fascinating insects (apart from bees) that I've discovered in the garden last year! 🪲😀

I hope you are all well! Have a lovely Sunday! ☕🌿