Mum's The Word

Rather early this morning but after a week of welcome sunshine and as Ireland prepares to take on France tomorrow in the big Six Nations showdown, here's wishing 'Top of the morning to you'! See below for last Friday's stunning after-sunset sky above Lymington, kindly sent in by reader Melonie.

On the eve of this year's International Women's Day and the day on which hundreds of local business folk are celebrating with lunches at both Balmer Lawn and Careys Manor hotels, it's alert time for Mother's Day. Whilst the day itself is not for another three weeks (Sunday 30 March), now is the moment to make plans and bookings. And for those of us whose mothers are precious memories it's good to have special occasions to think about them, so please don't mind another mention on the weekend itself for all mothers!

Greenclose Hotels have a veritable treasure trove of Mother's Day treats lined up at both the Montagu Arms in Beaulieu and Careys Manor & SenSpa in Brockenhurst - see feature below and also links from the Diary to  Mother's Day Brunch at the Montagu Arms, Mother's Day Lunch at Le Blaireau and Mother's Day Afternoon Tea at Careys Manor or the Montagu Arms.

For active mums Cyclexperience proposes a Mother’s Day Bike Ride in the New Forest (Mum Rides Free!) and New Forest Activities its Mother’s Day Paddle to the Pub - either of which will be brilliant fun and make a special family memory too. Or how about a morning New Forest walk followed by Mother's Day Lunch with Free Fizz for Mum, at the Turfcutters Arms? 

A few more suggestions for you:

• At Lymington's splendid Stanwell House there's both Mother's Day Lunch and Mother's Day Sparkling Afternoon Tea on offer.
• Balmer Lawn Hotel proposes pampering the special women in your life with Afternoon Tea accompanied by live music on either the Saturday or Sunday - a weekend of indulgence!
• Rhinefield House Hotel invites you to Mother's Day Afternoon Tea in its fairytale setting.

Meanwhile... along with the spring sunshine, spring birdsong is a very welcome arrival - especially for me the blackbird's. And this week I've come across two lovely articles about birds in the New Forest:

• First a news item in the Salisbury Journal, that the highest ever numbers of woodlark have been recorded in the New Forest. Woodlarks are small birds with streaky brown plumage which can be identified by their beautiful song, striking white stripes over each eye and spikey head crest. They nest on the ground in heathlands and areas of woodlands where trees have recently been felled. Read here and enjoy. (We should keep our dogs under control - the nesting season is now well underway!)
• And then from Country Life, a highly informative feature including some fabulous photos, about British woodpeckers. Despite their overall decline, the best places to see all three types - great & lesser spotted and green - are ancient broad-leaved woodlands where there is plenty of dead wood, such as the 'great green acres of the New Forest'. Read here.

Somewhere... and on 16 March our brilliant New Forest Academy of Dance in Lymington is proud to present at the Community Centre: Over the Rainbow! But apparently it may not be quite what we're expecting. The promotion reads 'think you know this story? Think again! This is the untold tale of the Tin Man and his quest to discover his true heart's desire'. Sounds intriguing.

And finally, the line up for this year's Solent Music Festival treat has this week been announced; it will once again take place during the final week of May in St Thomas Church Lymington. The full list of concerts is also now included in the Diary below. A selection of tickets could make a special Mother's Day gift for musical mums.

Tonight there's Live Music at the Turfcutters Arms with Matt Black, tomorrow a fab sounding Madonna Tribute Night at Pebble Beach, and another chance both tomorrow and Sunday to view Stewart Beckett's Out of the Grey solo exhibition at Palais des Vaches.

Wishing you wonderful weekends!

Best wishes Jane
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