Sonntag, 9. März 2014

Sunny Side Up

This is the first warm, sunny weekend of the year and everyone here in Hungerford seemed to rush out to enjoy the warmth. You can literally watch the plants in the garden grow; some of my early tulips are already out, looking a bit moth-eaten due to two months of relentless rainfall. The two camellia blossoms that have opened during last week look remarkably different from each other, which is a lovely surprise.

chameleon camellia
I went for a quick walk around the marsh at midday, found a cherry tree in full bloom which was filled with bumble bees and butterflies and spent the afternoon reading in the garden. Even though the sun rises over the surrounding rooftops just for a short while, all the bricks and flints in the walls are heating up quickly - Spring has arrived.

St Lawrence and the Kennet & Avon canal

Freeman's Marsh

sorry - still obsessed with trees in bloom







Sonntag, 2. März 2014

In Bloom

 

ANOTHER grey and drizzly Sunday but today I managed to persuade myself that I definitely needed to go on a walk. I joined a guided walk of the local environmental group to nearby Chilton Foliat and we managed to get home before the rain really took off. On our walk I saw the first blossom-covered trees of the year and every Spring this feels like a punch in the chest (in a good way). Suddenly the air is filled with a sweet almond-y smell (almost like marzipan) and the beauty of these first blossoms is simply touching. I could not resist bringing a spray into the cottage ...

hazel catkins

favourite oak tree
 
cherry blossom in Chilton Foliat