April 22nd – An odd sight in spring is always the first wind-seeding wildflowers, in this case I’m not sure what it is, possibly hawkweed. It seems almost incongruous to see seed heads at this time of year, but most flowers who seed this way do so throughout the season.
Such beautiful, silky fluff on this one.
April 22nd – One of the loveliest things about this time of year is falling petals from trees in blossom.
Like nature’s own confetti, it celebrates the coming of warm days, sunshine and light.
To see this delicate beauty, driving in swirls on the breeze, dappling grass and decorating you as you pass is a joy to the heart.
I just wish it wasn’t over so quickly!
April 21st – Another wonderful spring flower coming into bloom is the oilseed rape in the fields. All across the rural landscape this vivid yellow brassica is turning the landscape yellow.
The smell is wonderful and it’s just started. The fields are alive with bee buzz and birds come for the feasting bugs.
I love the drama and beauty of this curious crop
April 21st – I don’t think I’ve ever known a spring like this – someone has fired a starting gun, and on this generally sunny afternoon ride to Burton so many flowers were either out or coming out that it was astounding.
I have never seen hawthorn in flower at the same time as blackthorn. The wild garlic is out when there are still daffodils. Bluebells are about too. It’s absolutely gorgeous out there.
A long, sunny afternoon ride, stopping to inspect the flowers was just what I needed.
How I love this time of year.
April 20th – Returning home from from Shenstone on a gorgeous evening, passing lanes full off other cyclists whose general absence was noted when the weather was not so lovely, I stopped to check the familiar and have a rest.
There is a piece of scratched graffiti amongst many others in the soft sandstone of Footherley Lane’s brook bridge. It says ‘Billy + Tracee 30-4-83′.
I remember this when is Wass freshly cut, when I was a kid exploring these lanes. Coming soon will be the 35th anniversary of this act of what was presumably, love.
In this beautiful spot, Billy and Tracee recorded their love, and I often wonder if they’re still together, and remember this.
I do hope so.
April 20th – And so, spring is on her throne at last and summer is booting up.
The speed at which this has happened this year – in no more that a week – has been startling and rather wonderful.
Every day new discoveries, and whilst yesterday, the blossom was just starting, this morning it was showing strongly.
How long I have waited for the light, the warmth and the wonderful burst of life. It was worth the wait.
April 19th – Later that same day, I popped over to Telford. When I alighted from the train, I spotted this pair of old friends on the platform.
Just two old muckers off for a break together. As you do.
It made my day.
April 19th – Deep blue sky, early morning on an industrial estate in the Black Country, with cherry blossom coming into flower, in shirtsleeves, sat on a crate drinking tea and listening to the world wake up and catch the wheels of it’s day.
Nothing finer.
April 19th – I note there’s a good display this year of a curious little flower, that of Danish scurvy grass. A tiny white bloom, this plant loves salty soil and has colonised main road and lane verges in what’s known as the ‘burn zone’ – the area generally devoid of life where road salt spray and backwash makes life inhospitable for other plants.
In this salty environment, Danish scurvy grass thrives and blooms, giving lovely withe fringes to the kerbside.
A remarkable thing.
April 18th – There are lots of floral arrivals at the moment but it would be wrong to concentrate on the dramatic, showy ones. One return in the last week or so and enjoying the morning sunshine today from every patch of grass and roadside were a huge number of one of nature’s most overlooked gems – dandelions.
These humble yellow flowers are actually really lovely if you stop and look at them for a bit – which today, I advise anyone to do. They’re really gorgeous.
Sometimes, it’s the little, familiar things that are most beautiful.
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