March 18th – On a grey, cold morning in Darlaston, the hedgerows, scrub and edgelands are turning the colours of new growth.
Everywhere you look, leaf buds are opening and the fresh colours of spring’s palette are coming to the fore.
As winters go, it’s not been a bad one. Let’s hope summer is as good as lat year.
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March 15th – One of the nicer, more beautiful and sadly neglected flowers of the spring is the pussy willow. I spotted this one as dusk fell on the Chester Road near Shire Oak.
These complex, pretty catkins start as grey, furry buds and change as they bloom fully to a bright yellow green bay of stamen filaments which are actually fascinating when you look close up.
Sadly, not many folk ever seem to notice…
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March 15th – Heading home from the station after a long afternoon legal meeting in Birmingham, in order to mitigate a rather evil wind, I took to the back lanes.
On my way, I passed this wonderful sight, which catches me by surprise every spring.
They must have been planted by some wonderful individual as they go in colour bands.
A beautiful thing.
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March 5th – A slightly better day, but the wind was still pretty evil. Crossing Kings Hill Park on a mission to B&Q mid day, I stopped to check out the view of the twin sisters – the two churches the overlook Wednesbury.
It may have been my imagination, but there seemed to be, just about, possibly the tiniest hint of spring in the view.
Whatever the season, it’s always gorgeous.
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March 4th – Heading to work through Victoria Park in Darlaston on a grey, quite chilly and very windy day, I noticed the weeping willows were coming into leave, and providing a welcome splash of bright green.
The fine weather may have suddenly disappeared, but the early spring continues unabated, thankfully.
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February 28th – Also out early and brightening a very grey day in Telford – the blackthorn.
Often mistaken for hawthorn, this harbinger of spring looks almost like a heavy frost or snow, but is actually tiny white blossoms, and they line the motorway embankment as seen from the Priorslee footbridge.
A lovely sight on a grey morning.
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February 28th – Remarkably, still just February and the hawthorn hedges and scrub have new leaves, looking lovely in the rain. Last year this was a whole month later.
Hawthorn leaves when fresh like this are really tasty to chew.
I’m so pleased for an early end to the winter like this – even if this pleasant spell ends soon, it’s been refreshing, like recharging the batteries.
The light and warm days cannot be far away now.
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February 27th – I’m sorry to bang on about this, but Kings Hill Park in Darlaston is getting more magnificent by the day.
Alive now with a veritable carpet of spring flowers, it’s a beautiful little spring oasis, and I love it so much.
On a side note, I spotted that the flat where I think the old cat Sam lived has been vacated, and was being refurbished. I spent a lot of last summer admiring that king of Kings Hill. In this sunny weather, I’ve not seen the puss about at all.
I hope I’m wrong and he’s made it to another Kings Hill Summer: If not, I hope he’s gone somewhere where there’s a sunny garden with comfy shady spots, passers by to talk to him and a world to watch go by.
I hope you haven’t left me old lad, but if you have, I’ll miss you so. Sweet dreams, puss. Sweet dreams.
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February 26th -Arnold and Flossie, the Bentley Bridge swans have definitely got the spring imperative, and appear to be building a news. Well, she is. He was patrolling on guard – but Flossie was very busy weaving reads into her pile and testing it for fit.
This will be fun to watch over the coming weeks.
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February 25th – On the cycleway at Telford, the blossom I spotted last week was now fully out, and absolutely gorgeous.
Remember, it’s still just February. This is astounding.
I’m told its cherry plum. It’s absolutely stunning.
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