It may be spring but it's still chilly

It may be the end of April but it’s been perishing cold over the last couple of days.  With Mr Glis away for work, I had to be up horribly early in order to take the dogs before my own appointment at 8am in Newcastle.  I had forgotten my gloves so by the time we had finished our walk, my fingers were feeling pretty numb and it took a good few minutes in the shower to warm them up. Things didn’t improve when later that day, I took a walk along the River Tyne in the sleet. Roll on summer

Spring is on its way!

The snowdrops are now in flower on my journey to work! They really seem to have bloomed in the last few days, providing a cheerful sight as I cycle past along the woodland path above the river.  There is also a wonderful clump of bright yellow winter aconites peeping out above the leaf litter adding to the overall feeling that despite the recent snow flurries and gale force winds, spring is only just round the corner. I haven’t smelt spring on the air but that is just a matter of time once the catkins appear and leaves begin to unfurl!

Rydal Cave

We’d not visited Rydal Cave for many years so we jumped at the chance to join a walk there yesterday. With the sun shining on a glorious spring afternoon, there was little opportunity for solitude as it seemed as if the whole of the Cumbrian populace was walking round the lake, but no matter, it was still wonderful to be out in the spectacular scenery, an icing sugar dusting of snow glistening on the higher peaks. The cave was splendid and with a geocache nearby, a doubly satisfying experience. A perfect day to celebrate our good fortune in living locally!

Spring social

I enjoyed another delightful evening of poetry, laughter and food earlier this week with my West Cumbrian literary friends.  The foggy evening in no way detracted from the evening’s theme of spring, as earlier, the day had been a beautiful gift of warm sunshine and gentle winds, a jewel in the golden crown heralding the new season

Our readings were varied with several of us choosing pieces from the talented and popular American poet Billy Collins. There were old favourites from Gerard Manley Hopkins and Wordsworth (no, not THAT one) and even an account of lambs racing from The Countrychild

Spring is on the way!!

February seems to have raced by. That we spent two weeks of it on the west coast of Canada has probably contributed but it’s astonishing just how quickly the time has flown. And despite not having had a harsh winter, in this part of the world at least, it is heart lifting to see the snowdrops and crocuses heralding a new season. Our daffodils still have a long way to go but the nights are drawing out and there is a warmth in the sun (when it shines) that wasn’t there just weeks ago. Spring is definitely round the corner!

Spring

I took Molly for a walk in the beech woods on Saturday and was delighted to see, despite the cold wind, that spring had sprung. It was particularly evident in the birdsong: the joyful, melodic chorus of the thrushes and blackbirds a celebration of the new life emerging within the wood. The sunlight filtered through the trees, robed in their soft green cloaks and rested on the soft pillows of moss, a tempting promise of summer to the myriad of creatures that make the woodland their home. As I wandered along the path, I felt my spirits lift in harmony  

Spring is slow in coming this year

Once I’d left the chilly, snow covered tops of Cumbria behind early last week, I really felt the holiday spirit fill me, for although the beauty of Britain is matchless during the occasional, dreamy, cloudless days of summer or on a bright, crisp winter morning, the damp greyness that fills much of our calendar makes me long to escape. On Tuesday, despite the snow, the light was dull in a bleak landscape, an uninviting pall of heavy cloud hanging over the hills.  Desolate trees stood starkly against the skyline, leafless limbs despairing at the on-going triumph of winter over spring.