April Woods

[puddleshark]

Set off to follow the path through the oak woods at B. in the rain. Only a gentle rain at first, not cold. Not much light, this morning, but still the oaks and the birches bright with new leaves, and the woods full of the song of robins, blackbirds and thrushes.





The bluebells still not quite in full flower, but here and there a faint wash of blue in the woods.







Found a long-fallen oak to sit on. Drank coffee from a flask. Down below, gentle rain and the scent of damp earth. High above, the wind stirring the oak branches.





The rain getting heavier as I walked on, the ferns shinier. The wood anemones giving up altogether on the day and hanging their heads.



Coming out of the woods and back across the fields, the wind adding a sharp sting to the raindrops, because it is a Bank Holiday, and this is how we celebrate holidays.

Comments

[heleninwales]

It's very wet here today too. We do need the rain, it's just a shame it's falling on the Bank Holiday weekend after so many dry sunny weeks.

[puddleshark]

I feel a little sorry for all the people at the campsites.

But my brother came round yesterday, and said there was another major heath fire on one of the nature reserves down by the coast on Thursday. As far as I am concerned, we need all the rain we can get, until the police manage to catch the idiots responsible.

[greenwoodside]

Beautiful! April Woods 1 and April Woods 4 especially, but they're all lovely. They capture how Spring can be a little ominous, somehow, as well as fresh and alive and all the usual springy things.

[puddleshark]

Thank you!

Yes, oak woods are good at ominous undertones! And bluebells too. There's always something otherworldly about bluebells.