Monday 4 May 2015

Alas, no signs yet.

I took Tess for a walk down the lane after lunch intending to take some photographs of 'signs that Spring is here', but alas I could not find any at all.

Yes, there was gorse on the distant hillside, but then somebody once said ' never fall in love unless the gorse is in bloom' (meaning it really flowers all year round).   Here and there the hawthorne hedges were greened-up, but by no means everywhere. Ash trees are not even obviously in bud and blackthorne blossom is only just beginning to emerge.

The grass was greened up and growing nicely until last week's sharp frosts which brought it to a standstill from which it is just beginning to emerge.

Dandelions are out here and there but by no means all of them.   I love dandelions (as long as they are not in my garden or on my lawn) but they seem to be dawdling this season.

Probably the only real sign of Spring is the lambs in the fields and as no one near to us keeps sheep I didn't get as far as a lamb field.

The farmer is digging out the midden (with his new digger) and I intended to take a shot of that but he omitted to tell me at lunch time that it is quite inaccessible

I am cutting short this post because a friend has just rung and we are off to have an ice cream at our local ice cream parlour - I'll pop back later to tell you what flavour I have had. 

It was lovely to see our little market town so very busy.   Every cafe was full and those who had outside seating were doing really well.  The car park was full and the streets were full of folk looking in the shops.   The sun was shining and there was a real holiday atmosphere - just what we need for trade in the town.

The ice-cream parlour was also heaving; there was a queue right out of the door (friend W counted it and got to forty people) and during the ten minutes or so it took us to eat our waffle cones we calculated that two hundred people had gone through - and this must have gone on for most of the day.   Again - jolly good for business.

So many winter months when there is nothing much going on up here and the weather is far too cold (and often wet) for visitors means that days like today are very welcome.

Friend W had a black cherry whim-wham, I had a chocolate fudge brownie - both much enjoyed.

13 comments:

Gwil W said...

The Lion's Teeth are out here too.

Rachel Phillips said...

Doesn't blossom on the trees count?

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

What a contrast from here, where we have thick carpets of dandelion, and soon buttercups will turn the meadows in Farndon golden.

Frances said...

Seems to me that having ice cream is a true sign of spring!

I enjoyed your previous post about habits and routines. My work schedule varies week to week, which does keep me a bit more alert than I might be if I could count on having the same days off each week. There's a good and a bad side to this, of course.

Super warm in New York today...I may adopt your ice cream idea. xo

Heather said...

You will have to wait just a little bit longer, but will be able to enjoy all the delights of Spring after ours have disappeared.
Have a coffee icecream for me - maybe with chocolate sauce or maple syrup, and chopped nuts sprinkled on top.

Joanne Noragon said...

It sounds like a very nice morning to me. I would recommend coffee or chocolate peanut butter. Ice cream, that is.

Terry and Linda said...

I would love to see Lion's Teeth

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Bovey Belle said...

So sorry to hear that spring has had a set back in your area. We are fortunate that the warm - nay, HOT April brought things along quickly, but now I daren't put out polytunnel-grown plants for fear of them getting frosted.

I won't rub your nose in it about spring being more advanced here, but I hope it arrives properly with you soon. You will really appreciate it this year.

angryparsnip said...

Spring is almost over in Tucson and summer is right around the corner.

cheers, parsnip

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Rachel - I forgot the cherry and the blackthorne blossoms. That is half way there. And today the farmer saw a housemartin in the eaves of the farmhouse - so welcome back to them too.
Thanks everyone. Our timewill come

Cro Magnon said...

The 'piss in beds' are finished here, just a few clocks remaining. Also we are eating outdoors on most days.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Oh Cro - I had forgotten that name and how the boys used to make us smell them when we were at school.
I am so envious of you already being able to eat outside. Here there is a gale blowing - it began by pouring with rain but is now fine and sunny but very windy.

Thanks to all of you for visiting.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

The ice cream sounds wonderful - thought I'm not sure just what a whim-wham is.