Cherry Blossom and Bluebells

The transition from Winter to Spring this year has seemed indistinct and largely unimpressive. It has been relatively warm and very stormy and this has affected the timing of flowering plants but the thing that really matters now, is that it's warm enough for me to be wearing shorts again.

Blackthorn Blossom Fizzing in the Hedgerows

Bluebells are flooding the woodlands, like some kind of alchemical spell, and the trees are bursting magisterially into their full leafy green grandeur. We took a wonderful walk up on Farley Mount, to see the equine monument there. The pyramid/rocket shaped tribute is supposedly built on top of a Bronze age tumulus, there are several in the vicinity. 

This area is a fabulous spot for a spring picnic - skylarks sing aloft and swallows swoop over the fields below. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Isle of Wight and easily identify Southampton docks and the New Forest.

As we ate our sandwiches my daughter noticed something closer by, a tiny lizard had popped out to sunbathe, right by our feet. We explored further, into the delightful Parnholt Wood, where the Bluebells are in full spate and searched for an ancient bowl barrow that a friend had told me about.

Cherry bloom is now flowering along the bare spindly branches everywhere and the Apple & Pear blossom is starting to appear too. Naturally, you will need to check back in a month or so to ensure that the flowers are turning into immature fruit and this is one of the reasons that I favour tree spotting on my regular routes. 

If you examine the Falling Fruit map, you will notice an abundance of locations about my home town of Southampton, as well as around my work places of Hedge End and Segensworth, where I habitually walk during my lunch hours.

Look Closely in this Puddle

Now is the perfect time to spot where those secret fruit trees have been hiding and we will be leading some local blossom walks soon, so check back regularly for details, which are very likely to be at short notice.

Sledges and Snowballs

That One Just Missed Me

That Warm December and January has now been kicked into history by a sustained cold spell. This gave us hard frosts and very low temperatures for a few weeks. Sometime it was so dry that there was no frost but it was still very cold.

Ready To Run

Then finally the snow came, the children were excited when it began but in Southampton the white stuff often does not settle. I’m never sure whether this is due to our proximity to the sea or the little known fact that the city is partly heated by geothermal energy…

Zooooom (see the video below)...

That’s right, Southampton used to be a spa town in the Victorian age! Now though the hot water is drawn up from a mile or so beneath the surface to heat the city and I’ve always suspected that those hot rocks are what prevent the snow from settling. I can still remember in my youth, seeing a distinct line right across the common with snow to the north and grass to the south.

When I recently ventured to Winchester to see a gig, I noticed snow had settled by the train station while there was none at home. So the next day we drove to Farley Mount with our sledge, fortunately the hill faced away from the sun and the snow was still dry and packed – perfect for sledging and not too busy!

It Will Be Good Hazelnutting Here Later

We had a great day out - the kids were happy and exhausted by the time we left. Farley Mount is a fun place to visit any time but the layer of snow made it even more magical.

A Christmas Card For Next Year Perhaps