Spring has Sprung

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‘Spring has sprung! Spring has sprung.’ So Dog, our favourite four-legged friend from Footrot Flats used to say. Shortly afterwards he would slink off to meet his favourite four legged friend - Jess, a female border collie - who always happened to be in heat in Spring. On the way he would pass such symbolic scenes as new lambs gambolling and birds nesting.

Well as I wander along the swathed in the evening scents of spring I wonder what Dog would have made of Spring in the UK. It has everything we experienced in NZ but so much more. Uk, with it’s greater seasonal extremes also has a far starker contrast between seasons. Overnight the dark skeletons of trees reaching towards the bleak skies of winter suddenly sprout fresh green buds and leaves. The branches are weighed down with the burgeoning bounty of nature. This spring growth is such a fresh, new green colour, so vivid and healthy and so, well, right that I wonder at never having noticed it before. Brendon, bemused to find a tree at the end of our street so thoroughly covered in leaves overnight, could only find the words to exclaim ‘It’s leaved!’. And that encapsulates it nicely.

Back home I used to marvel at the tulips and daffodils around One Tree Hill. Over here, every home, every park, and every single green space sprouts these beauties. They’ve lain dormant over winter and emerged with the arrival of warmer weather (so warm this year that they had all sprouted by Valentines Day).

But the most amazing of all, the biggest difference between here and home, are the blossom trees. Beautiful candy floss trees in baby pink and white. They add a touch a magic to every street corner and garden. I reminisce about the children’s’ book, The witch in the cherry tree, and wouldn’t be surprised to see a crooked hat poking out from amongst the blossoms. If you’ve never been caught in a cloud of blossoms as they slowly drift to the ground, I’d recommend it as one of the things to put on your ‘to do before I die’ lists.

So this blog is a pictorial ode to Spring in the UK. It includes a day trip to Rye - a medieval town on the Southern coast, one of the original cinque ports that protected England from the French - a weekend’s escape in the Cotswolds, and a family reunion BBQ.

Enjoy.

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Photos

Spring blossoms
The first blossoms on our plum & apple trees - in the light of the setting sun.

Snowing in London
Ok, before we head on to spring, here's a photo of the snow, 27th Jan 2007 - the first time it ever snowed in London since we moved there - and we were away in Norway! My boss took this pic to show us what we were missing out on.

bluebells in April 1
Bluebells in my colleague's wood, Kent. He invited us for a BBQ in Kent to view the blossoms, but we couldn't attend as we had guests arriving from NZ. Instead he gave me these beautiful photos of the bluebells in his woods.

Baker in the Rye
Rye is a lovely, ancient town not far from Dover in England's south coast. We spent the day there with Adam & Melanie.

The house with two doors
Walking down a part of Rye's old town we found a street where every house had a name painted on it - like 'The house with a Seat' and 'The house with a side door'. You can guess where this one got it's name.

Watch your head!
They used to be a lot shorter back then....

beautiful church in Rye
The clock in this church is credited as being the one the mouse ran up in the nursery rhyme 'Hickory Dickory Dock'.

More blossoms
Love the cherry & blossom trees over here.

Phew! Good thing there's a lot of room
Making my way up the bell tower of the church - which happens to be at the top of teh only hill in Rye.

The view from the top
Made all that climbing & the banged head worth while.

Camber Castle
An unaltered artillery fort built by Herny VIII to gueard the port of Rye. Funny thing is, the port silted up & now it's surrounded by farm land. Special thanks to the lovely couple who gave us an hour long guided tour. Much appreciated.

Dolls House?
Dad, I took this one for you. It looks just like the Doll's house you bought for me & helped me build, shingle by shingle. - Even down to the blue eaves.

Hmm... not so sure about this short hair
what do you think?

Bucolic Cotswolds
The view from our window in the B&B 'Old Stones' in the 'blink and you miss it' village of Brockhampton in the Cotswolds.

Fresh air at last
Brendon out the back of the B&B. Ahhh, nice to have a bit of greenery & space again.

We could get used to this
Out of the car, straight down the country lane to the nearest eatery - the village pub. Ahhh, relaxed in seconds!

What are you looking at?
Paloma & I enjoying the space & fresh air.