Wednesday 10 April 2013

To The Woods Before The Rain

It was a misty start to the day, but it gradually cleared to a milky sunshine. As rain was forecast for later in the day, we decided to make the most of it and went up to Westonbirt with Bella. Signs of Spring abounded, like these fulsome catkins.
An avenue of coppices soon to burst into leaf. 
Up the hill in Silk Wood, there has been some clearing work. 
Great patterns left by these tree stumps. 
Signs of bluebells at last - this time last year, they were already fully in flower. 
 There were lots of primroses to be seen all over the wood.
 I really liked the patterning on the root of this birch.
What to do with a felled tree? 
The first dandelion flower I have seen this year. 
Great displays of lichen on some of the more established trees, showing just how clean the air is. 
 This moss embraced the trunk of its tree.
Lovely bark on this Black Birch (Betula dahurica from Korea and China).  Su thinks I should use Latin names for plants to aid identification for our readers, in whichever part of the world they may be.
A young monkey-puzzle tree, AKA Aracauria.
The first lost glove of the day at its foot. 
On the way out of Silk Wood, every year we stop and admire this tree, and ask what it is.  This year, we looked at the label to discover that it is a Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry) with lovely delicate yellow flowers. 
Got home well before the rain, but by the time I took Bella out for a walk later on it had started again. 
The second lost glove of the day. 
This day a year ago, the weather was a mixture of showers and sunshine, When I took Bella for her afternoon walk up at Primrose Woods it was glorious. 
Su's news story of the day (BBC website - click on title for full story):

Secret City Tours tours of Bath run by homeless

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