Old Gate

This morning it feels as if spring has gone into retreat. Chilly, grey and a smirr of rain. The trees, which yesterday looked fit to burst, suddenly look bare again. Of course it's not really the case but that's how it seems. My legs felt tired and heavy after a minor uphill walk yesterday morning and yoga last night. I know all this means is that I should do more of both but I didn't. Instead I set off over the fields for a quiet walk.

It felt like a bit of a tramp and my feet were feeling damp. Nothing much for a blip either. Until I had the idea of making a study of fence posts. Well you've got to do something and why not this. There are lots of them and the old ones are very nicely weathered with grass, moss and lichen colonising the rotting wood. I'm going to make a collection of the best ones and I'm sure some will make their way to blip. Here's the first - it's an old gate post slowly collapsing into the field.

By the time I was walking home I had more of a spring in my step. I saw blossom emerging on the Tam Montgomery apple tree in the community orchard. The Victoria plum trees have been in blossom for a while. The heron was delicately picking its way through the mud on the riverbank, the smaller birds were busy with whatever they're up to and I had a chat with a couple of dog walking buddies.

I'm afraid I've taken to baking. Yesterday's effort was satsuma and ginger cake which is enormous. So much so that I gave some to a couple of friends. Is that ok? I was slightly concerned but I had a slice of chocolate and berry cake in return from one of them plus some of her wonderful instant sugar-rush tablet both of which I accepted gratefully. I'm off to make cheese scones before the day's messaging and video calls begin.