Into the Woods, January 2020

It may be a new year for us, but in the woods most things look dormant.Nothing much is growing at the moment. There is some sign of life but most of this is still left over from last year as it has not been very cold this winter - yet!

January always seems dull, grey and faintly depressing to me. It comes after Christmas which is full of light and fun but then comes January, all damp and grey. but there are signs of life out there, if you go and look for them.

I am lucky enough to live by the coast, the estuary actually, the sea is usually brown rather than blue but I’m not complaining. This is the view from the top of my walk over the sea. On a beautiful sunny day, like today it is wonderful. But as the battered trees show, it can be bitterly cold with a strong, penetrating wind.

Today birds were singing, I identified blackbirds, robins and great tits among the sounds. As I walked through the park there were snowdrops in flower and crocus and daffodil coming up in my garden. It looks like spring is on its way. But I know how easily that can change!

There are some plants growing. Nettles are coming up and there are buds on the trees. I saw these little plants starting to grow among the ferns and mosses. There are other signs of life too. Birds flying by with twigs in their mouth. Insects buzzing - something bit me while I was pulling up weeds in the garden!

It has been so warm that in December my agapanthus decided it wasn’t dead after all and flowered!

I am still hoping we will get some snow this year - preferably when I haven’t got to go anywhere that is! It is so beautiful and wonderful to walk in.

Let’s see what happens.