Is it nearly here yet?

Do you know, I think spring may have sprung! We've been enjoying some lovely weather and warm temperatures down here for the past couple of weeks, so after lunch today we decided that it would simply have been rude not to get out and enjoy it! First stop was our own little bit of pocket-handkerchief sized garden, where things have simply shot into life over the past little while. Our gooseberry bushes are covered in leaf, and this rather sprawling purple-flowered thing (Fay! Help!) is covered in purple flowers...

For some strange reason we also have a single lone daffodil out there - the other side of the flat has lots, but we've never had planted any on that side, so we're mystified! Lots of signs of other bulbs coming up too, including some that we only put in back in the Autumn - we've long since forgotten what any of them were so it'll be interesting to see what we get!

After a bit of pottering in the garden we decided to venture further afield.  We're fortunate to have some great walks from where we live - today with the exception of having to cross one fairly major road we were entirely walking through woodland and open countryside. Indeed it was while we were alongside the major road that we spotted these...

...a proper sign of spring! The other thing we saw lots of today was butterflies. It feels like there are more out than normal for this time of year and MrEH identified Peacocks and Small Coppers before I finally managed to creep up on and photograph this gorgeous Comma...

 I'm not great at butterfly recognition but the Comma's raggedy wing edged means even I can tell that apart from all the others! They're tricky to photograph when they first appear in the spring as they're full of life and energy and usually flutter away quickly when they sense movement nearby. This one seemed quite content basking in the sunshine though, as were we!

We walked to the pub. Our walks usually seem to involved a pub at some stage, although in fairness that's rarely the sole objective, generally more of a distraction. Today though that was the end goal - our closest local Good Beer Guide pub at Churchgate Street. Very good it was too - very deserving of its place in that publication. On the way back we spotted this rather unusual stile...

Yes, it is crafted from yellow gas pipes, and yes, it does have a footpath running straight round the edge of it. MrEH climbed over it - because he's a boy, and if you point boys at something they can climb over, apparently they have to do so. It's in the rules, or something. I - it won't surprise you to hear - took the path. Frankly even with the step up I'd still have struggled to get over it I think - it's every bit as big and chunky as it looks!

Have you noticed quite how much Blackthorn flower there is this year? Everywhere we look there are great drifts of it,and all the other blossom is coming out now too to join in the party - it's glorious!

Did you get out and about and enjoy the sunshine this weekend?

Robyn