A walk round the lake

We have had a week of sunny days, clear blue skies and temperatures higher than expected for March. The trees are slowly coming into leaf

and frothy white blackthorn blossom

is buzzing with bees.

On the ground yellow coltsfoot push up through the grass, the leaves follow later when the flowers have faded.

Here an ash tree and an oak side by side.

"If the ash comes into leaf before the oak then summer will be a soak". 

This part of the country needs rain, water levels are low and hosepipe bans come into force next week to conserve water. In this picture the ash tree does seem to be further forward than the oak so perhaps we are in for a wet summer. 

Until then we can enjoy this glorious mild spring.