The weather really has changed now, almost ten degrees cooler with a 40 knot wind that means there’s a vicious element of wind chill to contend with. It’s blown lots of leaves and, thankfully, only small branches down. Interestingly it’s the Lime trees around the City that have suffered most.
Venturing out into the harbour to escape the crowds there’s lots to see. Most striking are the huge numbers of Buttercups in full bloom but also plenty of Red Clover in patches of waste ground and along the edges of paths.
Alongside the harbour we encountered large patches of this Hoary Cress, one of the many crucifers that are so confusing to an amateur. It’s been growing in dense clumps edging to salt mash as if it’s attracted to a marine environment although it’s normal habitat is waste ground.
Nearer the fields there were patches of this Germander Speedwell, apparently this variant is the one with bright blue flowers unlike the many other Speedwells. Pretty little flowers that stick together in a
mass of green leaves with cobalt blue spots all over them.
Walking along the fields it’s clear how the crops have grown over the past few weeks; fortunately many seem to have recovered from the wet and the storms of January
and February. This field of Barley doesn’t seem to be that far away from harvest, remarkable how quickly it’s developed.
By the time I’m writing this the announcement has been made that the Corvid restrictions are to be eased a bit which means we’ll be able to drive to take a walk and go a bit further; that will be worth a celebratory drink this evening!