This past week Snowdrops (Galanthus) started to appear in the garden amidst the hard frosts and very cold days. They are the first flowers of spring and are often seen coming up through snow. The Dogwood (Cornus) and Honeysuckle (Lonicera) are giving the tiniest leaves. On my walks there is one long bank that every year grows a head of Snowdrops tucked around brambles, grass and under Blackthorn (Prunus) and Hawrthorn (Crataegus). The bank is an ancient hedge line, where fields have been bounded by stone walls and over the centuries the walls mellow, some parts will fall, whole trees will grow from the top or sides and flowers find their place. It is a beautiful sight and one of those are instances where Nature and humanity together build something that is actually lovely to the eyes.
The walls mostly end in a corner where a gate is hung between two massive pieces of granite taken from the moorland (here) and large pieces of wood in other places. It is of course sad to see land hemmed in in this way in one sense, and this land was cleared of ancient forests as attested when you dig two feet down and start taking out the stone which shows the fossil tree rings. I understand that these fossil tree rings and old trees have enabled dendrochronoligists to work out about four thousand years worth of Earth’s weather.
Another instance where the mind of humanity and Nature work together.
May I use your article Chilled Spring in my nature journal, which I produce for my Nature Place group each month? This is an e-mail and hard copy journal. All articles are contributed by our readers.
It is interesting to hear from other countries and what is happening in nature, weather, etc. I can forward sample pages
Hoping you give permission. Reply to
shirleymflanagan@aol.com.
About the Nature Place:
The Nature Place offers a home for stories and articles about the influences and experiences that take place in our natural environment. Our subject matter is diverse, dealing with animals, plants, travel, interaction with our environment—and much more.
I would be honoured Shirley.
May I use your article Chilled Spring in my nature journal, which I produce for my Nature Place group each month? This is an e-mail and hard copy journal. All articles are contributed by our readers.
It is interesting to hear from other countries and what is happening in nature, weather, etc. I can forward sample pages
Hoping you give permission. Reply to
shirleymflanagan@aol.com.
About the Nature Place:
The Nature Place offers a home for stories and articles about the influences and experiences that take place in our natural environment. Our subject matter is diverse, dealing with animals, plants, travel, interaction with our environment—and much more.
I would be honoured Shirley.