Mud!

Mud, mud, glorious mud, nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.... as the song goes.  This morning, the blood was cooled a little too much as the quantity of mud to be found as we strode up Shipley Hill, was almost overwhelming.  Shrugging off the mucky conditions underfoot, we decided to check on the progress of the Snowdrops on the hill - and we were glad we did.

Small patches of white blooms slowly gave way to larger swathes...

... and, finally, to great carpets of Snowdrops almost glowing in the gloom under the trees.  Dotted among them, the first Daffodils are beginning to show their heads above the ground and a few are starting to display a little yellow in their buds.  The Bluebells are also just showing above the leaf litter, but both they and the Daff's will have to wait for the moment as the stage is dominated by the Snowdrops.

The forecast was for rain spreading in by the afternoon and, unusually, it seemed to be right today as the first spots tarted to fall as we turned for home.  The view across Shipley Park towards our estate and the town was rather grey and sombre as the clouds rolled in.