Orchid

A beautiful day for a walk in the park.  So, this morning, we set out for Shipley Hill and we were glad we did.  The first of this year's Common Spotted Orchids have just begun to open their flowers.  Always a joy to see these...

As we got nearer to the top of the hill, the grassy meadows were full to over-flowing with the flowers of Red and White Clovers, Sorrel, Plantains and especially, Buttercups which almost glowed in the sunshine.

On the Old Hall site, the Larch trees are also beginning to produce their distinctive and rather pretty cones.  Pictured against the colourful backdrop of the last of this year's Rhododendrons, they looked even more gorgeous.

Everything seemed to be feeling the 'joys of Spring' and these little, blue Damselflies were 'doing what comes naturally' in the meadow.  Somehow, you tend to feel a bit uneasy about pointing your camera at them when they're engaged in such an intimate pastime, but they didn't seem to care.