Spring Flowers

Sticking rigidly to the rules about what we can and can't do at the moment, Malcolm and I have shifted our usual morning walk, to the afternoon to try to avoid the morning bustle of dog-walkers and others. As per Government advice, we're allowed out for some exercise, only once a day for the time being and as the weather has been absolutely wonderful, we've made the most of it.
Yesterday, we headed along Slack Lane to Mapperley Village and then up Shipley Hill. The early spring flowers there, were wonderful. Of particular note, were these beautiful Wood Anemones.

Just the one patch of them, but no less wonderful for that.

Elsewhere along our walk, things were still not showing much sign of new growth...

but the Gorse along Slack Lane was in full bloom...

and the Hawthorn bushes are beginning to show lots of fresh green shoots.

This afternoon, we set out in the sunshine again for Mapperley, but this time, taking in the reservoir.

It's all quite spooky at the moment with so few people about (away from the main paths) and with no planes in the sky and no background roar and noise from the nearby roads, all was absolutely quiet still. Until the geese started honking! Here too the spring flowers were beginning to look lovely. This little clump of Coltsfoot were gorgeous against the blue of the water.

Hopefully, we'll still be allowed to get out and about in the days and weeks to come. We'll just have to wait and see. But for now, keep your distance and wash your hands!