Peppercombe - Barely Spring

Barely Spring Greens. Peppercombe Valley 27th March. Bee, beetle and a buzzard and that’s about all. The long, long March into April and at last Peppercombe is juddering to life as spring greens begin to emerge. Spring greens include the fresh leafy spikes of Alexanders, wild Bluebells, Lesser Celandine, Primroses, Foxgloves, Dogs Mercury, Ransoms and Spring Beauty. There are swathes of yellow flowering, creeping  pimpernel (?), a low growing plant which loves the damp ground where the winter rains spill down the gutter at the side of the track creating a mini stream. I saw one bee and the resident buzzard did a fly-by, the busy beetle, pictured, was doing a circuit of its own mini arena as I approached then scurried down the bolthole. Still only a couple of posies of primroses on the way down and very low growth on the Alexanders which at this time last year were tall and in flower as were the daffodils by the Pink cottage and under the red beech. Most noticeable is the emptiness on the cliff bank beside the bungalow, only five groups of primroses in bloom today. I miss the golden gorse which was once very prevalent here, only a couple of bushes remain. The gorse made the perfect frame for the picture of the bungalow which was taken on 21st April last year. The catkins are now in abundance, there are new leaves on the honeysuckle and pussy willow is in various stages of growth