Blakes Wood and Paper Mill lock

The River Chelmer

Its too beautiful to be in the house, so this afternoon, a walk through Blakes Wood to see if the bluebells are opening yet. They are just about showing but there full glory will be in a couple of weeks. Parts of the wood were carpeted in wind anemones, and if you looked closely small purple violets.
Down the road and we stopped at Paper Mill Lock, the little wooden tea place was crowded with people, a white swan preened itself unconcernedly on a little concrete jetty, and a mother duck strolls along the concrete edge as her four little ducklings swim furiously in the water.
What else, swallows fly under the bridge, so they have arrived here as well, I read somewhere a person had written that when the swallows 'come back home' from Africa, all is well with the world in England. I tried to capture their flight under the bridge as they circled overhead, turning and diving, one minute under the bridge, the next flying over a sunlight field full of dandelions. They are so lucky to have arrived just in time for the British countryside to burst into vibrant life.
The river of course has its ducks and coots, placed territorially along the bank, we were going to walk along to the junction where the little river Ter joins the Chelmer, but we did'nt quite make it, another day and a picnic maybe.
Coming back the Fox and Raven for an early meal, we sat out in the sun (first time this year) and heard the skylark

Fungus along the River Chelmer


Blakes Wood and wood anemones

tiny violets