Spring morning

A mild spring morning with sudden signs of growth and reawakening at the dykesides and hedgerows. The hawthorn hedges along the road from Bridgefoot of Phingask to Merryhillock have suddenly started to burst their buds, snowdrops are being replaced by daffodils, there is fresh green growth showing on campions, alkanet and comfery. There are celandines, coltsfoot,strong bold daisies (certainly enough to make a spring) and wavy bitter cress in the roadside grass and as we walked we were again accompanied by lark song and a small cloud of midges.

Fresh young leaves on the hawthorn hedge near Merry Hillock

Red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum), always one of the first roadside flowers

Gorse half a hedge half lining the banks of a tributary of College Burn at Merryhillock