A Year in the Valley

Although we have had periods where the water has dried up and mud prevails, this week has not been one of them.  Two weeks ago, I made it down to the stream and was hopeful that the watermeadow was starting to dry out.  The banks have eroded a bit over the winter.  I would like to get to the pond and see if there is any frogspawn – and other pondlife.  The new reed canary grass is sprouting, as in the rest of the valley.  There are muddy, mulchy swathes of dead grass in the middle as you can see.  The most prolific flowers are currently speedwells and lesser celandines, with a bit of wild garlic by the steps and the odd dandelion and primrose.  Docks, bedstraws, and cleavers are sprouting and sprawling through the watermeadow.  Bugs, bees, and butterflies are waking up – and yesterday half a dozen goldfinches visited, so maybe the other finches will return soon. 

You will notice the willows are in leaf.  The taller alders seem to be later to start growing.  We are being entertained by sheep and lambs in the field opposite.  The stream is still high and flowing fast, sometimes very brown with ‘run-off’ after prolonged spells of rain.  The Hemlock Water Dropwort is looking like a mini-forest over the other side of the valley.  The clumps are about a meter high now and flourishing in this wet weather.  The overall look of the valley is green with only a few straw-like tussocks of last years grass standing tall.  The rest has been trampled down by the weather and is now forming a mulch for this year’s green shoots.  Out of the picture are lines of trees edging the fields – all with a fuzzy bloom of green and many in white blossom.