The seasons are definitely turning, with winter releasing its muddy gray grip and spring bringing a softness to the still-chilly air, a much brighter sun. I'm seeing birds I haven't seen in months, like our back-garden woodpecker and the Eurasian jays.
When Olga and I went to Hampstead Heath yesterday, it was noticeably drier -- I didn't have to slog through bogs of squishy mud, and Olga almost didn't need a bath when she got home. (She would have been fine if she hadn't chosen to belly-down in a cool black puddle at the very end of our walk. She thought it was worth it, though.)
These tiny white flowers create clouds at the edge of the playing fields in the park. I don't know what they are, but they seem like some kind of ornamental fruit tree.
And we already have a few camellias popping open. Last year they waited until mid-March to appear. I think it's been a tad warmer this winter -- we had frost and a dusting of snow but never a hard freeze.
I am woefully behind on current movies, so I can't say much about the Oscar winners. The only nominee I've seen is "Bridge of Spies," and that was on an airplane. Dave and I have been lurking on iTunes, waiting for the others to become available for rent, and in several cases it's going to happen within the next week or two. Woo hoo!
I am happy to boast that I have already watched the main prizewinners - "Room", "The Revenant", "Inside Out" and "Spotlight". I guess that makes me more culturally advanced than you Steve. I'm just saying. Oh, and it has been a very mild winter up here in Yorkshire too.
ReplyDeleteI went to bed and read. I couldn't deal with the ceremonies. It's all so removed from my reality which is also more about flowers and increasing daylight than in movies.
ReplyDeleteYour key phrase here is "hard freeze" which means hard enough to freeze the inside ofthe plant.
ReplyDeleteI love the flowering trees. It's nice to know that things are warming up in your area. It's been a little too warm here for this time of year.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased to see that "Spotlight" won for best picture last night. It really is an excellent movie and really stresses the need for good, thoughtful investigative reporting. I liked "Bridge of Spies" too and I also liked "The Big Short". I didn't see "The Revenant" or "Mad Max" and I probably never will. Movies with a lot of violence just don't appeal to me.
It is scarily mild here this winter as well, and the projections point to an early and warm spring. That makes me dread summer, because I am not a heat loving person at all. I would rather winter than summer any time! Spring, though ... I love when the grass starts getting green, like in your first shot.
ReplyDeleteLove that Olga shot - she's just so unhappy, isn't she? :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any current movies. Well, we saw the Martian, but that's it. Instead of the Oscars, I crocheted & Mike watched some show about revolvers. Sigh.
I think you'd like the movie Spotlight. It will remind you of your journalism past. Room is also very good, but heavy. Both are now on pay per view.
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