There's something particularly fun about horse chestnut tree flowers. Something akin to a stick of candyfloss, crossed with meringue. The great heads of blooms all held up prod, not left to dangle in the wind as other trees but offered up tall.
 The pink and yellow highlights. How decorative, when you really look.
Take care,
Sophie

Finally, the landscape is starting to re-green. The fresh leaves are appearing once again, all waxy and full of vibrant colour.


 All shapes, sizes and designs. Aren't leaves amazing? One year I will have to study the different names for identifying shapes.



 Tiny new trees are growing on the ground. Spy the next generation.

 GLorious blackthorn blossom in the sun. Bring on the sloes!



Take care,
Sophie

Much to see in the trees. Take a look and see!

Some pretty pink cherry blossom.
Forsythia looking delightfully bright.
Below, laurel hedges in flower.

Horse chestnut fists of leaves emerging from great gummy buds.






POP!


Shaggy mane of this tree.

And lastly, glorious magnolia flowers.

I do hope you manage to have some enjoyment this weekend, with Sunday looking like the first 'hot' day of the year. If you have a garden then that will be the day to spend outdoors if safe to do so.

Take care,
Sophie

It has been my mission for the past few years to remain observant in order to notice and therefore appreciate the finer details in nature. Despite remaining vigilant at most times, it never ceases to amaze me how much I must have previously missed. For example, trees in bloom. Yes we've all spied the cherry blossom but to some extent, I presume, all trees have to flower in some manner in order to go to seed and replicate. It often goes completely unnoticed. Here's more than a few trees looking interesting at the moment. Apologies for not naming the majority. Trees are really hard for me to identify and more discouragingly I forget what I looked up almost immediately. However, my range of wild flowers I can now identify has increased enormously since C bought me the collection of books so progress has at least been secured on that front.




 Above, looks like ash.









Above, a closer look at the ash in flower.
Below, distant horse chestnut leaves emerging.


 Above, oak and below hawthawne.

 Bright red catkins of the poplars.





I've realised that as I keep snapping away I have far too many to share in one go (some might say too many altogether) so I daresay they'll appear at some point soon.
It's finally the weekend, hurrah! Have a great one.
Take care,
Sophie