Still winter but....

...Spring is on it's way.

It has turned cold again over the past couple of days, with dropping temperatures, ice on the water buckets and snow flakes floating around in the bitter wind, but the snowdrops are out in full, turning the hedge banks white. More and more primroses are flowering, and most of the spring bulbs are through, the hellebore are in bud as is the Daphne odora. The dawn chorus is becoming earlier and louder each morning as more birds join in. On the warmer days the bees are flying and over the weekend there were young rabbits in the fields, enjoying freedom after the confines of the burrow they were born in 5 or 6 weeks ago. All promising signs of the season changing despite the forecast of yet more snow.