In the glorious sunshine today, as if to welcome in 2013, my customary walk around Warwick and the large St Nicholas Park, which is adjacent to the River Avon, was highlighted by the many people that I encountered on the way.
Like me all of them had bright smiles on their faces and in return to my similar greeting, were full of cheerful and unselfconscious “Happy New Years”, in spite of the late night that many of them must have subjected themselves to earlier.
Sunshine works wonders and after the seemingly endless weeks of gales and continuous rain that we’ve all had to put up with, this day’s opportunity was far too good to miss. The spring-like weather had lured us all out and we were feeling, very obviously, the same cheerful optimism at the beginning of this 2013.
What a difference a little sunshine makes even to Nature herself. After taking refuge during the recent poor weather, my faithful winter companion the Robin was eager to tell us all again that he was around, and with mouth wide open was singing his heart out very bravely and with great gusto; happy to be alive. At the same time a lively male blackbird flapped around in the undergrowth looking for sustenance with his busy clacking call that sounds like a barber’s scissors, while a confident little Wagtail of the pied variety was happy to strut along the footpath just in front of me, cheekily flicking his long tail in my direction. It was good to see them all again.
Even the flora is celebrating the optimistic beginning of the year. Back at the boatyard, close to the mooring, I noticed the arrival of spring bulbs just beginning to poke through the mulch of dead leaves. After any sort of winter this sight is very encouraging.
Snowdrops and wild Primrose
A circle of friends
It is heartening to know that we have not been forgotten by the Spring. Her awakening is here.
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