Kissing's in season!

 "When gorse is in flower, kissing's in season." So goes the old country saying. This bush on the edge of the open field is giving the go-ahead then!

There's a special twist to this tale. There are several varieties of gorse which all flower at different times. That makes it difficult to find any time of year when gorse is not in flower. The old country people weren't such kill-joys after all.

Petra meets a friend.

Petra is usually a shy dog, fearful of most others. I think this must be a result of her history as a stray. So I am pleased to say she has made a friend!

We have met Skip a few times before on our walks and Petra has tolerated his presence as I talk to Skip's owner. But today, when we saw Skip, Petra ran towards him and greeted him enthusiastically. They even licked each other's faces.

Petra is regaining some doggy social skills.

What's in a name?

Not the right colour always!

Violets are not all violet. Two more types today - on the left, pink and white bicolor, and on the right, white violets.

The other small blue flower in the second  picture is an early example of green alkanet, a plant closely related to the forget-me-not. Apparently, it is called green alkanet because the leaves stay green all winter, as opposed to blue alkanet whose leaves disappear!

Bittercress

It's easy to miss the tiny flowers of this bittercress (probably hairy bittercress). It grows on the edge of the footpaths. Here it is up against a wall.

I first noticed it in the bottom right of yesterday's violet picture and went back to look for it today.

February flowers

The first wild flowers I have seen this year are all on the grass verges of Steyning footpaths.

Red deadnettle (left) was the earliest (about 18th Feb.)

Daisies (right) appeared about 20th Feb.

Celandines (left) first showed up on the 24th.


Then the violets (right) joined in on 27th Feb. 


All four are flowering well in today's sunshine.

Life in the trees.

The trees are showing life in St Cuthman's Field. The catkins and conelets on the alder trees have been showing for some days. (left).




But today a maple  tree was showing the first signs of life too. I think these are the developing flowers which appear before the leaves. (right)

Not spring yet.

I still have not seen my first wild flower of 2011.

I was surprised to see that ash keys are still hanging on their branches from last autumn.

And moles are active throughout the winter months. New molehills appear regularly in their favourite areas.