Fluff

It's that time of year again. The flowers are blooming, the grass and leaves are bright and tender, the weather forecasts alter by the hour - it's spring.

And that means that the poplars along the beck are shedding the fluff that goes with their pollen. There is a huge stand of them and they shed with enthusiasm. It isn't too bad at the moment, the wind has taken most of it away, but there is enough fluff to look like several cheap duvets have been put through a shredder and the fluff is filling the air.

We will soon have banks of the dratted fluff piled up in all sorts of corners unless the wind takes it away.

The brambles are starting to blossom here, and that feels very early to me. Mind you, I am not complaining. They add to all the blossom around, the air smells lovely round here. And pretty soon I am going to have to have a late night wander by the ring road because during the day the roar and fumes of the cars drown out everything but at this time of year there is a long stand of mock orange blossom that smell delicious, if you can get past at the right time.