Whoa! Back up a moment…. it’s 12th January!
When I went looking for a macro shot today, almost the first thing I found was a tree in the hedgerow across the road from our house which definitely shouldn’t be in blossom yet, but is. If the weather forecast is right it’s going to be sorry by the end of the week, because we’re about to get some frost.
I’m not absolutely certain, but I think it might be blackthorn – it’s not spiny, but we do have some smooth blackthorn trees in the village, which is a boon to the sloe-picker. If it’s not blackthorn it’s wild damson, which is almost the same thing – they’re both types of Prunus, and you can flavour gin with either. This one, I fear, may not be cropping well this year.
I walked round the rest of the village to see if any other hedgerow trees were in blossom yet, but it seems only to be this one that has its calendar in a twist. While doing my survey I was going along the path which crosses the brook when something stepped out onto the path a few yards ahead of me – but by the time I’d realised it was a big dog fox and lifted the camera it had looked me over, decided it didn’t want its portrait taken today, and wandered off into the static caravan park. I wasn’t happy!
The current total of crowdfunding pledges (not including Paypal donations) is £124,050, which is 68.9%. I send my very best wishes to the team which is now in negotiation with the current owners of the site.
