Looking Forward

I have been looking for signs of spring. Yes, I know that winter has only just begun, but looking forward to lighter days and new growth really helps to dispel my January gloom. We're almost all back at work, school and university, and getting back into the swing of things again this week after the relaxed pace of the Christmas holidays has taken some effort. The weather has been gloomy and quite wet. However, this afternoon the sun came out, and as soon as I got home I went straight into the garden just before it got dark to potter around and tidy up. My working day is spent indoors, and I was very keen to get some fresh air into my lungs and be outside. I was very pleased to see that in amongst the mud and dead-looking things were these...

Hooray! New shoots peeping out of the soil! Under ground the bulbs have been quietly doing what they do every year; swelling, sending down roots and pushing up leaves. They have a good way to go yet, but it's wonderful to see them.

Now that all our decorations are down and packed away for another year, I feel in need of some prettiness to replace the sparkle and tinsel (love that word). So I bought these little pots of bulbs from the local farm shop for the kitchen windowsill. This is part of my post-Christmas ritual every year, and makes me feel very happy whenever I catch sight of them, all lined up, fresh and green and full of promise.

The tiny Tete-a-Tete daffodils have started to bloom already.

I took them outside to photograph them against the blue of our kitchen wall. Aren't they wonderful?

We've got a while to go before the daffodils and other bulbs come out in the garden, but until then I am really enjoying them indoors, a little taste of colourful things to come.