Heralds of Spring

When I lived in Baltimore, bright red breasted Robins were the heralds of Spring. Here in England, Robins are much smaller birds that keep us enchanted in winter, perching on gates and pictured in Christmas cards. Here it's the Cuckoo who lets us know that Spring has really arrived. This past weekend we heard the Cuckoo for the first time. They nest in a big old tree down the lane by a field across the street from our house.

Bluebells are the other harbinger of Spring. They grow wild in woodlands and usually bloom in late April. On a good year you might find a dense carpet of bluebells shooting up and bending gracefully covering the woodland floor as far as the eye can see. The fragrance is similar to a hyacinth but much more delicate. I love bluebells. I look forward to the bluebell walk every year. The purple against the green, lit up by shafts of sunlight slanting through the trees is so magical. Someday it's going to find it's way into one of my quilts.