Coltsfoot - for Mike

Gardened in lovely crisp sunshine this morning. Then the weather changed.

Went to Gilsland this afternoon to sort out part of the route for next Wednesday's Haltwhistle walkers long walk. I was going to show you Gilsland Spa Hotel, which was used as a Maternity Hospital during WWII. Pregnant women were sent away from the risk of the bombing in Newcastle to give birth out in the far west of Northumberland. Some stayed as long as 6 weeks and their babies were baptized in the local church. We're putting on a walk for the War Babies in our walking festival in May.

Then I took a photo of the Popping Stone which is beside the River Irthing. It is claimed that Walter Scott proposed to his beloved at this very spot, and was accepted.

However, on my way back to the car I saw my first coltsfoot of the years. Tiny little flowers, and often on very unprepossessing areas of soil. The leaves come after the flowers have gone to seed.

My friend, Mike, who is one of our walkers, usually winds me up by saying that all yellow daisy like flowers are coltsfoot. He is recovering from a hip op at the moment and not ready to walk with us yet. So this - the genuine article - is just for you Mike!! (I'm afraid it was taken with the little compact which gave a rather slow shutter speed - with flash the image was ghastly!)