Frozen bluebell

Back to reality today. Pete left before 6 for a long day's fieldwork in Kent, and Alex and I left at 7 to drive down to Huntingdon, as it was his first day back at college. It was a beautiful sunny morning, but I really hadn't been expecting to have to scrape frost off the car windscreen at the start of the summer term!

Once I'd dropped him off I took the dogs for a long walk round Monk's Wood. I'd originally been thinking of doing some of my woodland survey work, but the extreme cold put me off - its no fun standing still and recording plants in freezing temperatures! When I arrived there was still a heavy frost over the ground flora, including this bluebell, though by the time I left most of it had melted. I was surprised to see that the woodland flora had changed remarkably little since my visits in the summery weather at the end of March - a testament to just how cold it's been.

The rest of the day was divided between sorting out yesterday's photographs, mowing the lawn (today is supposed to be the only dry day of the week) and planting mange toute peas and asparagus, as the crowns I ordered several weeks ago finally arrived this morning. Our soil is very heavy clay, and digging two large trenches was certainly a good work out, even with a bit of help from Ben! My shoulders are aching this evening - and I have to admit my bed is calling!!