Apple blossom time

The unwelcome return of winter has played havoc with this year's blossom in the Vale of Evesham - it no sooner comes out than it goes over. This is not good news for the area generally, as the spring Blossom Trail is one of the few things the Vale has going for it, touristically speaking; and personally it has reduced me to a state of frustrated grump on behalf of the bees and hoverflies that are currently trying to find food for themselves and their offspring.

Realising that the apple blossom is beginning to come out in the village, I thought I should photograph it today before it gets frosted, or rained/snowed/blown off the trees. My own trees are still a few days off - or a month, if the current bitter temperature holds - but one of my neighbours has a large orchard which I knew was blooming already, so while lunch was in the oven I donned boots and ski jacket and stomped off down the lane.

En route I noticed that the drive of another neighbour is so covered with cherry blossom petals that it looks to have been dusted with snow.