Endurance

Here is the enduring buckthorn that is in shallow, compacted soil on the busiest route over the Knott past Councillor Lawson's seat.  There is no sign of any loss of shoots in its tiny canopy as it comes into leaf for another season. Perhaps it established itself here at a time when the traffic of walkers was much less than now, as it is difficult to envisage a seedling getting away in this grassland now.

It was another warm, dry day and C has been using the opportunity to paint the dormer window while the scaffolding is still up long after it should have come down. Down below in the overgrown garden, Reggie is moving into overdrive and soon he will be testing the weak points in the palisade for means of escape.  He is an explorer, always hungry to know what lies beyond, unaware that he is already in the perfect tortoise habitat and that the world beyond is less benevolent.  Gus, by contrast, is supremely happy with his home life, content to stay in the garden in the sunshine and pleased to have his people close by.

As I write this a day later, the weather is changing to something cooler and perhaps damper and more typical of April.