Rape is already blooming

Basil and I took Cecily out this fine afternoon to visit Garendon Park for the first time since he ran away. This time, I kept him on his lead which seems such a shame but I'm not risking him repeating the performance.

It was a lovely afternoon but not quite as warm as I had hoped. Wood Celandine and wood anemones lined the route in places. Forest management was much in evidence with piles of logs at intervals and brush lying in the cleared land. The planting seems to be winter wheat although there's none on the south side of the Temple of Venus.

Returning, just before the bridge under the motorway I spotted the distinctive colour of the rape flower towards the horizon. It's very early. I'm used to seeing it in May.