Georges Hayes

I went back to see the daffodils at Georges Hayes.

It's usually deserted. I've never seen any other car in the tiny car park. I was horrified to find there were three other vehicles and a couple of young men smoking.

Well, I didn't really mind about the young men. They were friendly and we had a brief chat before I set off on the track.

Last week, you may remember, I could easily have come to grief on the muddy and slippery slopes. I was harangued in the silence by a cheeky nuthatch and was lucky to emerge unscathed.

This time it has dried out. The paths are dusty and only soggy in one or two places.

And the daffodils are glorious. (But very hard to photograph in their large numbers - as bluebells are). I chose this clump that are in front of the little pool in the hollow.

I met various people - and a cute little dog called Agnes, who was as surprised to see me as I was to see her.

The native daffodils are protected on this Nature Reserve. Staffordshire took suitable action when these unusual native blooms were being sold in clumps in the Birmingham markets.

It looks as though they are not quite such a well kept secret as they used to be !