We’re very lucky where we live because although we’re in the middle of suburbia, we have very easy access to beautiful countryside. This time of year is snowdrop spotting time and it’s a delight to see carpets of them spread out beneath the bare-branched trees, the first cheerful herald of spring. One of the best places locally for them is around Westmill near Ware, which isn’t even a village but just a small handful of houses clustered around an old mill. The little path that leads past the houses and up alongside a quarry has great drifts of flowers on either side. I got cold muddy knees yesterday afternoon but it was worth it to get right down amongst them, close enough to see the dew still sparkling on their stems and their little bells silently shivering in the cold breeze.
The old mill straddles the River Rib and parts of the building still standing are said to date back to Elizabethan times, though there has been a mill on the site for at least 1,000 years. It’s a beautiful old building with wonderfully crumbly brick walls around the gardens and lovely views out over the water meadows. There’s a coat of arms in the middle of the front wall which appears to be the lesser coat of arms for the city of London, odd considering that we’re 20 miles from there and I wonder what the significance is but suspect that the facts have been lost to time. It is fascinating to live in a landscape that has so much visible history, Ware in particular as it is one of the longest continuously inhabited towns in Europe, so there’s a lot to discover.
The flowering of the snowdrops signals that spring is on the way (although winter has yet to loosen her frosty grip), which is a nice thought on a cold, dark and rainy early February evening. At this time of year I can’t help daydreaming of long-off summer afternoons with knitting in the garden and the snowdrops are a nice marker that we’re on our way back to those.
Be back soon with some knitty news, see you then x
little cotton rabbits 
I remember the first time I spotted a snowdrop- I was completely captivated by the little beauty. It was growing near a mound of snow and I thought it was such an odd thing to find such beauty in a place of such cold! What a remarkable little flower.
Thanks for sharing a piece of your world and history. I would love a walk here but live across an ocean and don’t see that in my near future. So thank you for taking me to such a gorgeous place. I can see why you visit here!
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I do love the first snowdrops. So delicate and beautiful, they bring hope of things to come.
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What beautiful snowdrops. I was thinking the same thing this morning, that February seems to herald good things to come.
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Absolutely fabulous photos Julie. I love snowdrops and I’m lucky to have a lot in my garden (and I’ve almost got a daffodil in flower!).
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Such pretty little flowers…I haven’t spotted any yet!!
I always think that February is the beginning of good things to come too!
V x
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So beautiful are your pictures. I’m following your blog and I’ve really liked your photos and also your creations.
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What a beautiful spot, and gorgeous photos. You have reminded me that I should go and look over the churchyard wall, the churchyard is absolutely filled with snowdrops and it looks amazing when they’re all in bloom. I like to daydream about summer at this time of year as well, it seems so far away and hard to picture all the sun and fresh green and flowers. I do rather like the winter hunkering down as well though. Long dark evenings, knitting, hot drinks, all the good stuff. CJ xx
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Beautiful photos and love seeing the beginning of spring. It’s still very cold here.
Deb M
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Your pictures really brightened this Maine day! When our foot of snow melts it’s nice to think we’ll have crocus coming up. I’m looking forward to muddy wet knees as well while taking pictures of our first signs of spring!
You are a treasure, thank you for your beautiful pictures and your wonderful story.
Take care.
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I love seeing your photos of the beautiful area in which you live. I love snowdrops. Sadly, my pear trees are in bud already. We’re 20 degrees warmer here than we should be for this time of year. I’m hoping they don’t freeze when winter returns!
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What lovely photos. I have never seen proper snowdrops and now any travelling days are over I doubt I ever will but am so enjoying seeing them through your eyes. This summer in South Australia has been terribly hot for a few days and then quite cool,hard to get an aged body to settle!.thank you for blogging.
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Beautiful! I am an American, but I lived in England as a child. My father was in the Air Force and was stationed first at RAF Bentwaters and then RAF Upper Heyford, and my mom, who is British, exposed me to all the wonders of walking in the countryside. I love pictures in the woods of snowdrops, bluebells, and cowslips. Memories of climbing over the stiles and into the fields, picking wild blackberries, walking through the villages, and along the water’s edge, oh my, your wonderful photos always bring these memories rushing back to me!
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I so love your blog. Thanks for sending the snowdrops around the globe. Ours are a long way from blooming, with snow tonight. So, I have to revel in your photos and marvel at your local history. Keep it coming.
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Wow! Your photos have such clarity one feels as though they are at the feet of those beautiful snowdrops. Looking at the coat of arms with the red cross and sword, I see that ivy has grown through the “rope” plaster on the left side and it has snapped off! Incredible that plants (and mushrooms!) can wheedle their way through things like asphalt, cement, concrete and appear. Such tenacity displayed by Mother Nature!
What type of camera do you use, if I may ask, and what is the mm length of the lens you are using to capture the beauty of the snowdrops?
Love your photos and blog. Thank you!
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Oh,what lovely pictures. ❤️ It is far from spring in Mid Michigan. We have had a polar vortex arrive with very strong winds and temps plummeting to single digits and snow storm on its way… tomorrow is Ground Hog day so we will see if spring arrives in 6 weeks OR we have 6 more weeks of winter… 😂 Guess it’s a matter of perspective. I’m looking forward to spring in 6 weeks! 😉
I cannot even imagine the amount of interesting history that the 1000 year old building holds… WOW!
Love all the textures you captured! Snowdrops are so pretty! Look forward to your knitty news! 😊❤️
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Beautiful photos, Julie, and the thought of snowdrops really makes me miss England! Right now it is -11C and snowing, up to -9C tomorrow. The old mill sounds fascinating–I wonder if the London coat of arms was a mile marker or something like that–20 miles to London. One day’s ride or two by coach maybe? Curious!
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Such beauty in the Nature! And such lovely pictures you always take!
Thanks for sharing. It lightens my heart to receive your new posts.
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Ooh! You’ve just taken me on a stroll down memory lane. My mom would spend hours every day this time of year searching for snowdrops, or any tiny sign of them, in our yard. As soon as she found them, she’d make me get dressed & come out to have a look. It’s one of those childhood annoyance memories that I would give anything to experience once again now that she’s gone.
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Snowdrops! I am looking forward to seeing mine but not for another month or so! Upstate New York where I live has been mighty cold and today is no exception although the sun is shining brightly as I write to you. Your photos are amazing and the landscape helps that! Thank you for sharing. Chris
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Beautiful photos. A friend lived in an old cottage on the edge of a wood and she had a drift of snowdrops along a path that went to the privy (toilet). The snowdrops were used to light the way to the privy – can you imagine that?
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I do love your photos SO MUCH, Julie. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs from Kimmy ♥
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Thankyou so much for sharing! Absolutely enchanting
a big hug from Itlay
barbara
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Snowdrops are so special, and you have captured them perfectly Julie. Hope you can find the time to enjoy more nature walks. X
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I love your pictures. I learn so much about life where you live. So different from here. Spring must be coming even though it’s freezing here. Must be patient!! Do snowdrops have a scent?
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Your photographs are lovely. So many beautiful snowdrops, I’ve never seen so many together before and you have captured them beautifully.
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I don’t know if you live in the most beautiful place on the planet or if you just have the most astonishing eye for what is around you. Either way, I absolutely love your photos!!!
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I was so glad to see the snowdrops in our garden. They always make me hopeful that spring WILL come! I’ve only had them in the garden for two years. Right now the small daffodils are in full swing, though they are getting a beating by some hard frosts. I’ve started what is to be a little woodland area (very little, think one tree and a few shrubs, our garden isn’t that big) and after seeing these pictures, I know I will need a lot more snowdrops!
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