The first sign of spring around our way is the arrival of snowdrops. They are such delicate little flowers, held aloft on a single slender stalk above smooth, narrow leaves they shimmer in the cold late winter breezes. And yet despite their fragile appearance they are tough little plants, breaking through the frozen earth with their tenacious green shoots and unfurling their pure white petals in patches of dappled sunlight.
There’s nothing quite as uplifting as the sight of drifts of them spread beneath the bare trees, clustered together as though huddling against the cold weather. The February landscape is still dull and brown and appears dormant but snowdrops signal that a change is gradually gathering pace. I’ve been feeling a little low of late and was in need of a little natural pick-me-up, so today I wrapped up warmly in lots of woolly layers and braved the frosty morning and cold winds to go on a snowdrop hunt. There are quite a few places to find them locally but my favourite is a tiny patch of woodland sandwiched between a quarry and the tiny hamlet of Westmill – just a few pretty red-roofed cottages clustered around an old medival mill.
I’ve arrived back home with muddy knees; a few nettle stings around my ankles (I managed to kneel it a patch of them and didn’t notice until it was too late) and cold, red cheeks but I’m feeling cheered and invigorated. I’m now warming up with knitting and a cup of tea before heading out to pick Toby up from his after school club.
If you’re also feeling a little down I hope you find a little something to lift your spirits this week. If you have time let me know in the comments what’s brightening your days at the moment. See you soon with a little of what I’ve been knitting
J x
little cotton rabbits 
Actually, your post brightens up my day. You have such lovely pictures of a countryside I have never seen. Love it! Best to you from Maine (where there isn’t much in the way of signs of Spring yet..)
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Such beautiful photos which capture the countryside so well.
A lovely time of the year with lots of anticipation of more colour and warmer days!
Luvs xxxx
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What beautiful things snow drops are! They give us such hope–if they can put forth such beauty in spite of those odds, perhaps we can too. Thank you for such a calming, beautiful walk in the woods.
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I want you to know how much I appreciate your wondrous ability to look up, to lift yourself, and in doing so, to lift everyone who stops by to visit your blog. You make a difference in the lives you touch…even the ones you touch through this wonderful thing, appropriately named The Web, where we all are bound together in the hopes of a lovelier way of seeing this world. Thank you for sharing your sweet vision.
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Thanks much, those pictures were just what I needed to see on a tough day.
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How beautiful the snowdrops! Believe it or not, we have them here in Houston, Texas, too! I remember them well from my childhood in Mississippi, too. Old friends. Thank you for sharing!
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SOOOOOOOOOOOO amazingly beautiful !!!!
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Such joyous little plants, it’s always so lovely to see them arrive!
Your pics are beautiful Julie and I’m so glad your little outing lifted your spirits.
V x
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Thanks for your lovely snowdrop pics. They are one of the favourites of my Scottish mum. Here in Winnipeg we woke to -30C (-46C with the windchill) but the cold temperatures bring the most brilliant blue skies to keep us cheery!
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I love seeing the snowdrops by the roadside and the daffodils are making an appearance now. Despite the horrible weather lately even some shop bought daffodils are lovely in the house and their delicate fragrance lifts the spirits.
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I really enjoy your emails with your beautiful photos, whether they highlight nature or your latest knitting projects. Your beautiful photography brightens my day. Thank you for doing what you do. Much the same as you, going for a walk usually lifts my spirits.
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From Australia: RAIN!!!
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Your snowdrops have completely brightened my day :-D.
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Those snowdrop pictures are just magical!!!
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We’ve had a very cold and rainy winter here in northern Texas, and believe it or not, even had snow in January! I needed like everything to see your lovely photos of the snowdrops, so thank you for cheering my day with sharing your pictures. Just wonderful.
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We have a patch of snowdrops in our yard which appeared unusually early this year. Our winters are trending warmer. Can’t say I miss the snow. I’ll take the snowdrops any time. They cheer me up, too. I do so love your photos. You see things the way I do, if that makes sense. Perhaps, the same types of things catch both our eyes. You are a far better photographer than I, so I am in awe of your abilities. I was thinking earlier that I should take a peek at my photos. I love taking photos, just for me, I rarely show them to anyone. I like being able to create something that doesn’t get critiqued by anyone, but I can say to myself, good work! That’s the tricky bit about hobbies. You have to do it to make yourself happy, not to impress others. I made some Valentines this week. I love card making, but I also drive myself crazy with self doubt. One especially difficult card I made was for a woman who is dying. I wanted it to be spectacular, as a final tribute to her. I spent several days on it. I didn’t manage spectacular, but just before I sealed the envelope, I thought, it’s not as bad as I thought. Social media can be a tremendous source of inspiration and education, but also intimidating. Everyone else’s work looks so much better than mine.
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I don’t know which is better; a carpet of bluebells or a sea of snowdrops? Enough to gladden anyone’s heart and a sign that spring cannot be a long time off.
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Good morning from Lisbon, Portugal. Here is still Winter and although the temperatures are not very cold (around 17ºC) the days have been dull with the sky grey and white with no clouds. I miss living out of town… So, I enjoy the green and small flowers of my inside plants.
All that beauty of snow drops around you, they certainly give you energy and strength! I look at your beautiful photos and read your post ( I follow you a long time…) and all that beauty ( Nature and your way of coping with life) warms my heart ❤
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I love snowdrops, these are lovely photos. I have definitely been feeling a little low this month, I ordered the new Laine sock knitting book and some sock wool to cheer me up. I’m very much looking forward to this arriving. I have been cross stitching a new pattern from Caterpillar cross stitch, a new bit comes out every month. I’m finding it very therapeutic as are most crafts.
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So sorry you’ve been feeling low, I hope it passes very soon. A walk in the countryside is always a good thing I think, and I always feel at least a little better afterwards. Your snowdrop photos are gorgeous. They suddenly appeared here, a week or two ago. One day I hadn’t seen any, the next they were just there, as if by magic. I will have to go and check the churchyard, there are loads there amongst the oldest of the graves. I hope you have a good day. CJ xx
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Great pictures again Julie – so cheerful. That blue sky… 🙂 What brightens my days (as well as knitting) is feeling lucky to have my family around me and being proud of my daughters and granddaughters and what they are achieving in their lives. There is also a new puppy – making us all smile! Best wishes xx
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Clearly your St.Valentine cards are motivated by love and true caring…nothing, can beat that, nothing. Thank you Cathy…we need more of that in our lives.
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Thank your for sharing your walk with us, Julie. It helped!
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Thank you for lifting my spirits, Julie! Gorgeous post!
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Beautiful photos, they really made my day! So many Snowdrops and Lovely countryside. Thank you!
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Stunning photos. I am in Texas and we already have daffodils ready to bloom. Making soups, reading books, planning travel, and time with friends is very therapeutic. Thank you for sharing!
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I saw on the news a few snowdrops had poked out in Boston (which, being February, is rare). When I saw your post, I nearly fell over!!!! That must be a SPECTACULAR site!! Our winter has been super mild, and I am hoping it will continue until winter is finally over. That said, it’s very gray and rainy. Trying to keep cheery crocheting Attic24’s Dahlia afghan. Beautiful cheery colors!! Keep smiling.
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I love your blog. In my first house we had Crocus in the yard my husband’s grandmother planted. So sweet sticking up in the snow. The same with Snowdrops. I love your work too. I hope to purchase one of your knitted creations.
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thank you for always sharing your world and it’s beauty.
it always brightens my day to see your blog feed pop up.
i pray goodness and warmth for you and yours.
here in texas it is cool but no snowdrops , so nice to see yours
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Thank you for sharing your wonderful snowdrop photos – I absolutely love snowdrops. I also am a huge fan of you and your work – I love everything you make and do. At the moment I am making Cotton Reel Rabbit to give to my friend for Easter – I might have time to make one for myself too – but I also hope to make a tiny bunny for each of my 5 grandchildren using your two sided Easter Bunny Pattern. Thanks for sharing your talent and your patterns.
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Thanks for the snowdrop pictures. I love all the ways nature signals us that warmer times are coming.
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Your beautiful pictures have brightened my day Julie. Oh, and I just finished two of your little mini bears — that definitely brightened my week — they’re just SO darn cute and you’re a genius! Thanks for all the inspiration — and Happy Valentine’s Day Lovely!!!
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Your snowdrops are just lovely! Thank you for sharing the beautiful world around you. Living in SoCal, we get such a different view of nature and I love seeing the world from your viewpoint!
This must be the week of feeling low….spending time with good friends really helped me this week, even though it is sometimes hardest to be with others when I’m down.
One day this week I worked with my dear friend making bears for children around the world who needed something to cuddle and love. The slow and deliberate stitching knowing that each bear would be given to a child in need helped raise my spirits enormously. Another day I had lunch at my favorite local cafe with two lovely friends that are always supportive and caring.
The week turned so much from sorrow to gratitude because of these dear friends.
Usually I spend time in our local arboretum, a joyful place full of living things and that often helps as well.
Thank you for helping to bring and spread joy throughout the world with your lovely blog. It always makes me stop and reflect and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share in that slice of your world.
Warm wishes!
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The icy puddle makes me think of walking to school as a child. Had to try and crack every one of those I found, lol. Love the fields of snowdrops. Yea spring!
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I’m sorry that you were feeling a little down, I hope that it eased your mind and soul a bit! Know that your lovely posts and pictures always make me smile. Thank you for that!
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Oh Julie, what a fabulous afternoon to be out in the woods. I’m glad the wee milkflower made you smile
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Actually your photos gave me a lift. What beautiful countryside. Even if I can’t be there I can see it through your eyes. Stay warm, spring is just around the corner!
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Oh! That gives me hope for spring! Here in Michigan we’ve had a relatively mild winter, but it’s still very winter and won’t be spring for a couple more months!
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I love the idea that these little flowers look so delicate and fragile but they push through a cold hard ground with strength and determination. What is cheering me up these days is just taking a little time for myself and giving myself permission to rest. So much in my own life is telling me that I need more balance and I’m trying to find that.
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Thank you, for those lovely photos of spring and the English countryside. I am in Ontario and today a tiny bulb iris bloomed.That’s it so far in our garden, although I have seen clumps of crocus in the village.
I am keeping very busy with sewing and finishing my stack of knitting projects. I also have the yarn and pattern for your rabbit and all the cute photos of them on Pinterest is inspiring me to get everything out and make my own.
Life is tough for our two 16 year olds. The good weather is getting them out for walks every afternoon.
My husband retired a month early, so he is getting a multitude of gardening done.
Stay home and stay safe and thank you, again, for the beautiful photos. I only hope we can have a trip to England again sometime.
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