April: the greening month

After the dull, drab, cold and wet winter months the arrival of April is a breath of fresh and delicately scented spring air.

Everywhere you look there is new growth. Suddenly the grass in the meadows is inches tall, and the canopy above the woodland is changing from a high vaulted ceiling of interlaced bare branches to a softly dappled, shimmering green layer. And there are so many more shades of beautifully fresh green splashed across the woodland floor, and along the hedgerows and the roadside verges.

The absolute highlight of April around here is the annual emerging of the bluebells. Their small flower spikes develop quickly over a few weeks, racing upwards to have their moment in the sun before the tree leaves unfurl and the woodland canopy closes over for the summer. En masse their wonderful scent is strong, but individually is beautifully delicate and so redolent of spring. It is such a privilege to sit quietly alone in a bluebell woodland, and already knowing this truth I took a snack and my knitting with me and spent the morning there, listening to the birds singing in the thickets and the tree tops and to the drone of the bees, busy making their way from one flower to the next, I had it all to myself and it was utter peaceful bliss.

At home there has been knitting too. There are always several different pairs of socks on my needles at any one time, and I often switch between them as the mood takes me, but unusually for me I have finished a full pair from start to finish this month. The pattern is Truleigh Socks by The Knitting Shed knitted in three shades of Ainsworth and Prin classic sock yarn also from The Knitting Shed. I’m also busy knitting up new samples of my rabbits, foxes, and seasonal dress and sweaters patterns as I would like to refresh the front covers of those patterns. I think I mentioned that before, but gosh it is a long slow process these days so I will no doubt be mentioning it several times more before there is anything to show for my efforts. I have however now finished and wet blocked most of the sweaters, so progress is gradually being made.

Well, here we are on the cusp of May – my most favourite month of the year (though I do often say that of October too), so I will hopefully be out and about with my camera at the orchard, to admire and adore the apple and pear blossoms, and also along the riverbank where the best cow parsley grows. So, see you again in a few weeks, until then I hope you have plenty of small pleasures to season your days with hope and happiness, J x