About to Break Through

Seeing so many photos of bluebells already this year, I thought I'd nip down to Burleigh Wood to investigate. Last year, the bluebells were virtually smothered by the brambles. So far, they're avoiding that fate if only because the brambles aren't so advanced with coming into leaf, although there has been strong growth with spreading trailers.

I was right to wear my wellies. At various points along the track, the ground had degenerated into black, slimy mud, but mostly it was dry. The university has rebuilt the fence at the top of the wood to stop people sliding down the slope through the bluebells, and installed wooden bridges over the worst areas of mud.

A silver birch has been left where it fell across the path through the middle of the wood to impede walkers and to allow the bluebells to flourish. Thus Basil and I walked round the entire perimeter. I was quite warm by the time we left. The temperature gauge in the car showed 17C at one point.

I'd decided to use the macro lens with the Fuji today. I don't think it's as good as the Canon macro lens. There's still a satisfactory bokeh.

Some bluebells are out. Many more are at this budding stage. I shall go with  my longer focal lens another time to try and capture the impression of a blue cloud.

I've started a project of cooking pulses because Angela Rippon said on the radio the other day that they had been shown to minimise visceral fat. My visceral fat certainly needs removing. Dhal today, which I couldn't finish cooking before leaving for the flood wardens' meeting at County Hall. Some interesting presentations from the Fire and Rescue Service and a research initiative called Flood Crowd. A PhD student from LUT wants people to upload photo of flooding to a map, as a resource for documenting floods. Representatives of the Environment Agency, who were present, didn't sound awfully enthusiastic in reply.