Sprung

The catkins are out, so things must be looking up... nearly summer I reckon.

A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster, with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect pollinated (as in Salix). They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged closely along a central stem which is often drooping. They are found in many plant families, including Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Moraceae, and Salicaceae. For some time, they were believed to be a key synapomorphy among the proposed Hamamelididae, but it is now believed that this flower arrangement has arisen independently by convergent evolution on a number of occasions.
Wikipedia, 24th Jan 2009

Oddly, I have a very strong memory of playing with catkins on my way to Pinner Park Infants School, on the road that ran from the zebra crossing to the duck pond in the park - you know the one! I have no idea why I would remember that so strongly.

These particular ones were hanging from a tree next to the Kennet and Avon Cannal, just past where it goes over Dundas Aqueduct as you travel away from Bath.