January landscape

I don't often do landscapes at the moment, and in many ways this is a diary entry for me to remember what the Itchen Valley looks like at this time of year - though I hope you enjoy it too.

Sun wasn't forecast for today but the first half was beautiful, even as the clouds were drawing over.  And so much of what is typical of the valley in January is in this blip: the balls of mistletoe some of you said before Christmas you'd not seen growing is smothering the central two trees and showing dark green; the willow tree to the right is a beautiful orange as the twigs begin to quicken; on the left in the foreground is Old Man's Beard (fluffy stuff), above it young hazel catkins, and beyond them the hills ready to grow this year's crops.  Also, astonishingly considering how early in the year it is and last night's very hard frost, in Extras are a couple of kingcups/marsh marigolds (caltha palustris) which shouldn't really be around until March.

So that's been my Thursday.  Thanks so much for being so generous to Mr Bobbity yesterday, and have a great evening  xx