begin afresh

The trees are coming into leaf 
Like something almost being said; 
The recent buds relax and spread, 
Their greenness is a kind of grief. 


Philip Larkin

A favourite poem which expresses my ambivalent feelings about this time of year. We wait for the first leaf to open, but once it does, the rush towards autumn begins. Life, death, resurrection - here is Easter and on top of it all, we have a daily reminder of death in the afternoon briefings.


Sorry if you think this is morbid. It has been another beautiful day, sunny and warm. I've planted lots of seeds, including Brussels sprouts; the packet promises that they will be ready for our Christmas dinner.


I took this photo on my daily cycle ride - I like to save it until late afternoon when the sun is a lower in the sky and the light is better for photography. This tree is in a neighbour's garden - its foliage is a little more advanced than ours.