Things are looking up!

Despite the uninspiring weather forecast, today turned out fine and bright, with a good amount of winter sunshine.
Mr U&L , Charlii Rosie and I went to the local Hills cemetery to put some flowers on Nanny and Grandad's grave as it is his 20th anniversary later in the week. Sadly the cemetery was very soggy, and the bottom corner virtually under water! Rosie loved this and splashed in the large puddles on the paths.
However, it was quite warm in the sun, and this lovely hoverfly ( Eristalis tenax ) was busy in the sun, covered in pollen, and feeding on an early flowering shrub.
Eristalis tenax or the Drone fly is a common British hoverfly whose larvae are known as 'Rat tailed maggots'. They are most often found in autumn, but wake from hibernation on warm winter days (like today ) to feed.
So even though it is a common British hover, it really made my day today, the first insect of 2014! The only way is up - surely!