Brush the descending blue ...

Gerard Manley Hopkins said it well in his 1918 poem 'Spring':

Nothing is so beautiful as spring -
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

Spent today head down in the office, but when I took a brief breather outside, this beautiful blossom caught my eye. The almond tree is in bloom, and it looks wonderful with clear blue above it. Spring is definitely here.

But you know the old saying: "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out". I've never known whether it refers to the month, or hawthorn ('May') blossom. Probably too soon to put away those winter clothes just yet ...