Spring is sprung de grass is riz

fruit trees with blossom looking towards Ropion

Well, after some rather interesting climatic happenings, very late winter snow etc, we now definitely have arrived at our first spring at La Cote.  The cuckoos have been singing in the woods now since at least Wednesday and the lizards are busy scuttling around the walls outside when the sun shines brightly.  The buzzards, as usual, circle high above the house with their slightly unearthly cries having fun on playing on the thermal currents or chasing away the kestrel who normally lives in the hedge surrounding the "Clos" - the field below the house.  The messanges (blue tits and coal tits) continue to enjoy the use of the new bird feeder and are getting used to the changes in the vegetation in front of the dovecote (coloumbier).

The daffodils are out and lots of little blue flowers which we haven't identified yet are also making a lovely carpet on the ground especially in areas which we have cleared recently.  Various fig bushes are showing the signs of new leaves starting and even a few little bulbs of figs are now growing.  Most of the hedgerows have got lovely white blossom growing on them and the cherry and plum trees have their blossom coming out too.  We have been watching carefully for the first signs of buds on the apple trees which we spent a long time pruning last autumn as they had been quite overgrown.