Glimmer of sunshine after a wet West Country winter

A SIGN. Mother Nature, please offer up a sign. Something... anything, just a sign, we beseech you.

At this time of year, after months of long nights, chilly days and endless rain, we become desperate for signs that winter is finally coming to an end and spring is just around the corner.

It may just be March, but any sign that warmer days lie ahead is a welcome one.

I wouldn’t be without our seasons, though winter does seem to last that little bit longer than all the others.

So the snowdrops springing up from hedge banks, thrushes bursting into song, camellias blooming, frogs spawning and buds forming are all welcomed.

The tick-list is a satisfying one to work through, indicating that the world is still orbiting and nature’s clock still ticking. And even though I live fairly high up on west Dartmoor, with a flurry or two of hail in recent days, all the signs are pointing in the right direction now.

And, most of all, roll on sunny spells and a little heat to dry out the ground and, importantly, the house. My home, built in the late 1800s, was designed to have fires burning in every room. Now the chimneys soak up the worst of a wet West Country winter, with only two hearths in use. The brickwork must be sodden, and the lime plaster in the upper rooms is working overtime.

A couple of coats of Weathershield paint on the outer walls can only do so much. With such torrential rain over so many days, it is as if the house has been effectively submerged in water.

So, yesterday, it was a joy to see the sun and briefly sit outside in it and soak up a few rays.

My house behind me also seemed to be sighing with relief, desperate to dry its old bones, shake off winter woes and bask in the warmth.

Sadly, rain was forecast to return today. However, I see the outline of sunshine peeking from behind clouds on the forecast graphics for days ahead. A sign, maybe a sign, of things to come...

Paul Harris Snowdrops – an early sign of spring