...is lovely.  Well, perhaps not everything since there's a few sad corners where the ice and snow dealt a fatal blow, but in the sunshine yesterday we felt that Spring is really here.

 

 

Looking over the valley, there was a distinctly green outlook.

 

 

The crocus, in particular, are shining stars and such a delight to see from the kitchen window.  We planted these in our first year here and almost twenty years later they've withstood all kinds of upheaval and replanting around them to put on a great show.

 

 

In the middle are just one or two "rogues" showing off their stripy petals and claiming attention amongst the plain purples.

 

 

Yes, there is a distinct feeling of content here right now which I'm sure had nothing to do with the superb dinner we enjoyed at Lumiere in Cheltenham on Saturday evening.  We had the tasting menu and felt utterly spoiled as one plate of delicious food after another was brought to our table together with a glass of something appropriate.  We're going to talk about the parsnip foam with toffee candy floss for quite some time...  (That's a basil blancmange with some other yummy accompaniments above)

 

In case you think we're sitting here smug, however, let me say that the carpet fitter just arrived and as soon as he's done his work, there are quite a few IKEA boxes to be unpacked and assembled and a room full of "stuff" to be put back.  Oh, and the odd three and a half thousand CDs to be sorted and put away.  The fun awaits!