The Greater Spotted Woodpecker was hammering away this morning-apparently a sure sign of spring. He may be a bit premature but given the gorgeous sunny day we are enjoying he may be right to be optimistic. The wife has asked for more publicity for her favourite pre-Spring growing things-she feels an earlier post did not do her snowdrops justice. According to an item I half heard from Woman's Hour when returning from golf at Duns those who have a deep love for Snowdrops are Galanthaphiles. I don't suppose many people know that. And she is especially pleased with the other growth pictured above but its name constantly eludes me-but no doubt cognescenti will identify it from the image. *

The VND was again in the car park as we finished our round. But he was silent. No noisy revelations about the secret of golf. It may have of course been the effect of the weather-and on returning home I met no cars on the previously congested roads around Lesbianwitches. Could there be a connection between glorious sunshine, VND's reticence and no traffic on the roads? The best brains in the Hutton Think Tank are looking into it. Their ongoing investigation into the correlation between slurry and rural smells is currently on hold as their olfactory specialist has a bad cold.

* Hellebore apparently  ¶ 11:36 AM