Imbolc Musings

Imbolc was a beautiful day here in West Wales. It started off a bit dull & murky, but by afternoon the sun had broken through and it was bright and more surprisingly, warm. Positively shirt-sleeves weather. They don't have groundhogs here in Wales, but if they did the groundhogs would not only have been able to see their shadows but they would probably have been wearing knotted hankies on their heads and rolling up their trouser legs.

Global warming certainly seems a reality on a day like this, albeit not a harsh one.

After cleaning out the chooks, I took a stroll down the hill to look at my bees, and they were out in force enjoying the balmy weather. There's really not that much bee fodder available this early, even though it has been an extraordinarily mild winter, so I was relieved to see them making full use of the gorse blossom near their hive. The snowdrops haven't yet opened, but there are daffodils in the bottom of the hedge that are nearly out, and on the way back to the house I found a clump of crocuses opening wide smiling faces to the sun.

I'm always happy to see the first signs of spring but under my happiness there is a little shiver of apprehension. This isn't the way it's supposed to be.

Yet while it's mild and sunny and the weather's not extreme, there's a great temptation to just enjoy it. And the bees seem content.