Tag Archives: spring

The Year of the Parsnip

Posted on April 25, 2021 by BarryH

This is the Year of the Ox, to be precise, the Year of the Metal Ox. It began on 12 February and replaced the Year of the Rat. At least for the Chinese. For me, 1 March marked the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Grey Britain, Health and humour, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Spring, Wales, Weather | Tagged cancelled flights, Covid-19, flowers, gardening, Greece, parsnips, psychology, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, spring, vegetables | Leave a comment

Greece: Symi spring

Posted on April 27, 2018 by BarryH

Having made the most of the snow in the unusually prolonged winter (the last blog post) my intended trip to Greece and Spring was brought forward by a few weeks. The sudden and unexpected death of a very good friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged air fares, Dragon Arum, Flora, flowers, Greece, lizards, Painted Dragon, spring, Symi, tortoises | Leave a comment

Wales, Brecon Beacons National Park: spring into winter

Posted on April 6, 2018 by BarryH

I promised more images of winter before spring eventually arrives and I headed for Greece. My intention had been to post more photos of snow in the Canadian Rockies but once again plans were changed by events. The real effect … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Pontypool, Wales, Winter | Tagged brecon beacons national park, climate change, global warming, Pontypool, snow, snowdrifts, spring, Wales, winter | 1 Comment

Symi: the island in colour

Posted on May 17, 2015 by BarryH

Most visitors to Symi come in the summer months. During the day they lie sweating in the sun coated in Factor 50 and then, showered and perfumed, in the evening sashay to the taverna or restaurant of choice. And have … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring | Tagged April, Flora, flora and fauna, Greece, photography, Scarce Swallowtail, spring, Symi, Turkish Ghecko | 1 Comment

From Grey Britain to Greek sunshine: looking forward

Posted on March 15, 2015 by BarryH

Into March now, in theory the beginning of spring. Despite the occasional day of sunshine it’s still mostly grey, wet and cold. Not much sign of the weather warming up significantly but my focus has shifted. I’ve reluctantly turned my … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Wales, Winter | Tagged Crocuses, daffodils, flowers, Greece, Large Tortoiseshell, photography, spring, Wales, winter | 2 Comments

Symi: walking through Spring colour

Posted on April 28, 2014 by BarryH

I have done a whole series of walks since I arrived on Symi more than two weeks ago. Some have been just a couple of hours and 3 or 4 miles, others longer. Most of them are through areas I … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Spring | Tagged cyclamen, Flora, flowers, Greece, orchids, poppies, spring, Symi | Leave a comment

Spring is sprung, the grass is riz ……!

Posted on March 10, 2014 by BarryH

The well-known poem*, often attributed to New York prolific writer of comic verse Ogden Nash but made famous, in the UK at least, by Spike Milligan when he wasn’t walking backwards to Christmas, reflects the lightness of mood when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Health and humour, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Pontypool, Spring, Wales | Tagged aeoniums, catkins, daffodils, Ogden Nash, plants, poetry, Pontypool Folly Tower, ramsons, rhubarb, rugby, Spike Milligan, spring, Spring is sprung, spring weather, wild garlic | 2 Comments

A Welsh Spring and clichés of violence

Posted on May 26, 2013 by BarryH

Back in Wales and spring has at last arrived. Before I left Arctic blasts whipped across the tops of the mountain ridges dumping snow and lowering temperatures so that buds stayed tight shut long past their usual seasonal opening time. … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Pontypool, Reflections, Spring, Wales | Tagged apples, bees, black currants, bluebells, brecon beacons national park, bud burst, cliches, coat of paint, environmental triggers, explosion, fruit production, leaves, oak, oak trees, Pontypool Folly Tower, riot of colour, spring, temperatures, trees, violence, Wales, winds, wire fencing | Leave a comment

Welsh Winter Walking: effects of Spring deferred

Posted on April 1, 2013 by BarryH

With overnight temperature yet again down to minus 4oC and afternoon highs still well short of double figures, the last day of March, Easter Sunday and, coincidentally, the first day of British Summer Time saw no real signs of Spring … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains, Pontypool, Spring, Wales, Winter | Tagged brecon beacons national park, Bristol Channel, Easter Sunday, midday sun, Mynydd Varteg, newborn lambs, snow, snow drifts, spring, winter, winter gloom, winter walking | Leave a comment

Spring surprise

Posted on March 24, 2013 by BarryH

After dismal weather since I got back from Canada my plans for summer travels in Greece are starting to take shape. Flights booked and looking forward to Easter on Kalymnos, then another trip by bus and train from Athens around … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Mountains, Pontypool, Spring, Wales, Winter | Tagged daffodils, equinox, Pontypool Folly Tower, siskins, snow, snowing on the mountain, spring, trees, winter | 1 Comment