Snowdrops at Welford (part 2)

Here are some words from Proverbs 3:5

‘ Don’t be wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It will be healthy for your stomach and good for the marrow in your bones.’ ( My wording but interesting as it is.)

Come with me a while to where we were yesterday, Welford.

She crossed the road as the steward stopped a car.

‘ Are there snowdrops this year?’ She asked.

I smiled as I was leaving Welford and let the steward answer.

‘ Plenty,’ he said his breath a puff of white. 

‘ One time I came and they had been eaten! Do you think the white tent will still have food being served? Or will they have run out?’

I didn’t await the answer. Roy had looked and knew of two good pubs. No queue for us. That big white tent, the one they used for the British Bake Off, was really full.

But my thoughts were : What would eat the snow drops? Mice, squirrels, birds, and insects. The swift moth lays its eggs on the flower, and their larvae will eat until the plant disappears, I found out.

We had stood where she would stand. The ‘ahs’ and ‘lovely, lovely’ well earned by the gentle snowdrops thick. But then someone said ‘ look at the trees’!

I looked and then looked  again at what I had captured when I got home. The Beech were tall, with branches spread high up, so with a little research found, they must be Beech Fagus, which can live to 350 years, though 250 is more typical!

What else was there?

Six trees with misiltoe, viscum album, gaining some of their water and nutrients from the trees.

Misiltoe will not kill the tree, but branches may die as a result of misiltoe infection.

There were also bright yellow weaving its way between the white, aconite with six petals on each flower, and yellow anthers. I first thought it was celandine, but that has heart-shaped leaves with 8-12  petals.

I enjoyed looking at the trees, and here is how I saw them in the cold grey of a February day.

Take care,

Sandy 🙂