_After last year's severe winter it's wonderful to be able to get into the wood much earlier this year and start planning the wildwood experience weekends. Two of us did a recce the other day and, after all the dark, dull days of December, it was like glugging a whole bottle of magic tonic! The sun was shining, the chaffinches and great tits were weaving their way in and out of the branches and the Home Glade was looking beautiful. We sat and listened to the burn and the birds making music together: I could feel my whole self going 'Aaaaahhhhhh!!!'.
The most vivid green in the wood at the moment comes courtesy of the stunning range of mosses, growing on stumps and fallen boughs. There's a whole micro-world in there that I can get completely absorbed in...and the lichens are incredible too.

_It was clear that even in this sheltered woodland glen, this winter's winds must have been ferocious. The first job we're going to need to tackle is removing the tree that has fallen across the fire circle. I was rather glad to see it had come down because it was the only one I'd had concerns about, for that very reason!  When we cleared the Home Glade, we made it large enough to let plenty of sunlight in and now, almost two years on, it's fascinating to see how it's greened up. We now have grass taking over in the centre, with clumps of foxglove establishing, but on the edges there is wood sorrel and dog violet already pushing through. Down on the beech path the tips of the bluebells are appearing everywhere...come late April they should be starting to flower. Wow!