January is doing what January does - mostly it is cold, sometimes it is wet too. Anticyclones at this time of year tend to mean that any moist air is trapped at low levels giving annoying, thin cloud, mist and fog, and if the air is dry, you can see for miles but it is jolly cold. We've been having a bit of both of those, and quite frankly I am fed up with having cold feet, even when wearing my fleecy socks. But the views can be lovely!
There are of course the hints that spring will happen - birds have been incredibly noisy the last week, and today there were woodpeckers hammering morse code messages to each other, and a thrush dealing with the last of the walnuts and any snails it can find. Looking down there are many orchid rosettes appearing - they won't all flower this year, but the corms will be building resources - as well as timid snowdrops and the early signs of the swathes of narcissus that will adorn the top of the Meadow in a few weeks' time. At the other end of the scale, cyclamen corms are rebuilding their strength after a prolific flowering season in the autumn, but the leaves will start to fade as the spring bulbs take over.
The trail camera has moved and last Sunday, after I had been and downloaded images, there was deer activity.
This is a particularly cheeky shot!
The badger is also out and about, but only at night!
Finally, there was also a boar and a fox doing the rounds.
The past week has also been Truffle Week, but with a few more meals to go, I will save a recipe by recipe account of 100g of best black truffle for next week.
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