Tightly coiled

Welcome to April's Photo Challenge. Can we say that Winter is finally behind us? I really hope so. I was asking for vital signs of Spring. And once again you have not let me down. Thank you so much for all your brilliant photographs; proving, once again, that Photo Challenge really is going from strength to strength. Historians among you may be interested in what we were doing this time last year, or even 2023 (when we were still very much in our infancy). Good to have you on board. 

As is traditional, Rol is first up. ''Here you go, John. These are all from my Spring folder and taken a long time ago - back when I still used a camera; the sheep shouldn't be in that field! Hope you're doing well, Rol.'' Thank you, Rol. One step forward two steps back at the moment.

Cee next: ''Hi John, lots of fresh shades of green and yellow out there, Spring is here at last but one of the most exciting things for me is seeing blue tits return to the nest box to breed. I couldn't capture a photo of them unfortunately but one pair have started to stake their claim on it again this year so when they left a bit of nesting material by the entrance hole it seemed like a sweet little symbol of Spring. Sending lots of best wishes, C x.'' Thank you, C. I'd love to see the pair of them.

Matthew, what have you got? ''Hi John, some early cherry blossom, Shimizu, Japan, 14 March 2025. And then signs of spring on shores of Loch Ryan, nearer home, 21 March 2025.  M x.'' Thanks, Matthew. Weather looks about the same in both.

Highbury's finest - Ernie: ''Hi John, I won't have the chance to explore my extensive Spring related archive before your deadline so all I can offer is this uninspiring effort taken on the way to the football the other day. Will try to do better next month, Ernie.'' Thank you, Ernesto.

Portuguese George: ''Hi John, I hope things are going well for you. Here you go - Broughty Ferry, when I was back 'home' a couple of weeks ago. It's not the greatest photo but it made me stop and appreciate a Scottish springtime. The second one is how I know spring is underway over here - I can start wearing shorts again! And the third is of some of our fava beans - everyone round here plants them in January and February, in time for picking the beans in spring (and we've already had some). Take care, John, and best wishes,  George (in the Alentejo Litoral).'' Cheers, George. Are knobbly knees contests a thing over there?

Walter in Germany: ''Hi John, before the challenge closes I'll send you some photos. For me, spring begins at the latest when the first daffodils start to bloom.. Another highlight are clear blue skies. Especially at one of my favourite places near the old city wall of my home town. Cheers and get well soon, Walter.'' Nice one, Walter.

Khayem in the Kotswolds: ''Hi John, daffodils are a sure sign that spring has arrived. I don’t think  the message had quite reached the platform at Stroud rail station the other week! Also, a bridal path not far from Casa K, circa 2021. If you live within 20 miles of Bristol, another sign of spring and warmer weather is the sight of a hot air balloon floating over your garden. 4) And spring inevitably means there’s work to do outside. Describing me as an amateur would be a kindness. Best wishes, K.'' Looks live you severed your own gloved hand, K.

Harry Harrington Harris has been out and about communing with nature.

''A swan returns to its regular pond.'' 

''Bulrush seeds on a Hawthorn bud.''

''Bulrushes in seed on a sunny morning.''

''The Blackthorn is out. A sure sign that Spring is round the corner.''

''Lesser celandine.''

''Dandelion.''

''More bloody shadows!'' Nice one, Harry. Yep, shadows everywhere.

Miss Turner (but no Alfie, alas) - ''Hi John, the first flower on our camelia bush.''

''A beautiful sky from the top of our road.''

''The first ladybird I've seen this year!'' Thank you, Miss Turner. More ladybird pics please!

Local lad, Pete Zab: ''Three pictures for you, John. The crocus is from St John's churchyard in Carrington, a large spread of them appears every year.''

''The daffodil is courtesy of my garden.'' 

 

''This blossom picture was taken in Woodthorpe Park, Nottingham. All the best, Pete.'' Good work, Pete.

David 'Coops' Cooper: ''Hi John, just the one from me this month - not sure where it was taken. (I’ll be honest struggled with this subject. Not many examples in my archive, this was the best of a bad bunch). David.'' Thanks, Coops.

Tim's got a few up his sleeve. ''Hi John, hope you are well. The sprouting of wild garlic in the woods near us. Hugely strong pungency game with this😉. Smells as well as views to indicate Spring is here.'' 

''Cornfields turning green.'' 

Some blue (why not) - beech trees reaching for the sky in the woods a short wander from us. Qualifying on the basis it was taken in March.

''The view down from Richmond Hill taken in Spring but reminding us it can still be blooming grey & miserable. The crow rather pleasingly added to this murky vista a treat.'' 

''A textbook Spring with a carpet of bluebells.'' 

''Beech and birch trees starting to leaf. I love this time of the year when the sun still gets through the small fresh green leaves giving us the hint of warmer times to come. All the best, Tim.'' A strong Spring game indeed, Tim.

Charity Chic and his legendary pot - ''Sadly this one popped up early and didn't make it.''

Kate - ''Vital signs of Spring at Malham Cove, Nr. Skipton.''

Yay, Johnny Legs is back! He calls this power trio ''Woodland Walks.''

Claire says ''Bees make honey!''

''Blue skies over Battersea.''

''Spring flowers.'' Thanks, Claire. Fantastic pics and lovely to see BPS basking in the Spring sun.

Swiss Adam has a brace - ''Hi John, two photos taken last week. Both showing the outburst of cherry blossom that has hit Manchester in the last couple of weeks. The daylight one was from an evening walk. The night-time one was in the rain on Whitworth Street last Saturday. Central Manchester in the dark when it's raining - how more Spring like can you get?'' Thank you, Adam. See if you recognise one of my Manc efforts below.

Alyson from the Highlands where I'd expect Spring to be at least four weeks later than the rest of the UK. ''Hi John, I'm attaching two photos of spring flowers from my garden: I like a bit of yellow at this time of year. Add a bit of lilac and just perfect. Tete-a-tete, montbretia and forsythia. Get well soon. Alyson x.'' Thank you, A.

Neil Abdo says 'Forget about the first cuckoo of Spring. What about the first burnt out car?''

 

Riggsby has a few words to say about his Southern Californian collection: ''Hi John, a big event in Spring in California is the blooming of wildflowers in the desert after winter rains. Jingyi took this pic one year when we went out to Lancaster in the Antelope Valley in the western Mojave Desert. The short, stunningly colourful period is quite a contrast in these areas, which for most of the year are dried-out brown (or, by some, also described as 'golden). At our current home in San Diego County, Spring is marked by the flowering of our Wisteria bushes. One of Jingyi’s friends comes and harvests some of the flowers and uses them to prepare the filling for flaky pastry flower cakes, which are often made with filling made from rose petals. Lastly, here's a picture of the blue sky. I took this as we were scrambling up Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona, at the beginning of March. The Sedona Valley elevation is about 4,000 feet. There were no wildflowers or much sign of new growth, and there were small patches of snow in some places. Sedona is said to have vortexes that facilitate spiritual healing.'' Cheers, Richard. You got a Pantone colour for that sky?!

And, finally, a couple of snaps from me to round things off. This one is from Green's Windmill & Science Centre in Sneinton in Nottingham. I'm sure the daffs were retreating from the cold when I took this a couple of weeks ago.

Likewise these brave souls at the base of a tree at Holme Pierrepoint white water rafting course. The sun may have been shining but it was blood thinningly cold.

I passed a house in Sherwood with no front garden the other day. However, these three pots were more than making up for it.

This is where fairground rides come to die. I found it in March 2021 during one of many lockdown rambles.

From a couple of years ago. Taken from a brutalist housing estate built in the 1960s, this glimpse thru the trees down to the city makes Nottingham just about visible.

When James lived in Levenshulme he lived not far from this house in Levy. It was taken in April a few years ago, but I guess it's always Spring on that painted elevation

Good work, people. May's Photo Challenge will be posted in the comments below in a few days. J x