yesterday I had a biscuit firing - the first for three months. I got up early to snow covered roofs and garden, and my ascent onto the kiln shed roof to open up the flue and insert the heavy iron sheeting chimney was a little perilous - it was wet and slippery.

the snow was already melting although we had more later mixed with hail showers. this is the damson blossom with melting snow.

I hope this weather doesn’t spoil the chance of fruit. self-sown wallflowers are already out next to the kiln shed door - its a favoured south-facing spot.

I took some photos of the less exciting wild flowers at the weekend, what I call bird’s eye speedwell along the edge of the wheat field, but I find is common field speedwell, introduced from western Asia early in the 19th century.

yellow stars of celandines on the road verge

clumps of red dead nettle in the banks under the hedge

bugle, which is found deep in oak woods but here is in the hedgerow under overhanging hollies.