It sort of marks the beginning

In the days when I had a real job instead of that as an itinerant photographer, I used to cycle past one house on my way to work each morning where the owners grew snowdrops.

In reality I hate snow and cold frosty mornings are not my favourite. On a scale of one to ten winter mornings score around minus 24 in my book. Other photographers wax lyrical about blue mists with frost hanging from every plant and tree. “Don’t you think it looks picturesque?” they say. I don’t like to disillusion them and say that I think it looks unattractive. It makes me want to curl up and sit by the fire.

However snowdrops to me were a signal. They gave me hope that the days of winter were numbered. First the green leaves, then the buds would break and delicate small white flowers would emerge.

So in a way I have quite a soft spot for snowdrops. In Norfolk there are a number of excellent places where they seem to flourish. Some pictures here were taken at Walsingham Abbey and the McNeil Wilsons of West Beckham allow me to visit their garden, where one may find not only delightful areas of snowdrops but also a number of rare varieties.

This week I have a mixture of different shots of the plants and a couple of imaginative creations for you. Perhaps the appearance of all these may signal to you that warmer days could be on hand.

Nevertheless the weather gentleman on telly this weekend disagrees

Put your boots and gloves on its going to get cold again.

Stay inside and stay warm.