Remember this?

While trying to find a photograph of the beginning of our renovation project I stopped scrolling and sighed at the sight of a shady part of the garden. Shady . . . sheltering from the sun. Difficult to imagine at the end of January when the sun seems to have been covered by dull blankets of grey for some days now. I'm not complaining. I like winter with all its melancholic landscapes of skeletal trees, the layering of clothes before venturing out - or in fact staying in - our heating is very minimal; wood fires, soup, brisk walks, etc... but I would be quite happy to time-travel back to that point of tea under the apple tree for a few minutes. Still, signs of spring are well established in the garden - daffodils and snowdrops in abundance, birds establishing territory for nesting and the days stealthily lengthening.