On hearing the first cuckoo in Spring

I awoke to a beautiful morning - blue sky, lots of sunshine, birds singing. Of a sudden, that familiar call, that unfailing harbinger of spring, better weather and the time to enjoy the pleasures of the out-of-doors rang out. That squawk that quack, that slamming shut of the window that indicates the barking mad neighbour has bestirred her from her winter torpor.

Oh, joy.

Actually, when we first moved here, there were a great many cuckoos (the real sort). From mid-May, rather later than in the south of England, their calls rang all around the valley, and if we went for a walk in one particular direction, we could almost certainly be guaranteed to see one, and very often several, which isn't so usual. Nowadays, if we hear the odd half-hearted "cuck" we consider ourselves lucky. No idea if it is the weather here or in Africa, or something to do with farming practices, or what, but there is a noticeable difference.

However. How about on sighting the first slug of Spring? Nah, not got the same enchantment to it, but none the less, there was one outside on the path this morning. Squashed, praise be, maybe the DSM got it on his way to the car. And considering that it is turning very chilly, indeed, we have just had a brisk hailstorm, what a silly slug to go a-wandering.

So, all my jauntings are over for a week or two - rounded off a ehctic week with a lovely evening out up near Ripon having dinner with Oldest Best Friend and partner, which was tiring but good. The DSM was in work yesterday, and should be now until Friday, but as he has another work-derived cold, may take to his couch again. I Do Hope I Do Not Get It. I do have a talk to give to the local WI on Wednesday, but that shouldn't be too arduous or dramatic. This means that I can turn my attentions to fibre again.

The crochet jacket. Is definitely going to be ripped, and knitted. I want to spend some time playing around with that this afternoon. Plus, I have spinning withdrawal symptoms. I have a quick and dirty batch of merino mixed with something nearly finished as singles, the plying to do, and then back to the Carolina Homespun SOAR mix from last year, which is spinning up nicely. But I am maybe feeling like....fleece. I have plenty, after all.

Let's see what the weather does.