A spring in my step [to read click on the script]

It was Saturday March 29th, 2025

The weather was bitterly cold and damp

When I ventured outside for my morning stroll

To clock up part of my 10000-step daily routine

Courtown woods trail was my preferred route today

I dressed up well in my winter weather attire

With warm jumper, gilet and hooded raincoat

Adorning my head with fleece lined woolly hat

Padded woollen gloves were added to keep my hands warm

 I was suitably attired for the prevailing weather

And started striding back the Burrow Road at a lively pace

Meeting and greeting several chilled-out walkers and joggers

The weather was cold but was exhilaratingly fresh

White thorns glowed with their emerging greenness

The undergrowth in the surrounding woods was truly beautiful

It was a blanket of white wild garlic flowers

While the air was full of that fresh unique garlic smell

The unfriendly stinging nettles were emerging in generous numbers

While my good friends, the dandelions or piss in the beds

Were adorning the paths with their yellow flowers

Yes, nature was really jumping into life

Despite the inclement windy cold wet weather.

As I had reached the Burrow carpark

It was time to cross the bridge and walk along the woodland trail

Conditions underfoot were dry and solid

It was ideal woodland walking weather

With perfect peace except for some birds singing in the trees

They were full of energy and excitement in their mating season

The seagulls too were quite raucous and angry

In their mad search for food during their mating season

I followed the woodland trail back towards Dodds Rocks

There was a great reawakening of nature all around

I noted an abundance of common gorse

Providing a bright yellow glow to the woodland area

It was just a privilege to be in the middle of this orgy of yellow

The common primrose had bunches of flowers at every edge

Displaying some lovely pale cream colours

I noted the field mustard plants with their delicate ornate flowers

Supported by their equally delicate green stems and leaves

The lesser celandines created a very fine ground cover

Providing a comfortable bed for their tiny little yellow flowers

In between these bursts of yellow I noted the early dog violets

They added further colour with their light blue flowers

In addition, the sycamores had their full complement of leaves on display

While all the other trees and bushes were ready to pop open

I was privileged to walk in the ancient woods of Courtown today

Being a witness to another active show of nature prepping up

For another year in the life of the ancient Baile na Cúirte woods.