Happy Monday

Monday March 31st, 2025

Imagine my joy on waking up this Monday morning at seven o clock

When I lifted the blind the morning sun. was beaming in the window

It was great grass cutting and woodland walking day.

After breakfast the grass was deemed too wet for cutting

So, I postponed that operation and headed for the woods

When I parked up in the main carpark the Horse Chestnut Walk beckoned

Last week I observed the large red sticky horse chestnut buds

Today, just one week later, bright green leaves are emerging

Each leaf is displaying seven leaflets radiating out from a central stem

Can you just imagine this beautiful scene in your mind’s eye

And visualise the vibrancy in the woods today

With the warm, bright sun beaming down through the emerging leaves

Casting down patches of light on our path as we strolled

The soft green sycamore leaves are everywhere

In the shape of a large hand with outstretched fingers

I strutted along this magical walk to the accompaniment of chirping birds

As I strolled, I noticed lots of elder flower leaves emerging

Activating my taste buds with the thoughts of elder flower summer wine

The seating area around the pre–Christian Old Cross of Kilbride beckons

And so, I sit down and observe the lovely terrain here

Having rested my limbs, I readied myself for the steep descent to the river

This is really a treasury of nature with a fantastic display of scaly male ferns

They all have brownish scaled leaves and are very decorative

In this damp territory the Rhododendrons were also beginning to flower

I stroll past the 1847 Ballinatray Viaduct with the river flowing underneath

I am now down at the riverbank where the cow parsley is thriving

I love this plant with its lace like flowers so loved by bees and butterflies

Equal, if not surpassing it in elegance were the perennial wood anenomies

With their beautiful, charming daisy like flowers

The early dog violets were more prominent this week

The holly bush leaves looked so shiny today as if someone had polished them

The briars too are beginning to edge their way on to the paths

While everywhere in these woods the wild garlic abounds

I am now walking along the banks of the Ounavarra River

It has a nice smooth steady flow today as it meanders down to the sea

It splashes lightly against small pebbles and rocks on the riverbed

Creating little ripples and a most relaxing, beautiful soothing sound

The whole place has an ethereal magical quality about it

I dally a while and sit on that lovely riverside bench for a chat with a friend

We listen to the sounds of the river and watch a little robin flitting about

As we rest under the very imposing tree “The Great Cedar of Lebanon”

Meanwhile the ever-present pungent garlic smells fill my   nostrils

As I make my way around Courtown Woods on a glorious last day in March 2025.