Frolicing in The Daffs

Animals and people were frolicing in the daffodils. Doesn't it really feel like spring now.

Crocuses

Crocuses and sun. Almost makes you want to get the picnic basket out.

A Walk in the Park

A beautiful day in London yesterday. It really feels like spring has arrived. Crocuses popping up everywhere, double digit temperature. Ditch the winter coat.

You still have a couple more days to enter the competition for tickets to the London Dungeon.

Preparing for Spring

Planting daffodils in preparation for Spring.

Easter Bunny

Giant bunny has appeared in Covent Garden. Created by the students of the Academy of Flowers using symbols of spring; moss,foliage and flowers.

More Spring

First signs of spring continue.

Snow Drops

The first signs of spring. I also spotted a couple of daffodils nearly ready to burst into flower yesterday.

Fearless Chicks

Baby Geese on the banks of Regent's Canal. No fear yet but with mum and dad nearby watching our every move they have every reason to feel safe.

In The Pink

London is fortunate to have large green spaces. More than most cities of comparable size. Boris Johnson, London's current mayor, wants it to be greener. During his election campaign he pledged 10,000 more trees would be planted if he was elected. 1,500 of those have been planted in recent weeks.
If only he could improve the tubes.

Basket upon Thames

Why is every town along the Thames referred to as 'upon Thames'? It's not on or upon it's next to. I can't find an explanation, maybe someone can direct me to the origins of this naming of places along the river.
The Thames Path is the walkway along side the Thames from the source in the Cotswold's travelling 184 miles (296 kms) to the Thames Barrier, just past Greenwich.
My walk this day was from Kingston to Richmond (about 5 miles). Either end easily reached by tube. This section is closer to Kingston and is the non-tidal part of the river. A mile or so from this section of the river is the Teddington Lock. The lowest lock on the river, it is the separation of the tidal and non-tidal part of the river.

As for basket upon Thames. It is soon to be the new home for the planned family of a couple of birds. Rightly called 'upon Thames' I reckon.

Daffodils

The parks, the banks of the Thames, everywhere there are green spaces there are thousands of daffodils.

The botanic name for these flowers is Narcissus. In Greek mythology the young Narcissus was so obsessed with his own reflection in the water he either fell in and drowned or died of starvation sitting there. Choose your version. Either way this is the flower that sprang up where he died.
Another story is the flower is named after its narcotic properties.
As I was wandering around taking pictures of daffodils I drove my walking companion nuts trying to remember the words to Wordsworth's poem.
Ha now you're trying to remember aren't you. I'll save you the angst. here it is:

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Change of Season

What a welcome back to London. Blue skies and blossoms.
A quick trip to the supermarket to fill the fridge. A change in veges and fruit. Lots of spring flowers.
It's nice to be back in my new home.