We had a mini summer yesterday.  A cloudless blue sky with just a hint of haze over the hills and fells, almost no breeze and warm sunshine made it feel more like June than March.  It looks like a repeat performance today.  Such a contrast to the cold snowy winter we have had this year and a real boost to early season fishing.

Work has begun on the new passing places in the lane up to the Tarn.  My guess is that these will be of limited use when attempting to pass timber waggons as they are being constructed within the curtilage of the lane and are probably far too narrow to give adequate clearance between anything larger than a mini and a truck.  We shall see.  There is still no news about a definite start date for timber extraction.  It sems that Tillhill are waiting for the waggon to be prepared and the road works in the forrest to be finished before commencing extraction.  I will take a look today to see if work has begun on the parking area at the Tarn which has been agreed in principle with North Yorkshire Highways.  The plan was for Tillhill to attend to this at the same time as they constructed the new passing places.

The swans on te Tarn should begin nesting soon.  It's heartnening to see how they persist year after year to raise a brood of cygnets despite frequent predation.  You will recall that last year was aparticular disaster so let's hope that 2009 is a more successful year for them.

The curlew are now here in abundance and whist working in the garden yesterday their plaintive call was a constant soundtract to the rather agreeable work of clearing winter debris and generally tidying up.  Signs of spring are everywhere.  Crocuses seem to be having a good year and their delicate blooms have survived very well in the absence of heavy rain and strong winds.  The snow drops are now going over, but have given us a splendid display for weeks now.  Daffs are in bud with full bloom on the minitures that blanket the verge coming into Newhouses.

It all helps to lift the spirits in these times of economic gloom. 

Ian