Yesterday whilst in Worcester I walked down to see the flood levels which had reached record highs on the River Severn. Many roads were closed to traffic in the town centre and every street had fluorescent clad figures helping the emergency services to evacuate locals and assist people to go about their daily lives.
Even so, the City was eerily quiet and unusually the smell of ozone was in the air, odd given that it is many miles from the sea!
Disoriented local!
Flood waters in town have exceeded the level seen in 1795
Watery Riverside Walk
Even a BBC umbrella was abandoned by a TV presenter!
With day after day of more flooding reports and weather alerts on the news, by now most of us have had enough of this prolonged wet and windy winter, but as the days lengthen there are signs that spring is not far away…
The sunshine this morning prompted me to take a short walk around the lanes nearby making a nice change from my usual walks on country paths which are either under water or knee deep in mud!
Today the level of the water in the Bow Brook which runs through the village was as I expected very high as it makes its way downstream to add to the problems in Worcester.
But on the banks were some signs that spring is coming…
Male Alder catkins begin to disperse their pollen to the winds
Blue skies for a change!
Clumps of snowdrops alongside the verges
How true…
On reaching the ford as usual in such conditions, the road was flooded, the old pack horse bridge although still visible…sometimes is completely submerged!
Old pack horse bridge at Shell Ford
Old oak tree with buds beginning to show
Hazel catkins
Spring is not too far away now hopefully as evidenced by the primroses but, having just looked at the forecast, more gales and rain are set to batter the country yet again tomorrow…we are not out of the woods just yet!
Away from the Drawing Board 
WOW. What a difference a day makes. As you say the floods in Worcester were impressive yesterday and how refreshing that emergency teams and highways workers were all ready to exchange a friendly word with you. It’s amazing after the storms that anything dares to try and come out heralding Spring
A lovely reminder that Spring is on the way. Thanks for cheering me up.
Dear Anne
I do always enjoy and appreciate your pieces, full of interest and really splendid photographs. The pictures of Worcester are very affecting, poor people who have their homes and businesses ruined. I too have been seeing signs of spring, Hilary and I saw winter aconites as well as snowdrops, little iris and primroses and I have been spotting catkins for some time. Heartening isn’t it. Oh and I’ve seen both red and white dead nettle flowers. Your offerings beat the hell out of stories one hears about people going on about their drunken clubbing and carryings on on social networking sites. Give me nature and culture any day.
So thank you for having me on your circulation list.
We are so lucky around here, a couple of branches off shrubs and a tiny bit of mortar off our roof but no floods in our garden, our pump is working a treat.
Love from Barbara
Ps good to be seeing you at Chelsea
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