Bluebell Appreciation

I absolutely love and adore this time of year when Spring is in full throttle and there might even be some teensy whiffs of early Summer in the air. The days are long and light and the trees are slowly starting to green up again after their sleep. It's all so uplifting and beautiful out there!

A trip to Bolton Abbey to take in the bluebells has become something of a May-must-do for us, and despite the long winter and slow start to Spring the bluebells have arrived pretty much bang on time this year.

Over the years, I've noticed that not one member of my family appears to care much about whether bluebells are flowering or not. They don't arrive at the start of May with Bluebell Anticipation at the forefront of their minds like I do.

Year after year they look completely baffled when I tell them it's Bluebell Time and therefore it is completely imperative that we go forth into the woodland to Appreciate them.

They are happy enough to indulge me though, and on Saturday we did indeed take a beautiful stroll through the woodland to breathe in the scent of wild garlic and the incredible shades of bluebell blue.

As in previous years I manage to achieve walking harmony by having a large bar of milk chocolate in my bag, and delivering a firm promise of refreshments in the cafe afterwards. I promised all sorts of fizzy drinks and sweet treats, and do you know what? We enjoyed a really peaceful stroll with only the minimum of stick fighting and associated tantrums. Boys eh, the stick thing is only to be expected. 

Walking along this quiet pathway through the trees gave  me such a jolt of happiness, and made me so glad that we made the effort to get out there amongst it all.

It's not always easy for us to walk as a family of five these days, but gentle persistence (along with edible bribery) does indeed pay off. It was such a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning.

I love bluebells. I love May. Happy me.

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Comments

[Jacqui]

It's strange that as children, we don't always appreciate the wonderful things we experience due to the persistence of our parents. But later, as adults, we too start to revisit those same delights, and introduce our own children to them.

[Denise]

Amazing, we were in Forestville State Park, that's in Minnesota USA and we saw bluebells also. The forest floor was flooded with them. We also saw Phlox and violets. Love to read of your outings and your color adventures.

[Bronwyn]

As I awake at the top of Australia, sweating and cursing the heat,l find a bluebell post to brighten my day, help me get over my sleepless night and long to visit your cool temperate beautiful home

[Margaret Simpson]

Oh! Lucy, you brought back happy memories for me. Love bluebells and have 'saved' a couple of the photo's to my iPad and phone. Thank you so much for sharing your walk. 💕🇦🇺

[Jen]

Someday your children will remember this time because you made it special. I remember my mother's obsession with her iris and fuschias, neither of which do well for me. I look forward to the California poppies, and my youngest son remembers those.

[Susan Smith]

Oh, so beautiful Lucy. I have a bluebell wood pic on my desktop page at the moment, though we are in the leadup to winter. Were refreshments in the cafe overlooking the abbey? Have a good week and take care.

[Claire]

That first photo, the wind of the path, is SO enticing! And that's before you even get a hint of a bluebell!

[L'Empreinte de l'Ange]

I love them too. I can't write a lot in english, but I read you often. Thank you for your wonderfull world, that give me so much happyness ! Vernal thoughts of France
L'Empreinte de l'Ange

[CJ]

The bluebells are absolutely perfect at the moment aren't they. I totally understand your enjoyment of them, I'm always waiting for them to peak. I understand the boys with sticks thing as well! I have a large collection of wand-sized sticks that I confiscate when the come indoors. CJ xx

[Gracie]

Lucy, I dare to think, from my 65 year old perspective, that one day you may well be rewarded, for your investment now, with adult children who will startle you with fond remembrances of Bluebell Times. In my case my adult children reward (and tease me) with "See the pretty mountain!" Something I could not help exclaim frequently when seeing a Catskill Mountain while driving across the bridge into Saugerties Village in upstate NY :) xx

[Annie Chermak]

Enjoy . . . teenager apathy happens all too quickly!! I'm pretty much alone in my springtime flower peeping, too!

[Anita walters]

My front garden is covered in wild primrose and celandine at the moment,I can never cut the grass in May because it's full of flowers 😀

[Hazel c uk]

I live about an hour by public transport to Kew Gardens and visit a lot last week the bluebells were at their best, the tulips were just going over so I wonder what will be next.
I took my cosy stripe blanket and managed a couple of rows". Oh I am enjoying this project.
Hazel c uk

[Elsie Pop]

I can smell those bluebells from here! They're my favourite - we are lucky enough to get them in our garden every year, and so far it's stopped me sorting out our flower beds for 3 years - I don't want to lose them!! xx

[Little Quiltsong]

Beautiful pictures!! Love the flowers and wooded trails. Lily of the Valley is another favorite of mine in May, but it is usually late around here!

[Steph]

We enjoyed the blue bells at the Lost Gardens of Heligan last week. Stupendous! Not just blue bells, but tiny violets, celandine, wild garlic and primroses. So uplifting. X

[Sue Hockley]

We have just done our Bluebell visit, down here in beautiful Dorset. Both of us were completely blown away by the display. I love it!

[josiekitten]

We walked through the bluebell woods in Norfolk on Saturday morning and were transported into a magical, almost fairytale world. Heavenly!

[Tita]

You are back!
It's so nice to read you again, specially with such wonderful pictures.
Here's a fan from far far away (Chile if you can beleive it)
Hugs!

[Kimmy]

Just LOVE seeing your Bluebell pictures. They will grow where I live (San Francisco Bay Area), but don't do very well due to summers that are way too hot. And every year, it seems to get hotter. Thanks for sharing!

[Therese Prince]

Thank you for sharing this...we have 3 sites locally to us that are Bluebell Heaven and we have just visited them all this week here in Devon, Bluebell Fest ! Absolutely love them and so fortunately do all the family who all live abroad. Loads and loads of pictures sent to them all.....x

[Andy]

Many happy memories with my little rescue dog running through the local woods in Sussex in May...as you say, a field of Blue. Happy man, Happy Dog. RIP Harvey.

[Claire]

I thought about you yesterday when we (me hubby and 4 of our 5) went to Hardcastle Crags, near Hebden Bridge. (Not a million miles from you). The bluebells there were stunning. It is a lovely place if you've never been. Babbling stream, stepping stones, superb views, woodland etc. and a NT cafe!

[Angela-Southern USA]

So very lovely and not to be missed in my opinion either! Wish we had that here! We're a bit further along in the season, grillin' season here. We roasted hot dogs and had S'mores around the fire last light and listened to the night birds and frogs sing. Enjoy the coming warmth!

[crafty mema]

thanks for a wonderful stroll
oxoxox crafty mema