Spring is coming

It wasn't so cold today. It probably got as high as about 18C outside, and this morning the sun shone for several hours. We enjoyed opening the windows and letting in some warmth and fresh air.

One of the first signs of spring is seeing almond blossom. It seems to arrive overnight, and although we don't have an almond tree, one of our neighbours does:


It's not so bitterly cold at night any more, either. 10C rather than 5C, but we still light the kerosene heater in the evenings and are still using a hot water bottle at night! The house temperature is about 12C when we get up, and that can feel distinctly chilly...