During the long winter we have just had, I was travelling down to West Country and heard a Radio 4 programme about Edward Thomas. He wrote a book called "In Pursuit of Spring".  This was Easter this year, but we were still in pursuit of Spring.  There were lots of snowdrops and primroses about but the cold was still biting.  "Winter may rise up through mould alive with violets and primroses and daffodils, but when cowslips and bluebells have grown over his grave, he cannot rise again". (Edward Thomas).

At Kilve, where I picked up this blackthorn root, the winter, which I thought had retreated, came back with a vengeance!  The twig had been washed down by the river and had tangled itself up with some seaweed.  I drew it and added the cut out, drawn flower to offer hope to a wintery drawing.  I have named this "In Pursuit of Spring" both as a homage to Edward Thomas and because at that time, in late March 2013, we were desperate for sunshine on our sallow, white skin!

A couple of weeks later we were at Middle Hope.  Spring had arrived at last. We walked along in the long awaited sunshine and looked over the Severn Estuary, which was unusually blue.