I love occasions that mark the course of a year and enable me to re-connect with nature. These waymarks in the cycle of a year give life a different and perhaps more relevant rhythm. The beautiful sounding Candlemas is a Christian festival that is celebrated on 2 February but its origins go back to the much older Feast of Lights, a pre-spring celebration to prepare for new life.

Spring really is upon us now. The garden is colourful and lush and teeming with life.

It struck me when I put down the first cup of coffee the other morning that something had changed fundamentally.

Bark, beautiful to touch, on tree cuttings fashioned into a log pile in my garden – A photograph for the day.

Yesterday’s showers have disappeared. Today’s morning dew and sun promise the summer.

The changes in nature, in Grace’s life and Alex B.’s career.

The April showers arrived as promptly as their month this year.

An exciting, new visitor to the garden.

A late March weekend in my garden at the time of year when the memories of autumn have not yet faded completely and spring is still hesitant about its own arrival.

The pair of ducks that come to our garden every spring are pedantic about their routine, which is an improvement on our cats, who are pedantic about our routine.