Although I've not shared the updates here I've still popped along each month to see how "my" tree - the Paulownia Tomentosa - has been doing. In truth, it hasn't been doing much at all since my last update in November, so there's been very little to share. It seems once it lost its leaves it shut down for winter. However earlier this week on one of those blue-skyed days I decided to have a walk to see how it was getting on.

As I approached I knew this visit would be more promising when I spotted the Camelias already in bloom, there were loads of them. Ours is traditionally late and this year is no different, so I've a while to wait before I experience these beauties closer to home.

The rhododendrons were also getting read to turn the walkway into a blaze of colour. Despite the sun the walkway was mostly in shade from the nearby buildings but just where my tree is there's a burst of sunlight. The tree which hasn't changed in the last month and was, I like to think relishing the sun as much as me. I think seeing its branches against the oh-so-blue sky has to be one of the most uplifting pictures so far this year.

The trees nearby had masses of crocuses growing underneath them, but not mine. It's just plain, well at this time of year anyway and later in the year nothing much will grow beneath its canopy anyway.

As I was photographing the crocuses I got chatting to a member of the College staff and I asked about the white painted wooden horse I'd spotted from the road, and if it was a memorial to WW1. It is and as well as the horse, there's a limber and a soldier too which I couldn't work out from the road. You can just see them in the shot below, the horse is on the right of the picture, sorry but this is the best my iPhone could do from a distance.