Discord

It’s been a cold winter in Southern England. We haven’t had the heavy snows of Scotland, nor the really cold temperatures, but for us, it’s been a long cold one. Funnily, it’s also been a rather dry one it feels.

I’m sitting on a hill on the side of Salisbury plain, for now we’ll call it hill A. Looking down towards Salisbury the fields are a gently undulating ocean of caramac coloured squares. A Butterscotch Angel Delight patchwork, stretching towards the oppressive power symbol of the spire dominating the landscape.

Because of the cold the grass isn’t green this year, the only colour is showing in small patches, like 5 o’clock shadow on the incredible hulk. A light green stubble on the cheeks of the plain.

If I was to drift off, down onto the banks of the Nadder I’d find it running well, but not as high as I’d hope for the time of year. I’d find the snowdrops just slightly past their best. Their heads drooping like a snoozy dad after sunday lunch (sorry dad). No sign of Daffodils here yet although for information purposes I did notice them poking out at Barrington Court on Thursday. All green, waxy leaved and vibrant. Defying the cold, papery flower covers just starting to turn a golden green. For the web nerd’s amongst you that’s #CCFF99.

As an angler this time of year is a time of discord to me. No, not the annual harping on about wet fly Vs dry fly that seems to take a choke hold on fly fishing forums at this point of the year. The expectations of a new season have firmly been planted in my head, the odd ten degree day has made me feel excited and given me a spring in my step. However, the world hasn’t caught up with that enthusiasm, winter’s not quite done with us I fear. There’s a blackthorn frost yet to come.

It’s that itchy, ‘come on spring’ feeling, especially after a year without going to the mountains. It’s a discordant ‘KLANG’ in the happy song of spring already playing in my head. It’s the impatience of knowing the new season is only weeks away.

~ malcolm

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 20th, 2010 at 7:36 am and is filed under The Diary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.