Port Meadow in Spring

Look! The sun is shining! The skies have been bright blue and the temperature in the 70’s (low 20’s C) for a whole week. As you can tell from the lush green foliage, this is not common for England. It makes you want to roll in the buttercups . . .

. . . or row along the Thames/Isis.

Greylag geese are out with a fuzzy gaggle of goslings (count those g’s!)

The young adult swans are showing off their bright new feathers.

The cattle are young enough to be very curious. They buddy up as if missing their moms.

The horses and ponies wintered in Port Meadow, but the cattle didn’t join them until the end of April.


Can you believe that is basically the same view of Port Meadow?

Everything is blooming. The wisteria look lovely by St. Mary’s. The steeple stands out against the perfect blue sky.

I had planned to blog about Merton College, but that will have to wait for another week. When the sun shines on the British Isles, you must get out and enjoy it. After dinner there is still light to stroll along the river.

On days like today, I can’t bear the thought of leaving Oxford. These hours spent working on my novels and walking in Port Meadow have been the best writer’s retreat. In the remaining 2 months of this blissful sabbatical, I’ll have to break my hermitage. I have more material to collect for my English novel, and friends to see before going back home to Maine.

There is still plenty of Oxford to explore although it already feels like a second home. My posts will get longer again as rain is in the forecast. This evening I’ll sit by the river for sundowners and enjoy it while it lasts.