The very, very first single pink almond blossom opened its petals on Monday last week, and there has been a slow progression of blooms awakening each day since (it’s probably about half-way towards full flower as I write). The almond tree is my harbinger of spring; the very first sign that things are stirring… 

While the long view from the kitchen verandah is a daily thrill in these last days of winter, the contrast of simple pink blossom against the rusty old tin roof of the Hayshed is a vision I truly look forward to each year.  Its presence is fleeting, ephemeral and all the more precious because of it.  What a sweet introduction to the season that lies ahead….