The message
from Sacha contains these words:

(snip)
Today was a 'softer' day, with a little rain and some sun and that, combined
with the blackbirds' muscle flexing and the sudden shooting up of snowdrops,
leads me to hope that spring really is thinking about getting here!

Next door has the first daffodils in flower ( a very small yellow
one, smaller than February Gold but larger than nminimus).

Blue sky and sun again, and a (different) dusting of snow on the nountains.

Janet