We drive from Strabane to Belfast
one sunny afternoon
and our route takes us
over the gentle, heather-clad slopes
of the Sperrins.

Our journey is bright and colourful
and it feels like there’s gold
everywhere!
Bright yellow dandelions
line the country roads
and hills are fringed
with amber gorse hedges,
resplendent in the spring sunshine.
A shady bank is carpeted
in primroses
and a yellow field of oil seed rape
shimmers
on a distant hillside.

Today is one of those
rare spring days
that has cloudless, blue skies
and all the warmth
of summer.

Lambs abound
on this sunny, spring day –
basking in the sun,
clambering over grassy banks
and frolicking in excitement.
A startled rabbit
bolts
in a field beside us.

Truly a golden, spring afternoon
spent driving
through the Sperrins –
thank You, Lord!

© Claire Murray, 20th April 2023