I walk along the morning dark of the old rail bed to the meadow clearing. Here, unprotected by the canopy, the hoar frost has captured everything green and growing its icy grip. 

Under a protective oak, a frothy profusion of cow parsley plants have taken advantage of the mild weather we had last week.  The first few blurry flowers are making a brave exploratory gesture.  I clean my glasses, but the blur is still there and I suspect that each flower is outlined by a tiny fringe of ice crystals.

Cow parsley is so common that it’s easy to ignore but a study at the University of Padova could change that. The plant is a rich source of a compound that has anti-cancerous properties.