Still, overcast & warm. A very few drops of rain in the afternoon. Tulips, forgetmenots° & wallflowers coming out. Fruits forming on currants & gooseberries. Plum & pear blossom full out (very late – about 3 weeks later than ordinary years). Rooks sitting on nests. Field beans well up. Planted 1 score cauliflowers (small kind I think.)
13 eggs (collected about 3pm.).
Orwell Diaries 1938-1942 
Interesting re-reading of ‘Animal Farm’ (new edition being published) at http://tinyurl.com/y5evfch – so much of which is based on his knowledge of the countryside & understanding of animals.
It is also based on a knowledge of Marx and Russia history that his old Communist enemies wanted to deny he ever had. A fatal piece of self-delusion.
Interesting. The Commies thought that Orwell didn’t know what he was talking about.
1: “Here’s a photo of you.”
2: “No, it’s not.”