ABC Wednesday - Umbrageous

Umbrageous - shady or forming a shadow.  This path will not look like this now for we have had another three snow falls since this picture was taken in November.  Even though all the leaves have fallen the slanting winter light means that the

trees still throw their shade.  There is still lots more of winter to come and when we pass the shortest day the saying goes "as the days lengthen the cold strengthens",  brrr.  I hope not, temperatures have plummeted well below zero this month. But the world turns and soon Spring will arrive    

and those plants that thrive in umbrageous conditions such as bluebells

which this year appeared later than usual due an unusually lingering winter. Worth the wait.  A walk through woods at bluebell time is undeniably an onslaught of the senses of sight and smell.
Sometimes unexpected things can be found in the depths of the umbrageous forest

such as a megalithic tomb, Roche aux Fées, hidden in the middle of the woods near Essé in northern France. A large partitioned chamber and an entrance oriented roughly towards the rising sun of the winter solstice. Its purpose unknown and unfathomable to us, lost in time, but thousands of year ago later this month the sun would strike through to this wooded clearing illuminating the chamber.  Perhaps they left their dogs behind to guard the village
 

today they enjoy themselves going for walks and this one finds the tiniest of shade from the information sign which is giving a little bit of umbrage.  Interesting how words change. The noun, unlike the adjective, is hardly ever used in this way.  It is considered an archaic usage.  Nowadays one takes umbrage rather than finding it on a sunny day.

Undeniably more interesting words starting with U can be found at ABC Wednesday