But anyway, here is my entry:
Almost Home!
Winter for me is about our family having fun together in the snow, then warming up in front of the wood burning stove whilst drinking hot chocolate.
The photo is First-born starting the long slog up our drive to our warm house and that hot chocolate - enough to make anyone smile! And, yes, the backpack was full - and quite heavy.
We had braved the elements yesterday (thermaled up to the eyeballs, naturally!) and walked and slid our way down to the local shop for in a (not very) epic expedition for emergency supplies ..... milk, eggs, crumpets and a trashy magazine! Needs must eh?!
Below is a photo of the topmost part of the very steep road down to the shop. The photo does not do justice to how steep this road actually is. We NEVER drive on it even in the Land Rover when there is any amount of ice or snow. It wiggles down the hill to the main road at the bottom - with no flat bit to stop any sliding before you get there!
A red cotoneaster hedge en route.
I have never seen our telephone wires so iced up!
I was going to enter this photo in the competition, but the other one made me smile more! :)
Ceefer cat is totally unimpressed by the snow!
The animal prints are actually on the ice on the pond.
I had to rescue the brassica cage before it broke this morning.
Last-Born and her friends built a new snowman yesterday as they had decided that the remains of the old one was just "too freaky"!
Is it just us that thinks he looks like a gargoyle?!
.....or maybe a left over angel from the 'Blink' episode of Dr.Who? Oh let David Tennant come rescue me with his sonic screwdriver and the Tardis!!!
44 comments:
So jealous of your snowman (the non-evil one!) ours just wouldn't roll at all, the snow was too powdery so I ended up scooping the snow and attempting to mould it into a snowman... Easier said than done!!!
Lovely photos, looks like you've enjoyed yourself in the snow... Argh and now I have to face it tonight. It is too much to wish for rain tonight to wash it all away???
Apparently it's not only in Sweden that we have a lot of snow now! I do love the pictures from your walk in the Dark Peaks. I must admit to being a bit jealous too - living in a rather flat part of Sweden we do not have such fantastic scenery. And the only way I could persuade my husband to go on a long walk is to put a little white golf ball in front of him...
I hope you'll win the January Picture Contest!
Wow, you have so much more snow than we do!!! I love the second photo even more than the first. I'm trying to put away my Xmas decorations and just have so many small things to wrap. Who's dumb idea was collecting all those again?! Oh, wait. That would be me. DOH!
Hi Liz - you hated your snow day then?! I must admit our snow has been pretty near perfect for snowman making and sledging - our drive is long, curved and ideal for sledging down ....hence the influx of teenagers yesterday!
Nope, sorry - you can't have rain tonight - we're all having too much fun! At least the buses are running again :)
Hi Irene - putting little white balls in front of your husband wouldn't be much use at the moment!!!
I've lived in flat places but my heart belongs in hilly places and we do have such gorgeous countryside around us here that I never want to live anywhere else ....even if I was cursing a bit as I huffed and puffed my way back up the hill!
Hi Monica - yes, it's great, I love it - and I got another snow day today too!The photo doesn't do justice to how steep that flippin' hill really is!
I cleared away all our decorations on Sunday. It always makes me sad as well as it taking forever to wrap everything safely back up again. Each year I swear I'm not going to buy any more decorations ...but I fail every time!
I didn't mind the snow day :)
No snowball fight though, himself is far too mardy to join in such games, and my brother didn't seem to be rising to the bait when I threw some at him, even when it went down his neck...
I think I'll keep the wellies handy for tomorrow to wear them to work :)
Fell over once, but at the time I was crouching down putting the snowman eyes and nose back in and slipped over on the icy snow... lol
There were some kids sledging down our road, I imagine Meersbrook park was chocker with them... I do miss living right by the park.
I like your entry very much, it made me smile too. But not as much as your cat's reaction! I have a cat that has the same opinion of that vile white stuff.
Good luck with your photo entry Liz.
Well, we had a smattering of snow today, took half an hour to cover 2 kilometres to get to the 'brico' store in Perigueux. Who says it's just the UK that comes to a stop 'cos of a bit of weather.
Looks like you're in for more snow Sunday according to the Met office.
Keep warm
Good luck with the photo competition! How ever you'll be doing there, I think you have qualified for becoming honorary Swedes. Such feeling for snow!
Hi Liz, Your photos are great - and I agree with you about your entry. I really like that first one.
Great days for staying indoors more often and drinking hot chocolate, etc. :-)
You sure are getting a lot of snow over there. Good luck on your photo entry, I think it's a great picture!
I love your entry!
AMAZING! Your photos are gorgeous as they're is just something about snow that makes everything look so fine.
Stay warm (is hot chocolate as "strong" as the drink gets? LOL)
Cheers,
Cameron
(heading out on vacation, but my blog will automatically post. I won't be commenting much for a week. Charm, the house and garden are under the good care of our son who can work on archaeology projects in cold winter.)
First day for me without a fever so I'm still pretty brain dead but I know enough to be thankful for the lack of snow here this winter. You're a crazy, brave pack of gnomes to be out trudging around in all that. I love the photo you picked to enter. I think it is gorgeous and says so much. I know I would vote for it. --the creepy snowman, not so much.
Hi everyone. It's now Thursday and I've got yet another snow day!!! Actually it should probably be an Ice Day as that's the real problem today. It's 9.45am and it's currently -5 according to our solar panel temperature monitor ...and that's with the sun on it!
Liz - tell himself to stop being such a mardy arse and get out there and have fun! He needs to connect with his inner 8 year old!!!
Hope you get to work and back safely - stay warm :)
Healingmagichands - hello and welcome. Thank you for your lovely comment too. I love the snow so I struggle to see it as vile, but Ceefer cat is not at all happy as he is an outdoor cat most of the time. Looking at the prints in the snow this morning, he only went out once overnight!
Hi Rob -I hope you went to the brico' to get grit for your drive?! It's reassuring to know that France can grind to a halt under a few flakes too!
We're forecast to get more dumped on us tonight ...Ruth is now whittling about getting back to uni this weekend! We've got a Land Rover ...why is she worried?! At least it's only Nottingham, not Edinburgh or somewhere like that:)
Take care in your snow!
Hi Camellia - I would be honoured to become an honorary Swede for my love of snow. Thank you so much!!!
Hi Shady - thanks. I'm glad you like the photo too. Don't know if the judges will but, hey, I'm happy with it!
I've got to brave the hill again today as we're almost out of milk and I need that hot chocolate!
Catherine - hi. Thanks. I'll let you know how I get on. The judging is at the end of the month I think.
Hi Melody and welcome to my blog. Thank you. I loved your photo too - and could just imagine Mr. Tumnus standing by that lamp post :) Good luck!
Hi Cameron, well its not been unknown for a little something to sneak into the hot chocolate to provide extra warming....! ;)
Have a great holiday and we'll see you when you get back.
Oh you poor thing LeSan - I did worry that you were still ill because blogland has been quiet without you my friend! Hopefully you'll be back to full fighting strength soon though.
Crazy? possibly, but I can't resist going out in the snow :)
You take care of yourself and don't try to rush back into being superwoman .....! (I know how you work remember!)
Hi.....gosh scary snowman.....prefer the new addition....although I have a feeling my grandson would love the gargoyle.....
Beautifully set of photographs....snow does add a magical element.
Oh those are great photos - you've got loads of the stuff now! You pic for the comp really captures the moment.
Great photos. I love the snowman. Ceefer does not look very impressed with the white stuff.
We are supposed to get snow tomorrow and everyone is hoping for FEET instead of inches - because that would give us a three day weekend! Beautiful photos!
Lovely pictures! Funny how snow looks so much lovelier when photographed in another place. I must admit that I can't wait until ours is gone for good.
Good luck in the photo contest!
I like the first photo with the gate wide open as if to say that you have found the road to the Spirit of the Season.
And the Snow on the Cage. Its like you have harvested the snow and Spirit of the Moment to be used at a later date.
And then cotoneaster berries in contrast to the snow fuses a world of colour with non colour. They have found each other.
It looks like you are very hard hit. Hope that this much snow is not doing too much damage to those poor plants.
Great shots.
Jen
Hey, my word verification "splat" isn't that the sound that melting snow makes?
Hi everyone - thanks for all your lovely comments about my photos. I'll let you know what happens!
Hi Cheryl. It was really quite weird with the first snowman as we weren't really aware of it happening - then I went to close the curtains at dusk and freaked at the gargoyle staring at me ...and I don't freak out easily!
Hi Rosie - we've got about 5 inches now with more forecast for tonight and Sunday - which is why I opted to take First-Born back to uni today rather than tomorrow! I'm feeling a bit fed up and flat now she's gone :( ... but a good snowstorm will work wonders on my mood!
Hi HM - it's a long time since Ceefer spent so much time inside! He's not happy with the snow and totally blames me!
Hi Shirley - I hope you get lots of snow!!! I've had a very lazy week with an unheard of THREE snow days!
Hi Thomas - Himself made a very similar comment about the snow in photos! He's ready for it to go now too, but he has a 40 mile round trip commute every day poor love!
Hi Bernie - what a lovely interpretation of the gates being open, thank you. I always leave them open as everyone is welcome at our house ....I also have to leave them open to stop teenagers splatting into them as they sledge down the drive!
Like you, I love the combination of red berries in a white world - it seems a very pure mix.
Hi Jen. It's the longest, coldest snowy period for 30 years! The whole of the UK is covered in at least 4 inches of snow, with many places have several feet.(it was quite an impressive satellite shot on the BBC news last night!). It has been well below 0 everywhere for days, with a Scottish village achieving -26.4 last night!!!
There are still many impassable roads - some very close to where I took the photos in the previous post. The worry now is that we may run out of grit - and this weather forecast to continue for at least another week. I'll count the cost of the the plants come spring, but I'm hoping that this much snow on top of them may actually protect them a bit.
I'm glad you like the photos - that means a lot coming from someone as skilled as you. Thank you!
'splat' ...I'll let you know when the snow melts! :)
Mr Uhilldowndale came back with the emergency rations, newspaper, milk and a cauliflower. I wanted chocolate, lots of chocolate
LOL at the Dr. Who reference. Your snow photos are so lovely, and the first one is charming. Good snowmen, btw, the carrot is a classic. For some reason, the girl hasn't wanted to make a snowman this year, only snowangels and a snow mound (I have no clue what that's about).
A cauliflower!!!! Not top of my list of emergency rations ...I'm with you on the chocolate! Even Kendal Mint Cake would have been better than a cauliflower :)
Hi Mr.Mcg's D! Oh I have loved David Tennant as Dr. Who - but the 'Blink' episode was seriously scary ...I went back to being about 7 and hiding behind a cushion!!! Did you see him and Patrick Stewart in 'Hamlet'on Boxing Day? Superb, we were transfixed!
A snow mound eh? Perhaps it's a prototype igloo! I love snow angels and we did make a few of those - but they popped up on a post last year, so I went with the snowmen :)
Keep on having fun in the snow!
Beautiful snowy pictures - your garden looks lovely in the winter, true test of a garden :)
The first picture is so evocative- it says winter, home, and welcome all at once.
Hi Ilona and welcome to my blog. Thank you so much for following it - it's always very reassuring when people do that as I'm always convinced that no-one would want to read me!!!
The garden is lovely even under several inches of snow! It's begining to thaw though - sadly!
Your 'Almost Home' is a winner! Anyone who has ever made such a trek or waited for a child who is trudging home will love that photo.
You are getting hit so very badly over in your neck of the woods and I fear that the thaw will not be as pleasant as the snow - but March and April will come and this will all be a beautiful memory, so it's a good thing you're taking all those lovely pictures.
Hi Rain. Thank you for visiting but, sadly I can't understand what you have written :)
Hi Pondside. I'm really glad you like the photo - it was a bit of a happy accident really! I'd stopped to take photos of the road (that wecouldn't see under the snow!) and Ruth carried on walking. I just happened to spot her and quickly took a couple of photos as she walked on unawares. We all loved the photo which is why I picked it :)
We're in the snow/thaw a bit/snow/thaw a bit cycle at the moment but more snow is forecast for this week. I'm okay in the Land Rover, but Himself hasn't been able to get the little Citroen more than 2 cars length beyond the gates for over a week now - and it's another 80 feet uphill to the house!!!
Mind you, I still love the snow :)
A great photo, Nutty, good luck! Your photos are beautiful, your photogenic neighborhood, a fairyland! We finally had a decent snowfall but not as lovely as yours. Looks and sounds like you are enjoying winter to the max!
Hi Joey - thanks. I think I'll need the luck, there are some fantastic photos in the competition!
It seemed a bit like a fairyland 10days ago, but it has been an icy nightmare today! We've had a snow/thaw/snow/thaw thing for a few days. This morning saw black ice everywhere - which meant accidents everywhere, and treacherous driving conditions even for the Land Rover. Then it's snowed again all afternoon!
I still love the snow - but I really don't like the ice!
I hear you BIG TIME regarding ice, Nutty! 2 winters ago, under the same icy conditions, we were stuck up north in our hilly cabin for 2 days and had to be hauled back up to civilization with a fork lift :) But black ice is the worst ... several years ago my oldest son hit a patch on the way to school, spun around, and was hit by 2 oncoming vehicles ... needless to say, it was a horrific day and a miracle that he survived. Take care, stay inside, and EAT something yummy :)
Oooh dear - I bet it was a bit grim in your cabin ...but being hauled up by a forklift sounds like fun! :)
That must have been horrendous for you all. It's my worst nightmare.Is he fully recovered?
I'm staying put! Last-Born's singing lesson was cancelled as there was NO chance of getting onto the estate where her teacher lives, so that took one pressure away ....but I won't really relax until Himself is safely home - he's on his way now....but it's still snowing.
How does home-made fish cakes, roast potatoes, roast squash, cabbage and carrots sound as a yummy meal?! (plus something chocolatey for pudding of course!)
Take care out there :)
New to blogging, I am fascinated by your lovely photographs, not only of the snow but also those illustrating your earlier blogs. Oh to have a camera....and to be able to use it. I have signed on as a follower in order to keep in touch. Best wishes for 2010.
Hello Edith and thank you for becoming a follower. I'm glad you like the photos.I think it's fair to say that becoming a blogger has made me a much better photographer, so go get a little digital point and shoot ...and have a go! You may well surprise yourself :)
great photo, nutty. you've got way more snow than us. after two winters of very heavy snowfall, I'm not missing it this winter but there certainly are fewer picture opportunities.
irena
Hi Irena - we've had a rapid thaw over the weekend and, sadly, it's all gone bar the bottom parts of both the snowmen!
Mind you, apparently we're due some more snow towards the end of the week, so I may be out with the camera again :)
we've been busy catching up on DIY inside, so I've not braved a look around the garden to see what has survived yet!
Hi Nutty Gnomw,
thanks for visiting.
I too am a very keen gardener and my blog has many posts on gardening mixed in with all the other stuff.
I'm not out much at the moment, though; the pre-Christmas snowdrops which hid under a warm snow blanket are back out and the daffodil spikes are well and truly above ground now. There are quite a few flowering shrubs waiting to continue their earlier flowering.
Hi Friko and thanks for popping in. I did manage to spot a baby hellebore today on the rockery at the front of the house - they pop up like weeds in this garden! Haven't ventured up the back garden yet as it was very wet but hopefully I'll have not lost too much! Mind you, with more snow forecast for later in the week .....!
Not sure how I found you but glad I did I love your photos, hope its ok to visit again
Hi Gypsyrose- it doesn't matter how you found me, but I'm glad you did ...welcome! Please feel free to visit whenever you want to :)
Your pictures are just lovely. And I LOVE your competition entry.
Hi Dessa - thank you for your lovely comments and for following me. I don't know if I'll win the competition, but I'm very happy with my entry!
I've been trying to look at your blog, but it's not downloading properly at the moment for some reason ....but I'll keep trying until I get there! :)
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