Saturday 13. 02.2021

 Such changing fortunes with the weather. Blowing an impossible hooley out there just now. Very little extra snow since Thursday but what there is is swirling and drifting: chest high drifts in places, beautiful snow sculptures, completely impossible to keep clear while the wind blows, which it is set to continue doing for at least another day, so we are stuck! Or at least there will be no vehicles through.

So different to the two days before which were quite exquisite, frozen snow, not a breath of air, sunshine and blue skies.

A morning walk on Tuesday took us round the woods, past glittering expanses of untouched snow,

once more through Narnia.

Then back down the road (with visiting hound), glad to be back on (more or less) solid ground after the exertions of wading through drifts.

Which is why, the next morning, up before sunrise to see off visiting hound and her owner, the idea of wading through all that stuff again didn`t appeal. But it was too good a morning to waste. so as the sky slowly turned a peachy pink we kept walking, past the woods and staying on the road, watching as the sun slowly rose above the horizon. 

For a while, shaded from the rising sun, it was shapes and silhouettes 

but then we emerged into the full sun and marched our way home - such a pleasure to stride out on firm(ish) ground.  And everywhere you looked- just stunning.   

Then overnight the wind sprang up and the lying snow set about spinning and sculpting into impassable drifts and exotic shapes and swirls....and we are completely cut off.

Coffee and whisky supplies are plentiful, the wind continues to howl round the house like a banshee and it is only possible to marvel at the ferocity and be grateful for our fire, food and shelter.

Sunday 7.2.2021

 "Snow was falling, snow on snow, snow on snow". And so it has been, for the last few days. And cold. Not just snow cold but biting easterly winds hurling the stuff at us and drifting it up around gates and fences and trees.

This morning though there was no wind. The world had frozen overnight and was, literally, quite breathtaking.

Took twice as long as usual to walk round the woods on Saturday: as we turned off the road I sank straight into a drift and thought I might have to stay there until someone pulled me out but in the event was able to struggle free. 

Thankfully most of the paths were only shin or ankle deep so though progress was slow it was at least progress. On several occasions decided we wouldn`t try and go right round - it was hard work! Too tempting to go on though and we were rewarded by such a stunning display that it proved to be more than worth it. In the end all I could do as I plodded through through the snow, pausing for breath at regular intervals, was to marvel at the scenery and take far too many photos:

So many different ways for the snow to accumulate: the blobs clinging on to branches, 

and in some cases weighing down the trees and even breaking them.

Sometimes the snow appears to have been painted on,

elsewhere it has been caught on the gorse thorns or turned trees into dainty filigree curtains.

A familiar landscape is transformed into something strange and ghostly 

though with the odd random item recalling a different season.

We stumbled back onto the road, avoiding the big drift by the entrance this time, only to discover the wind had sprung up again and was covering the road where it was exposed. 

But at least when you have a black dog you can tell which way the wind`s blowing: 

Saturday 30.01.2021

 At last a respectable amount of snow in the last couple of days and just back from a crunchy walk in the woods, the temperature plummeting, the air tingling, completely still and silent.  Branches weighted down by the snow so we ducked and dived through the thickest parts, trees silhouetted against the darkening sky, water droplets freezing on grasses and trees, setting into
sparkling diamonds, and fence posts with little white mob caps,  Perfect winter walking and  enough light left at half five to get us down the road and home.

Monday 26.01.21

 If Friday`s walk was the first of the year that could just about be classified as an evening walk, then today we went for what was the first early morning one.

Up round the back field with both dogs in the mirk of a cloudy start to the day, low lying mist at the bottom of every hill. Cold but not bone-cracking  and it suddenly seemed like a good idea to get up the road. Old Dog deposited back indoors in the warm, Dog 2 and I set off at a trot - insofar as the icy patches allowed for trotting.

The sun was still below the horizon but throwing warning colours at the sky as we said good morning to the sheep in their muddy but frozen hard field,

 

revelling in the illusion of being the first ones up. Into the woods, thick jacket abandoned at the entrance, we crunched across the grass, Dog 2 delighted to find errant wildlife obviously not expecting anyone to be about yet.

The birds were also enjoying being up, first time this year I`ve really heard anything resembling a dawn chorus and their largely territorial-marking calls were a delight as well as confirmation, if we needed it, that the days are lengthening.

We hit the road again, turned for home, the sun having finally made an appearance, 

and waved again at the slightly wider-awake, slightly warmer sheep.     

                                                  

Shower, coffee...more coffee,,,all set for the day ahead. 👏👏👏

Saturday 21.01.2021

 So it was back to an afternoon walk, taking the new boots for their maiden tramp.......they will never look so pristine again.....

It was bright blue and white, a clear sky and ice, very very cold with a nippy wind snapping at the ears.  The sun shone valiantly but couldn`t make much impact on the temperature

It was all very bracing,  so with new boots moving along nicely we took a slightly different route, affording slightly different views to the usual.

 

Once we turned back into the woods we rejoined the well-worn path which led us home as the sun started to go down.

Later, we yomped slowly round the top field in the gloaming, old dog and younger dog, watching the lights appear across the hills and the flashing light of a tractor making its way up the back hill. Earth hard as iron, water like a stone, we made it back down to the fire and tea.

Friday 22.01.2021

The weather was having a laugh yesterday. That thing about no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes?

Not yesterday. All day the weather sang or rather screeched:

• you`re not coming out today
• you`re not going to want to come out today
• the dogs aren`t going to want to come out today

I did go out, in the dark, in the morning, to take the dogs around the top field, in horizontal rain whipped up by a vicious wind. And the level of disappointment I felt was ridiculous.

They`d promised snow at the beginning of the week and right up to the evening before, a thick fall of snow. I had new boots! My injured foot (long story) was completely healed. After days of drizzle I`d imagined blue sky, sparkling unsullied snow and a long march round, drinking in the icy fresh air.

Huh!  I spent the rest of the day hunkered down in a big comfy chair by the fire, alternately sulking and  glaring at the window as the weather taunted me, roaring round the house and wailing mainiacally. (Though I got a lot of reading done in between the tantrums)

By the end I felt 100 years older than I am, was cross with everything, had eaten too much and went too bed early.  And all because it didn`t snow when they said it would? 

Deep breath when I woke up this morning. Head out of the door. Better. Not perfect but better. Still no snow but no rain either. Dogs and me round the top field just as the light creeps up. No rain but a strong raw wind blows bullets of sleet and hail into our eyes. However, seem to have got over the disappointment and the day improves.  

And we get what felt like the first evening  walk of the year. Early evening, but evening nevertheless. Younger dog and I don`t set off until quarter to four. The clouds have lifted, the crows are wheeling round and in the woods there`s so much bird activity that it`s as if they`re enjoying the lengthening days too.

It was cold but no wind to speak of and still no rain. We squelched round in mud and rotten leaves, skidding a little on the odd icy patch. The temperature was falling as we turned onto the road and headed down the hill: we could almost hear the puddles crackling as they iced over.

As we enjoyed the last of the light, with a bright yellow demi-moon over our heads, there really was an intimation, if not of spring exactly, at least of   longer evenings to come.

Friday 8.01.2021

 

Words superfluous today really. A cloudy early morning, a slender crescent moon hanging over our heads affording enough light across the snow for us to pick our way round. 

Then, as the sun came up and the cloud cleared, the day was transformed into picture postcard stuff.  

Later, as the sun headed downwards at the end of its currently pretty short journey around the horizon, the temperature was plummeting again, preserving the landscape in ice and freezing noses and ears. Literally breathtaking.