Thursday 1 January 2009

Nature creeps up on us.




Yesterday morning, New Year's eve, I needed to go into our little market town to replenish supplies before my dinner party. It was a cold, grey, misty morning - a kind of nondescript morning when there was nothing particular of interest, so I hurried round the few shops and set off back the mile to home.


I had been away all of half an hour, but what had happened in that thirty minutes? As I turned down our lane it had been transformed. Every bush, every tree, every blade of grass, every tall stalk of dead cow parsley - all were coated with thick white rime. The lane had become a wonderland.


Freezing fog hung in the air and I am sure that driving conditions on a day when lots of people are busy making their way back to Scotland for Hogmonay, were awful. But here, on a simple, quiet, country lane nature had turned it into a Spectacular.


I turned into our farm drive. The Scots pines hung heavy with frost and the remnants of a clematis round a hawthorn tree trunk stuck out their spiky seed heads,white and glittering. Pure magic - it lifted the soul.


The frost lingered all day and is still there today. The temperature is minus 6 but it is worth being chilly outside, even if you are well wrapped up, for the sheer privilege of seeing Nature's handiwork.


I have put two photographs on this blog - I could have put a dozen. One is of our farm plantain in all its glory. The other is of Tip, our farm collie, making his way home up the track after his morning walk.


Keep warm everyone - and enjoy the New Year. Weren't the fireworks from the London Eye lovely?

20 comments:

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Good morning,what beautiful views you have,a winter wonderland.
Today is a good day to stay indoors and indulge in some sewing!
Happy New Year.x

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Happy New Year, Weaver!

Thank you for enhancing 2008 with your beautiful blog, and here's to more blogging in 2009!

(I'd like to see the rest of the dozen photographs too - your farm lane looks wonderful. I do love lanes where there are ruts leading to gates, it always makes me want to go and explore).

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

Beautiful photographs. I saw something similar here the other day as I drove to town, but had no camera to hand to capture. I am glad I wondered onto your blog... I'll be back.

Debra (a/k/a Doris, Mimi) said...

No frost or snow here. Having moved to the warmer climes of Georgia, it is rare when we experience winter-like weather. It's a joy to live vicariously through your lovely photography. Feel free to post the dozen or so additional photos, Weaver. Best wishes for a happy New Year!

Heather said...

Thankyou once more for sharing your beautiful images with us all. I echo Raph's comments. Love the 'Getting Older' poem - how true it is. I try to keep abreast of current affairs but all the dreadful events are nearly too much for me. Thanks for your good news bulletins. I remember seeing a waxwing in our garden many years ago, when we lived near Stockport, they are such lovely birds. I too love hares - we had them in our paddock in the previous house we lived in, and lapwings are another of my favourites. I was thrilled to see just one at Slimbridge recently, feeding among all the geese, ducks and swans! Hope your dinner party went well and Happy New Year, Heather.

Woman in a Window said...

Freezing fog? huh, we were just sent some beutiful photos of Norway where everything is frozen white but the ground. Must be this same thing, something that doesn't have a chance to happen here, as everything is frozen!

Happy New Year!

Jenn Jilks said...

Beautiful shots! I spotted your post On SoulSearching. You, too, are a candidate for our My Town Monday group!

I love watching nature, too. Today I look out on a lake that has iced over after last week's thaw. It is -25 this a.m. and still the fox ran by just after dawn.

Re: going to market, I love the outdoor summer markets for local produce. I loathe the crowded stores and send my husband!

/Central Ontario, Canada (Brrrrr!)

Janice Thomson said...

Spectacular photos Weaver - I love hoar frost but we don't get it much here. Hope you have a happy new year.

Unknown said...

How gorgeous!

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Babette Fraser Hale said...

The frost is lovely, but what a fine day for sitting by the fire. I hope that minus 6 is centigrade, not farenheit! Happy New Year! And thanks for visiting my blog.

Dragonstar said...

How beautiful! Magical scenes. All the best to you for the New Year.

Mistlethrush said...

I love frost rime too - the way it defines everything.

Have a wonderful new year

Reader Wil said...

This is so beautiful! We had such a spectacle last year. We had never seen anything like that. And a lot of people walked around taking photos! Thanks for sharing.

Elizabeth said...

Magic pictures.
What delight.
Happy New Year.

Tess Kincaid said...

Glorious frosty shots!

Chere said...

Your photos are lovely. Missed the fire works from the Eye but we did visit it this summer. I would love to return to London and have more time. There is so many wonderful things to see and do. Happy New Year

Anonymous said...

We were wonderfully frost-bound all day too. At such times rural living really comes into its own, doesn't it?

Best wishes for a healthy, peaceful, recession-lite 2009, Pat!

Dick

Arija said...

What a wonderful New Year's gift the rime was for you. Nature so often presents us with a splendid gift, most people just don't see it.
I so often over activate my camera when confronted by even tiny miracles.
Have a wonderful New Year!

Country Girl said...

Oh! I loved this post and the beautiful photos that accompany it!

sara said...

Dear Weaver of Grass ~

What a happy circumstance, and a wonderful gift,to have stumbeled across your site.

Entirely by happenstance, and at such an odd time : odd time of the day (for me) odd time in life and place, and odd time in my spirit and heart space.

I feel stopped in my tracks, and will stay a bit, at least.

Thank you, thank you for sharing.

Sara
i hope this note does not arrive to you in strange multiples - i am not accustomed to "blogging" or commenting, and I had to wrestle with getting through the hoops.