Sunday 3 January 2010

Just when we thought it was going.......











........there is a further five inches of snow. Yesterday, after a pleasant sunny morning with drips, at about half past two it began to snow - heavily. It snowed until five o'clock and put down five inches of new stuff which blew about in the sharp easterly wind, blocking up doorways and covering windows. Now, this morning, it is snowing again - no blizzard this, just gentle flakes. Meanwhile, the farmer is whizzing up and down the drive with the tractor and bucket, shovelling up the snow by the load and dumping it on the side of the lane. I have mixed feelings about this - yes it is nice to have the drive clear but the heaps of dirty snow on the sides of the lane do destroy that lovely, white, pristine scene - and they do take a long time to go when the thaw finally arrives.
Birds have flocked to the feeding station - woodpecker and fieldfare were here before it was properly light - and we keep putting out fresh supplies. The black farm cat does his prowl to see if there is any food which takes his fancy, while the birds move up into the branches of the trees to watch him warily.
When the farmer went out with the dogs at daybreak I stuck the camera in his hand and asked him to take one or two photographs from the back door. I love the one of the Christmas wreath on the door - looking like a Christmas wreath should look, I suppose. The view down the farm yard doesn't seem to have a single footprint on it, but no doubt, when the farmer does his rounds, he will find fox prints - for the fox also keeps his eye open for any food that is going.
Goint back to my earlier post "What are we creating", where I questioned the idea of feeding the birds - Gina, of BT (see my blog list) asked her step-daughter, who works for the RSPB, for her view and she has kindly printed it in the comments. It seems that the official view is that it is sensible to feed them - and certainly in this weather many would not survive without our help. Yesterday there was a dead chaffinch under the bird table. There is no doubt that in order to keep warm they have to feed constantly in this cold.
Today will be another of those days when the sensible option will be to sit by the fire with a good book (I am still ploughing through "Wolf Hall" so I have plenty to go at). Luckily there is still plenty of good food left from Christmas and New Year, and a full freezer. And let's face it, the snow does look so pretty when you don't have to go out in it. Keep warm!
## Looking at the photos you will see that the one of the front walled garden is facing due South just as the sun is rising; the one looking down the farmyard is facing due North, where our weather is coming from - the sky says it all, I think.

27 comments:

Jinksy said...

The picture with the snow-filled sky looks ominous. How many more tons is it threatening to dump on you? lol :)

Bovey Belle said...

We're snowed in here, being at the top of a steep zig-zag hill (and it carries on in similar fashion above us too). "They" didn't top up the grit bins after the freeze/snow before Christmas, and as the forecast is for more of the same, we are stuck here for the foreseeable future or until we have to beg a ride with a neighbour with a 4x4.

It looks beautiful, but even here, we normally we never get snow, the novelty soon wears off!

Elizabeth said...

Am beginning to feel a bit iffy about the snow
lovely to look at but rather hard work to deal with.
Hideous winds here and 17' farenheit....

Sal said...

Crikey!
Is this the global warming they keep on about?!
It looks very pretty but I imagine it can be a real pain too!

;-)

Elisabeth said...

I'd send you some of our warmth if I could, Weaver, just as you asked. Soon I might be asking for some of your cool. Ahh such is life, unbalanced.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Even though you are snowed in so to speak these are beautiful scenes. You could use any one of them as your Christmas card next year. Keep warm.

Reader Wil said...

Hi Weaver! I wish you too a very happy 2010! Your snowy Yorkshire Dales are so beautiful! I can understand that your drive has to be cleared and the double feeling about it. We have to keep the pavement in front and around the house clean. Most of the time the neighbours do that for me, but the beauty of the clean white snow is spoiled.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

We are snowed up here as well - looks fabulous on a clear sunny day like today though.

ArtPropelled said...

I would love to trudge down that road in your header photo. Breathtaking! As you say it's a pity to ruin such a picturesque scene by shovelling the snow aside.

Country Cottage Chic said...

It all looks very beautiful! I agree about feeding the birds - they ceetainly need it at this time of year.
We have also had a fox prowling around - the dogs keep spotting him so hopefully he'll be wary about coming closer - I'm hoping that he doesn't take a fancy to one of our chickens!

A Happy New Year to you & yours!
Jayne

Heather said...

We get such a wide variance of weather in our small country - I hope you get a lovely summer to compensate for all the snow and ice. We have had our third day of glorious sunshine, no more snow since the thaw on Christmas night, but very hard frosts lasting all day. Your door wreath would make a lovely seasonal card for next Christmas and the rest of the wintry photos are beautiful. Keep warm and think of daffodils!

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh yes keep feeding the birds! They need all the help they can get!

I'm ploughing my way through Wolf Hall too, I'll think of you when I next pick it up....

Golden West said...

Your pictures look frozen in time, Weaver, really quite beautiful. I, too, have a vase of yellow daffodils blooming, filling the living room with their sweet scent and a promise of spring.

Pondside said...

I'd offer to blow some of our warm, moist air over your way, but I fear that it would turn to snow before getting to you.
Beautiful images! I imagine, though, that sitting by the fire with a book is the best way to spend the day. I've got a lovely thick biography of Edith Wharton on the go - should last a day or two!

DJ said...

Since I have to return to work tomorrow, I'll swap you our cold, sunny wweather for some snow days!
Lovely pics...my fave is the wreath also...a Christmas card just waiting to be printed.

CHummelKornell said...

Lovely photos, especially the one of your wreath. I also am enthralled by your lane toward the farm buildings. We still do not have any snow, only rain and soggy, ugliness. Enjoy your pristine beauty, your fire and your book. Perhaps a hot cup of chocolate too?

The Solitary Walker said...

Hay, Pat, that's your best header pic yet! Love it.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Edward and I are trying hard to control our envy over your glorious snowfalls. They are truly beautiful, and Edward's favourite sort of weather.

Phoenix C. said...

I love the photo looking towards the farmyard. The golden light catching the side of the buildings looks so beautiful against the purply grey. And I've always loved farm buildings!

We've lots of snow here too - probably the same clouds as yours, on their way down to you. I've been enjoying shovelling snow, and making the long heaps look a little like Hadrian's wall!

Anonymous said...

I think feeding the birds is humane as long as they can count on that feeder.

Until a month ago we still had a cat, and for many years feeding the birds also meant they'de get one on occasion and it would break my heart. Our last cat just passed away, and while we will miss her, I will not get a cat again,because their natural instincts were too painful to watch.

I'm sitting with a good book today too... snow all day.*sigh*

Maggi said...

Beautiful pictures but I am finding that the novelty has worn off now as getting out and about is so difficult. I still like to see it though - and more to come I do believe.

Cloudia said...

Brrrr!
So pretty to look at,
so nice to look outside at the balmy palms after ;-)

Aloha, Friend!


Comfort Spiral

BT said...

Oh my goodness Pat, that is some snow fall! It does look beautiful and the farmer has done well with his photos. I agree with everyone, the wreath looks gorgeous and the sunny one. Keep warm and keep reading!

Twisted willow said...

I used to love snow and didn't really mind a cold spell. Now it just seems like such an inconvenience - must be something to do with getting old! It does offer some good photo-opportunities, though. Lovely pictures.

Dinesh chandra said...

Nice to see the snow but feel clod , great pictures .

Regards

Dinesh Chandra

Anonymous said...
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Dave King said...

In the last heavy fall (which hereabouts equates as approx 5 inches) our two grandsons turned up with a sack of grit and salt - which they had bought - and the determination to clear a pathway to the car so that Doreen could get out. They did exactly that, but in the process used the whole sackful - I am still clearing the sand and grit - and broke our only stiff broom.