Monday 14 January 2013

Snow.

Snow has been falling for much of today.   Then at lunch time it cleared up and the sun came out.   The temperature is hovering around freezing and the roads are quite bad, so the farmer and I went into our little neighbouring town to go to the Bank and to stock up on food in case the weather got worse.

Mondays is usually a very quiet day in our little town and our good Supermarket decided that today was the day to completely reorganise all the shelves, moving some pieces of shelving altogether to make more gangways.   Unfortunately this coincided with the snow and herds of folk from 'up dale' came in to stock up in case of worse to come.   There was chaos in the aisles as we all hunted with our shopping lists and everything had been moved.

However, we are home again, unpacked, stocked up as though for a siege  and now concentrating on the wild birds.   We always support a goodly throng but today they have come in in their dozens.   In addition to our usual throng we have also had mistle thrushes, long-tailed tits and twenty or so blackbirds.   One stock dove had a narrow escape early this morning, when the black farm cat, who was hiding under a holly bush, sprang out and grabbed it by the tail.   It escaped, but only at the expense of a large mouthful of tail feathers, which the cat spat out in disgust.

I have been filling containers with melted animal fat (dripping from the Christmas turkey) laced with suet, chopped apple, mealworms, grated cheese and assorted seeds.   They have descended on it like manna from heaven.

Two photographs for you today - one showing our Lane at eleven o'clock this morning and the other showing the daffodils friend, W, bought for me on Friday.    You need to look at the latter to remind yourself that this weather does not last for ever and that Spring is lurking just under the surface ready to push through in a few weeks time.


Keep warm! 

18 comments:

Unknown said...

No snow here yet, thank goodness! Hope you and the Farmer and all the animals stay warm and snug. It sounds like you'll have enough food for awhile :)

I'm interested to see how you've hung out your handmade bird food. Do you just set out the tub?

Gwil W said...

Looks just like the Vienna Woods where I was running today! About 6" new snow. Seems to have stopped for the moment.

mrsnesbitt said...

same here pat - off to Guisborough shortly with Bing - second vaccination! Not looking forward to Moor Road - thankfully Jon will be driving!

Heather said...

No snow for us yet. That's a very wintry scene and the daffodils are a real treat. I nearly bought myself some this morning. Glad you got home safely and are well stocked up in case of more snow to come.

Dominic Rivron said...

The supermarket shelves reminded me that today in the worst of the snow I'd come down the A1 from Catterick on my way to Burneston to find the main road into Bedale closed. (I found out later there's a problem with the railways crossing). Had to go round the backroads to Exelby. Sounds nothing when I write it down. Felt like the last straw at the time - I suppose it was not knowing what to expect of either the roads or the weather.

mansuetude said...

Looks absolutely Beautiful! And the symbol of spring, in the flowers.

Hope you and the Farmer are both feeling well.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

I'm so glad you got to the market and back home safely - although I guess if you hadn't you wouldn't be posting here today. The snowy lane is wonderful - and the daffodils even more wonderful. They grow thousands of acres of daffodils and tulips here - and soon the stores will have bundles of daffodils for a dollar or two - and we will splurge and buy many many bundles for as long as the season lasts. We buy them when the buds are tight and watch in delight as they open up almost overnight. My favorite flower for sure, my dad used to have 10 dozen daffodils flown into Alaska for my birthday each year.

Irene said...

Your lane looks like a picture postcard but I have to remind myself that it's also cold. We don't have snow here and I don't mind to much because it also always brings ice and that is hard to walk on.

Angie said...

It looks gorgeous ...although it probably is causing you problems. Here we are in Fife and not a snowflake in site ....so far ...but so much rain and temperatures are dropping. Take Care xx

George said...

Plow ahead (no pun intended) in good spirits, Pat. On behalf of your local birdlife, thanks for that delicious concoction you are providing.

Tom Stephenson said...

I have to say that I am envious!

Cloudia said...

ah the satisfaction of arriving home with supplies in nasty weather.

Bless you for feeding my northern soul with these primal images; and bless you more for ministering to our small friends.

You writing is choice and spare as I admire and aspire. Thank you, Weaver.

Aloha from Honolulu,
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° >
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Angie said...

Your lane is sooooo lovely!! I love the feeling of being all stocked up, the snow coming down, soup on the stove and the birds are fluttering in for extra rations. :) And the Daffodils are lovely too. :)

Pondside said...

So it has arrived - lovely snow, especially when one is as prepared for it as you and The Farmer. I must try to make up a cake like that for the birds - too bad I just got rid of some bacon drippings.

Hildred said...

Lovely daffodils - I peeked at the hyacinths that are living now on the top shelf of Charles' closet where it is dark, and found a few small green swards (I think I made that word up) poking through.

Em Parkinson said...

Glad you've managed to stock up! Dartmoor only has a dusting of snow this morning and nasty icy; we're getting off lightly this year. I'm running out of hay though and there's nothing like letting stocks get low to bring on a snowing in.

MorningAJ said...

Thanks for the reminder about the weather's transience. We're OK at home, but work has had it quite badly. It's never nice to deal with snow, and this morning the slushy stuff has frozen over, so it's treacherous.

Stay warm and stay indoors if you have the choice. (Though the farmer doesn't have much choice, does he?)

Dave King said...

We had snow yesterday (some!) followed by sleet, wet snow and then rain. Seems like today is going to be "quiet", as the weatherman said. After which, who knows?

Keeping my fingers crossed for you! (Superstitious, or what?)