Saturday 10 January 2015

A Sign of bad weather to come?

The farmer came in at lunch time - "Guess what I have just seen in the fields this morning"?   No point in trying to guess - so What?   The answer was that he had seen a pure white stoat running across the field.   I have only ever seen one and that was some years ago.   The farmer has only seen one before.   Its colour suggests that bad weather (i.e. snow) is on the way, as the stoat is usually a gold/brown colour and only turns white in snow.

And sure enough it has snowed on and off all afternoon, alternating with sunshine and a sharp bitterly cold wind.   Of course it is not cold enough for the snow to settle, but I just hope it is not a sign of more bad weather to come.

We have stoked up the wood burner, taken all the Saturday papers into the sitting room and intend to sit in the glow of the stove for the rest of the day.   Whatever you are doing, please endeavour to keep warm.

16 comments:

Mac n' Janet said...

Stay warm, it looks like it's going to be a cold winter, snow or no snow.

Joanne Noragon said...

It does seem to have settled into being winter. Our weather forecasters say the same pattern has set up as last year.

Gwil W said...

Here it's 15c and the snow has melted. A lovely sunset in progress.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

We have chilly rainy weather but we must go out today for a little needed shopping - but back home soon to our cozy warm house.

Heather said...

I love it when Nature foretells the weather rather than technology. Down here in the southwest we haven't really had any winter weather yet apart from the occasional frost. The winds have been very strong but all is quiet now. If it's going to be really cold I hope it gets on with it and doesn't wait until March.

MorningAJ said...

My Dad always used to say that we were in for a bad winter when the onions had thick skins. And I have to admit the bad of British onions we bought last week have very thick skins! I hope it's not true.

Twiggy said...

It's bitterly cold and windy here today. We had a brief snow shower this morning but I'm sure there's more to come.
Twiggy

Rachel Phillips said...

Beautiful day in the east. Clear blue sky. Got all the washing dry in a lovely drying wind.

Gerry Snape said...

Skyped my Belfast sister earlier and the snow came...then the sky turned gold on the grey and the temperature dropped here...I think we will be next!...stay warm.

Mary said...

I would so love just a little snow here - enough to photograph the garden looking pristine instead of brown and dowdy, and the birds, oh how I love to get bird pics in the snow.
If you have time Pat, see my post today showing my beautiful garden birds.

Stay cozy by that fire - we'll be doing the same thing later today.
Hugs - Mary

angryparsnip said...

Oh My Goodness !
Nature knows when winter is coming.

cheers, parsnipo

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

I cannot tell you how wonderful newspapers by the fire sounds. Now I am going to look up the definition of a stoat.
:) m & jb

jinxxxygirl said...

We will be a balmy 60+ degrees today! Its a warm spell in our Northern California winter... We haven't had rain for several weeks now and that does not look good for the drought situation so please send rainy thoughts our way. :) Hugs! deb

Bovey Belle said...

Oh dear - winter garments designed for snow is NOT a good omen! It was warmer here overnight and then this morning we had a blistering cold wind - when we were walking across the rather open area of the Botanical Gardens to visit the Antiques Fair there. The pundits ARE predicting a sudden cold snap next week . . .

I shall keep stocked up on essentials and I'm glad our oil tank is mostly full.

Frugal in Derbyshire said...

Oh my goodness. I have never seen a winter -coated stoat . Isn't that Ermine?
Stay Cosy
Gill

Cro Magnon said...

Last week I drove past a field full of white Egrets; what they were doing here I have no idea!