Tuesday 10 January 2017

winter

So, it looks as though Winter is about to appear in the guise of snow and gales.  And it is set to come in from the West rather than from Eastern Europe.

Here in the Dales of North Yorkshire we are just hoping that the Lakes and the West side of the country bears the brunt of the snow before it reaches here.   I am going out with a friend for lunch tomorrow.   As the farmer has a quite long appointment at the doctor's in the morning for various tests, friend D is collecting me in her car and we are lunching at Tennants (our local Auction House).

Last Winter it was never cold enough for my heavy Winter coat (- I have had it for thirty two years - cashmere, camel coloured and a trench coat style it has never gone out of fashion).  Tomorrow may well be the day when it emerges once more from the spare wardrobe.

Simon - Careering through Nature - has a photograph of two aconites on his post.   I have a patch in my front garden - no sign of them yet and with this snow coming I don't expect there will be.
But plenty of winter jasmine out on a South-facing wall.    With this cold weather forecast we need to cast about for signs, however small, that if winter comes can Spring be far behind.

23 comments:

Gerry Snape said...

I keep looking over to the west waiting for this icy blast!!....stay warm!

Tom Stephenson said...

Wax the runners of your sledge, Weave - her it comes!

Tom Stephenson said...

No, HERE it comes...

donna baker said...

We rarely get storms from the east where I live. NSW, but rarely E. I saw my first robin red breast yesterday, which is a harbinger of spring. Though it is 70 degrees today, the weekend forecast is calling for ice and freezing rain. I am sitting on pins and needles as I'd rather face a tornado than ice. Good look for the Farmer with his tests.

Penhill said...

I always find it odd that when the wind is from the west the strongest winds are forecast in the North East.I suppose the wind rushes up the Pennines gathers speed and lets rip in the North East.Hold on to your hats!

Bovey Belle said...

We have snow forecast for Thursday and Friday. We went out today and bought in extra milk, and another sack of sunflower hearts for the birds, and I may cave in and buy fat balls tomorrow, although those disappear like greased lightening!

We were going to go to Brecon Auction on Friday, but will stay at home if it's snowed as we don't have a 4 wheel drive car.

Enjoy your lunch at Tennants tomorrow and hope you don't get too much snow. Good luck to The Farmer with his barrage of tests.

Sue said...

Stay warm and go careful in that snow. Unlikely we shall see any white stuff in Wiltshire but it will definitely be cold.

Heather said...

Batten down the hatches and stoke up the fire. I must check to see if my winter coat is still looking good or if the moths have eaten it. I haven't worn it for years. Best wishes to the farmer for his hospital visits.

Joanne Noragon said...

Take care travelling tomorrow!

John Going Gently said...

Oh no, ive just ran out of logs!

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

Hoping to avoid ice and snow, that's for sure, as it makes my cycle to work very hair raising.

Mac n' Janet said...

Stay safe and warm, we'll be in the 70's for the rest of the week. Hope the Farmer's tests go well.

Fairtrader said...

I'm sure you will have a fine day and I will send a hopeful, supporting thought to acompany the Farmer on his doctor call.
The snow that fell here went off again, but there can be some more tomorrow, or perhaps it will turn in to rain. And you know, Pat, there are buds on the rhododendron as well as on the willow, so spring is about somewhere in the deep. And I think the worst chill is over for now, february is usually worst up here, same for you??? Seems like winter in Wales as well, huh, John?
We lived a bit up north for some years, the town was like a cauldron, bitterly cold in winter and steaming hot in summer!!
Have a nice day out lunching, dear Weaver!!!

angryparsnip said...

We are too warm here but some rain is coming (we hope).

cheers, parsnip

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I hope you don't get hit too hard by the weather. Your coat sounds like a classic! I find it so funny to read about the coming of spring. I won't see anything emerging from the ground for at least three months. I hope everything bodes well for the Farmer. -Jenn

Hildred said...

Well Pat, it is the season. Perhaps a little respite in February. My Lenten roses are all covered with snow, but before that I am sure a cold spell froze their little greeny white petals. Warm weather in November brought all sorts of spring flowers - violets, wind flowers, and when the cold weather arrived with a vengeance they all shivered /shriveled up.

Derek Faulkner said...

Keep it all up there Pat, my Lenten roses are just starting to bud up and Snowdrops are pushing out of the soil.

Librarian said...

The only sign of spring I have noticed so far in my area is that some birds seem to think it is time to find a mate and fight of competitors. No aconites, snowdrops or other flowers yet in the gardens I pass on my way to the station.
It has been snowing again yesterday, but today is sunny and feels a little warmer; no wind to speak of.
Your winter coat sounds very chic, and indeed timeless!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

It's blowing a gale here in Sheffield as I write this comment. I woke to the rattling of slates on our roof. In the garden our back door recycling caddy bin has blown away and one of my potted box trees has blown over - that has never happened before. But some daffodil bulbs are already coming through.

Anonymous said...

Here in Hampshire people have been panic-buying double rations at Waitrose (in preparation for the breath of snow we're likely to get) :o) x

Derek Faulkner said...

No doubt here in Kent, as usual, we'll have a few flakes of snow and the schools won't open.

Sue in Suffolk said...

We have aconites - they popped up over the weekend. I doubt we'll get snow here though.
Hope all goes well for the farmer

thelma said...

Enjoy your lunch, the weather is not too bad here, garden chairs flying around the garden but it is sunny.