A Stop on the Way Home

In my last post I hoped that snow or fog wouldn't affect our journey and thankfully we had neither.  Lots of heavy frost though.

 The day of the funeral was cold and dry and the sun came out to shine through the windows of the chapel at the crematorium. Snow had been forecast for later the next day so we decided to go straight home after breakfast.

The golden stag was outside the East Midlands Designer Outlet which was on the opposite side of the road to our hotel.  We had a wander around the shops just as it was getting dark before going back to the hotel for an evening meal.

On Saturday morning we stopped in Cromford for a short walk around the village rather than down by the Mill and canal.  It was so cold.

Above and below Cromford Mill Pond.

We were headed for a favourite book shop. I've written posts about it a few times over the years.  Hard to take in that I'll have been blogging for twenty years in March of this year.  Where has all that time gone?

Inside it felt warm and we were greeted with a friendly welcome.

I treated myself to a book I'd wanted for ages, I found a new copy but the member of staff who greeted us heard our conversation and came to say that she had a second hand copy of the same book which was much reduced and that the previous owner seemed hardly to have looked at it.  She thought it would find a good home with me. How kind and thoughtful.

It is a Persephone publication Long Live Great Bardfield: the Autobiography of Tirzah Garwood.  Tirzah Garwood was a wood engraver and artist and a member of the Great Bardfield group of artists.  She was also the wife of the noted painter, wood engraver and book illustrator Eric Ravilious who is one of my favourite artists.  The other favourites are Gwen John and Dame Laura Knight.

 

The bad weather closed in just a few hours after we got home and we woke up to a white dusting of snow all over the garden.  

We are now at home for a few days and without an oven as, for some reason, it stopped working on New Year's Day.  We have a separate hob and a microwave so that will keep us going until the electrician comes on Wednesday evening. He seems confident that it can be mended.

Belated best wishes to you all for the New Year.

Snowfall

 It's back for one last flurry, I hope, before Spring finally settles in for a month or two.

Weather warnings are out, gritters are probably out on the main roads but I've no idea as we won't be going anywhere for a while.  Up on our hill we rarely see the gritters now the bus service is no more.  

Tuesday was an exquisite day, sunny, dry and cold but with the promise of Spring.  We walked across the nearby fields and down towards the park where Daffodils and Snowdrops sparkled in the sunlight.  The next day all had changed as is the weather's wont especially on the cusp of seasonal changes.

We shopped on Monday morning and have enough vegetables to make a warming casserole which will last two days.  The left overs from today will be topped with mashed potato and swede and turned into a vegetable 'shepherd's' pie tomorrow.

The bird feeders have been topped up ready for the flurry of birds that will visit mid-morning and early afternoon.

Peanut, the black cat from across the road loves to visit our garden two or three times a day.  This morning he wasn't deterred by the snow but decided to shelter a while under a shrub.

Goldfinches are early visitors to the feeders. 

The male Dunnock showing off his pink legs.

Both Blackbirds and Magpies brave the snow and cold as they seek food.

All photos taken through windows as I haven't been ouside yet.

The sky has lightened slightly but it is still snowing so there is no chance of a walk today.

All for now.

Snow

Well, it had to happen at some point so now is as good a time as any.  Not for the places that had organised events though, things like Christmas lights 'switch ons' and outdoor festive markets.  Many things around here were cancelled and lots of homes up in the Moorlands lost power.  This morning the school behind our hedge and through the trees is silent, no early morning lights in the windows.

We stayed at home over the weekend.  On Friday Storm Arwen battered the trees and garden but nothing was damaged thank goodness.  On Saturday we woke to that blanket of silence and lighter windows that brings the awareness of snow outside.  The pond is still frozen over and we have been putting out extra food for the birds, badgers and foxes.

 The path to the pond was also covered in ice.

Collard Doves

A Chaffinch and a Dunnock

Robin - all the bird photos were taken through windows.

 Above and below morning light.

The sky was tinged with pink.

Seat covered in snow.

Squirrel footprints.
 

Icy Heather.

Icicle on the greenhouse.

 

All for now.  Stay safe and warm.

Snow on Saturday

 We woke up to more snow this morning

This was the view across the garden from our bedroom wndow.

The school's trees on the other side of the hedge were covered in soft snow, they looked quite magical.

The snow keeps melting a bit then fresh snow falls, softy and gently to top it up again. 

 

I did some baking instead of going for a walk.  We did have a good walk in yesterday's lovely sunshine.

Scones for lunch with homemade jam.

Plum crumble for tea.  It will last a couple of days, unlike the scones!

 

What more is there to do on a cold, wintry, January afternoon.  I'll read a bit - the latest Ian Rankin Rebus novel, watch a couple episodes of 'The Bay ' I enjoyed the first series and am now enjoying the second which is available online.  Occasionally I drift to the window to watch the birds.

 

We've had lots of birds visting the garden in this cold spell.  Mostly goldfinches, we had a visit from two male bull finches, of course my camera wasn't handy. Also blue tits and great tits.  Lots of blackbirds too.  Collard doves, wood pigeons, magpies and crows up in the trees.  I wonder how many will be around for next weekend's Big Garden Bird Watch?  We'll see.

A Wintry Walk

 On Sunday afternoon we went for a walk across nearby Berryhill Fields.  We can walk here from home which is always a bonus when the roads are still icy.  Up on our hill we are always the last to see the snow disappear.

The sun came out as we set off across the snow covered grass.

This little bird was enjoying hopping on and off the remains of a snowman.  We think it is a female Lesser Whitethroat but please do tell me if that is wrong and what the sweet little bird might be.

Edit - Caroline from Ragged Robin blog has identified the little bird for me as a Stonechat. Thank you, I knew someone would know🐦

 

It was muddy as well as icy and you never knew how deep the mud was until you sank into the furrows.

Across the city to the hills of Cheshire.  To the left, on the horizon you can just see the folly at the village of Mow Cop.

Tractors had been out making dirty tracks in the snow.

The sculpture of pit wheels commemorate those lost in an accident many years ago.

I love this tree, it looks perfect in all seasons.  Winter trees have a strange beauty especially in ice and snow.

 In the distance one man and his dog on the hill, otherwise it was just us.

The pond, which had been dry all summer was full again and completely iced over.

The sky started to change as we turned and headed towards home.

Lots of people and dog tracks in the snow.

We thought these tracks were probably made by a crow as there were quite a few of them about their black feathers standing out against the white of the snow.

By this time it was getting very cold.

We'd had the best of the day.

Now we are back in lockdown and I feel for those who have to go out to work, those who are worried about their children's education, teachers and support workers in the thick of it, shop and postal workers and all those on the front line who care for our health and safety. For us things won't change much, local walks, local Co-op shop and staying indoors.  Keep warm and safe everyone.