Snowballs and Sledging

I can't tell you how relieved I am that I made the decision to return home early yesterday. Heavy snowfall and un-gritted roads are not a good combination and many people were stuck in their cars for hours. Some managed to secure hotel rooms, while others less fortunate sought refuge in community buildings, opened specifically to provide overnight accommodation for those who were stranded. Not ideal, but at least they would have been safe and warm. The warning, which advised against all but essential travel, came much too late for some, as an unprecedented amount of snow fell on this part of the country.

My plans for today had originally included a festive visit to a nearby property and gardens. However, with the road conditions being what they were, I had no intention of driving anywhere. And in any case, like many other businesses, early this morning they announced that they would be staying closed. This was for the safety of all their staff, as well as any visitors. With nowhere to go, instead, Lily and I spent some of this morning building 'Snowy' the snowman. The snow was just right for it, not too dry and it held together well. We had a lot of fun, and I think he looks rather good. The cats were far less impressed with the white stuff and have spent much of the day fast asleep on my bed.

This afternoon we went sledging in the fields at the back of our house. There is a small hill right in the middle, which is just the right size for sledging and not too steep. It is also is a safe distance away from any fences or walls. That said, I'm sure Lily spent more time lying on the snow than she did sledging on it, but we had a great time, and I lost count of the amount of snowballs that were thrown. 

While we were out, I got a message to say that the school will be staying closed tomorrow. This came as no surprise, as many roads are still impassable and temperatures are, once again, set to drop below freezing overnight. 

J. X

Winter

There are certain times, throughout the seasons, when I experience moments which I hope never cease to bring me joy.

The first green shoots, signalling the approach of spring, the wonderful petrichor scent in the air when there has been rainfall at the end of a hot, summer day, kicking through the leaves in autumn and, at this time of the year, waking up to discover there has been an unexpected snowfall during the night.

❄❄❄❄❄

❄❄❄❄❄

And so, it was with great excitement, one morning last week we awoke to discover a beautiful light dusting of frost and snow, which had turned the garden all sparkly and the grass hard and crunchy underfoot. Lily declared, in her now predictably dramatic way,  "Finally.....it's winter!" 

The snow continued to fall on and off throughout the morning and although, by late afternoon, there was still only a sparse covering, we knew further up the road it would be a different story.

The following day, wearing our winter woollies, warm jackets and mittens, we set off to enjoy an afternoon of sledging and fun. The snow was knee deep in places and, at times, it was difficult to make our way up the track, but the air was still, the sun shone on the hillside and all around had been transformed into a beautiful winter wonderland.

❄❄❄❄❄

                           

 ❄❄❄❄❄

We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of sledging and making snow angels, our noses gradually turning pink and our fingers and toes becoming numb with cold. Eventually the chill began to set in and we made our way home to warm ourselves with steaming mugs of tea, exhausted but happy.

J. X