ICE PUDDLES

Most mornings over the last week, the puddles have been frozen. The patterns in the ice are stunning, if a little difficult to photograph. You have to get quite low down to get the light to catch them properly, otherwise the patterns become invisible. This first lot  are from a morning where the previous night had been extremely cold; it was minus seven at dawn. The temperature dropped very, very quickly, and it seems to have created totally different crystal formations from the night that followed where it was only minus one at dawn. Here are the first ones. I some cases the ice was pretty thick.

This next lot are from this morning and the ice was wafer thin and flimsy. By 9.00am it had virtually all melted. 

Yesterday evening I was on the book stall at the school Christmas fair. We sold lots but there were still boxes left. It was a great success all round and the money raised will go towards trips for the children next term. It has put me in a much more Christmasy mood and we're off to buy a tree tomorrow in Exeter. I've done most of my wrapping and sent off the parcels I need to so now it's just festive cooking and decorating.

 A few more pictures from our walks; just a few I promise!

Betty looking slimline in the sunshine. Still not sure if she's in foal yet

Frosty grass in the sunshine

Number ten dozing in the sun this morning

This crow is the first living thing I've seen other than ponies for days out on the moor. It's pretty bleak out there at the moment!

Tomorrow is set to be lovely, if cold, again. I really shouldn't listen to the forecast as it's often completely wrong for us. So, until next time, I'll leave you with Snippet's reflection in one of those icy puddles.