THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

26 January 2013

LAST OF THE SNOW.....I HOPE



Today the snow has gone from everywhere bar the moor. This morning I nearly fell over on numerous occasions as what we are left with is two inch thick ice everywhere with water running underneath it. We tried to get the car out and failed miserably! It's so frustrating as the rest of the area is completely back to normal and I'm getting some very strange looks dressed for the snow when we turn up in the square. Every journey down, my heart is in my mouth, hands gripping the steering wheel like a vice and I've had enough of it now, as, I'm sure, has everyone else in the country. Rant over, here are some pictures of it looking lovely before the melt started:




My footsteps trudging up to feed and water Trigger


Kestor almost unrecognisable


The stream almost buried 





Our washing line with a three inch topping










Fox prints - I followed them for about a quarter of a mile but had to give up as he/she jumped over a wall. The next few are of snow crystals on little bits of grass poking up through the blanket. I thought they were beautiful catching the sunlight.










Snippet was struggling in what was sometimes eighteen inches of snow!


Sparrows waiting for me to feed them

And finally a few from today; a marked contrast: 


Nearly all gone


Ice pattern under the snow


I've been trying to get a shot of this thrush for weeks and here it is at last. Song or Mistle? Mistle I think but if anyone thinks otherwise, please say!

Since I started writing this, the sky has turned leaden in preparation for a downpour of rain (I hope) and I think it's possible I might be able to get the car down the drive onto the road. Small steps....until next time, enjoy your Sunday and here's Snippet with ice-balls the size of ping pong and tennis balls attached to his fur. I had to chuck him in the stream to wash them off!


18 comments:

  1. A difficult time, either you struggle with the snow, or struggle with ice - Moor Life I guess. Hope it doesn't hinder you too much from now on and that you are able to get out and about. Snippet seems to be enjoying it, funny how the snow forms little balls on their fur.

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  2. As ever truly gorgeous photographs of such lovely winter scenes... My dog had to contend with mega snow balls on his fur.... but the snow in his paws really irritated him the most so I got into a routine of smothering his paws with olive oil before we trekked off across the fields and it did help quite a lot.
    Sadly the white stuff has now gone and although the grass looks very verdant... there is one huge amount of mud to wade through..... so back to mega muddy dogs to clean (walk friends dog for her)
    Guess all good things have to come to an end...
    Love Jane xxx

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  3. The grass stems with the ice crystals are wonderful.

    Yep, I think we're back to our usual run of westerlies - wind and rain. Not sure which is worse!

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  4. Looking at these photos, I kept forgetting it was England!

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  5. Ann - you're right, it is moor life.I wish we could afford to have two 4X4 vehicles which would make life much easier. Somebody needs to make a small and cheap one with a small, efficient diesel engine. It's a gap in the market about which I could bore you for HOURS!

    Jane - I'm definitely going to try the olive oil thing - thank you. However, smothering his chest in it too might not go down to well!

    Rusty D - So glad you like the grass ones; they were magical on the day.

    Kath - Canada? Russia? I know what you mean!

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  6. Always wonderful your photos are. When the Aussies come in with snowballs in their fur it can be a challenge more some days then other, however should the alternative be rain and mud, I will take the snow any day.

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  7. Absolutely spectacular snow photos! I loved the one showing your footprints from going up to feed Trigger.

    As beautiful as it is, snow comes with a whole slew of added problems. We didn't have snow this week but an ice storm which is so deadly. Fortunately no trees over power lines and today it warmed up some and the ice is history.

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  8. Snippet is adorable and your photos are just stunning--They are what I love about winter, and trying to drive in it or getting stuck, is what I hate most!

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  9. Cindy - True enough. We're back to mud now with the first few inches of the ground thawed out but with frozen ground underneath it. Nice!

    Gail - I'm so glad you've thawed out too. The ice is really frightening isn't it? Yesterday, the black ice was treacherous; today it's all gone.

    Kim - Today will our car's first trip out for ten days!

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  10. Gorgeous photos don't know which one I like best.
    Think it is a mistle thrush larger than the ordinary thrush with lighter breast. Lucky you to have one they are becoming more scarce, think this is a bird count weekend by the way.

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  11. Nice photos , love the ones of the frozen grasses!
    Next doors dog had snow balls like Snippet on his belly and legs and I had to pour warm water on him to get them off as despite walking her dog for free the old lady would have a fit on either him or me! I think he quite liked his outdoor bath after all the snow rolling.My collie pup doesnt pick up the snow so she can roll around and not get heavier! Doesnt the grass look green now!!!

    See you Thurs or Fri? Will email you .x

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  12. Stunning photos - really beautiful. Hope your snow has now finally thawed. Its gone much milder here and most of snow and ice has disappeared.

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  13. What wonderful shots of your beautiful snowy landscape and wild residents! I especially like the shots of the icy grass whiskers. The isolation captured in your shots I find very close to my heart and until very recently, my living situation. I was the 'outer most house' for about 10 years here in Kings County, with a 'driveway' 2.5 km in length to plow after each snow. It finally got the best of me. Age and health made me move to town from my lakeside forest home. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. Thelma - I have to admit to size being the principle identification tool here! It's huge and is now a daily visitor, if a very shy one. It even came to the feeding place outside the window today. I was so shocked, I had the zoom in too far and cropped off its head! It appeared within my RSPB hour so has been registered.

    Rachel - Lucky dog getting warm water! Poor Snippet in the icy stream. Friday morning after the library perhaps? x

    Ragged R - It miraculously disappeared over night and we drove the car at last!

    Mark - you must really miss it. I'm very aware that living here has a limit on it. My partner spends most of his spare time chopping wood and this is the first year we haven't had to dig our way out up half a mile of moorland road. We are enjoying it while we can. So glad you do manage to get out to take your beautiful photos. Enjoy the central heating and mains drainage if you can!

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  15. Em,
    I've just taken a few moments to enjoy the photos on your last several posts. Isn't it odd how a picture can stir a memory, not of something exact, more a distilling of beloved elements. Photos # 11 and 13 in this post jolted me with the look of a wooded pasture on my Grampa Mac's farm--although I am sure a moor isn't really like the hills of New England.
    At any rate, thank you for posting so many, so thoughtfully taken--I assume that is your artistic eye at work.
    Snow over a layer of ice--deadly!

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  16. So glad you enjoyed them. It's all gone now and the rain is back, coupled with VERY strong winds that nearly blew me over as I climbed through the electric fence this evening!

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  17. Gorgeous photos! Your patch of England is looking very much like Canada :)

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*¨)
    (¸.·´ (¸.·`¤... Jennifer
    http://jennsrandomscraps.blogspot.ca

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  18. It is isn't it? I've always wanted to visit Canada but when we've got snow there's probably no point!

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