THE SNOW IS BACK AND HELLEBORES AT LAST

First I'd really like to thank all of you who commented on the last post for your support and kind words. It made a huge difference and I'm enormously grateful. I have new avenues to explore and strength to continue.

Today at about 11.00am, it started to snow and didn't stop till about 4.00pm. It has settled on the moorland grass but was starting to melt as the sun went down. However, a neighbour mentioned an amber snow warning for tonight.....here we go again. Here are some pictures of the birds in the snow today; I fed them twice.

Chaffinches:

Mad Robin:

Melancholy Magpie:

I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever see Betty or the rest of the herd again. I do miss them. These two greys are familiar but they don't look in foal to me. This time last year there were at least five or six mares looking huge. Oh well, time will tell.

Yesterday was clearer and here are a few pictures I took out and about:

Lone spawn in quite a sensible location

One of the protective geldings and Snippet, but without our herd

A tiny lichen garden in the crevice of a rock

Usnea lichen or Old Man's Beard on a Hawthorn tree in Trigger's field

Trigger was fabulous on Friday whilst having his feet trimmed. Affectionate in an unusual way and perfectly behaved, almost as if he knows. It was great to spend time with him without being in a rush, in pouring rain or rushing round the field trying to repair divots in the limited space. 

Before the snow, I was thrilled to see my Hellebores starting to flower. I have been trying to grow them for years, always from pups from friends or family and never with any success. This time I dug out some small but established plants from my Mum's garden and I smile whenever I pass them now. Small victories. Until next time................here it is.