Hasn't it been the longest week in forever? Wrap up warm it's getting even colder.
Hard to make out, but four deer dashing off into the trees.
Take care,
Sophie
What do you do when the temperature has dropped to minus anything? Layer up and get out! There's a lot to say for a knitted skirt and thermal tights but I went one better here with a cunning super long jumper with a skirt over the top. My burgundy-with-elbow-patches wonder is two thirds as long as my skirt and did a brilliant job of keeping me cosy. There's a price to pay but considering how dreadful this could have looked, I'd say I got off lightly.Yes, of course I had a thick coat, scarf, hat and pair of gloves which I had to unravel on the quick to make the most of having this astonishing landscape to ourselves. There turned out to be some people rather distant but hopefully they didn't notice. It's obviously weird to take off warm clothes and have your picture taken and I don't want to talk about it. After a minute of attempts to stand and smile, I re-wrapped myself and carried out for a lovely wander, this time safely behind the lens.
This skirt must have seen a fair few wears, it was my original knitted skirt find and at that point I'd never seen one before. A winter must have.
Take care,
Sophie
More from the frozen landscape today. Did you know that the lockdown might last until the end of March? That sounds like such a long time. Let's take it one day at a time.
The allotments are waterlogged at best, flooded at worst and not in great shape for any works to be carried out at all. Over the past three weeks we've only gone down there to look, or pick a few sprouts. I can't wait for it to drain a little so I can start to potter down there again; there's plenty I can be getting on with still and it goes a long way to making things feel good.
Take care,
Sophie
On the frostiest of days we had a walk in mind which was new to us. Walking in such an enchanting landscape was far more interesting than if we had visited on a damp and mild day. The freezing mist rolled in late morning and sealed in the frost for the whole day. Heavy, granular ice clad each leaf, each blade of grass, with the frozen world propped up solidly.
A frustrating stint on what turned out to be an unfathomably fast, winding road scuppered an otherwise peaceful walk. A few leaps onto a jumbly overgrown verge when a car shot round the corner and, alarmingly, one from the opposing direction as well. Aside from taking our lives into our own hands for a few minutes, the rest of the walk was delightful. Peaceful, made more so by being freshly glazed.
Back in the lockdown boat again, it seems. From the tone of the announcement it does sound like it's likely to remain in force until mid February, with a fair wind. Sensible to stop the transmission but surely, this would have been better as a prevention than as a reactive measure now that the NHS is facing an overload... Anyway, it's going to be difficult for the parents of school kids and of course the thousands of businesses who now cannot operate or operate well. Roll on spring.
Sophie