Winter Wonderland

These are my last few snow pictures (well I hope we've seen the last of it!)

These first two photos were taken from our top bedroom, some 50 feet from ground level. You get a good view of the neighbourhood from here.

Below virgin snow, the postman soon made it look messy!

We saw quite a few animal prints in the snow, some were clearly birds, but not sure if this was made by a cat or fox. As we have walls and fences around the back it had to be a good climber!

We thought we'd seen the last of the snow after a mild weekend, but this morning we woke up to a snow storm which left a dusting of the white stuff. It soon turned to rain and is now completely disappeared.

Will this be the last of it I wonder????

Archives:
2009: Worm Works
2008: Electronic Arts Redwood City
2007: Don't you just love Garfield

More Snow and more on the way!

A good few inches of snow fell over night. I got up to have a look around 4am and it looked beautiful. By the time I got up at 8am my good neighbour, John, was out clearing the road again.

I had a chat with him when I went to get the papers, and I cleared a pathway out to the front gate. I decided to leave the back, as my blister has only just healed from the last time.

I was supposed to be driving Embee to the clinic for an eye test but the snow had drifted against the gate so my car was stuck in the yard. Another reason for not clearing the snow as I'm not keen on driving in these conditions! Embee re-arranged the appointment for next week, and to be honest I don't think he was that keen on venturing out as he's still recovering from a chest infection and he has a nasty cough.

My little bulbs were beginning to peep out but now they are covered in a cosy white blanket!

Now if it had been like this over Christmas the plant below would have been pretty!

This is a fun time for the children who don't have school but it's less fun for those trying to go to work and for the elderly who are trying to keep warm in sub-zero temperatures. My oil gauge is dropping at an alarming rate so I hope it warms up soon.

Archives:
2009: Snow
2008: Meme-7 things about me
2007: Using up Beef

Some more snow photos

My daughter Sam wanted to see some more snow photos. I don't think this is what she really means but I took a few more around the house.

I thought these looked just like crowns.

It might not look very deep but it had drifted against the gate.

The blueberry plants look very forlorn!

An early morning shot of the front garden while it was still dark.

I won't be using the washing line for a while!

Nor do I think we'll be sitting out any time soon!

It took me ages to clear a path to the gate but I'm glad I made the effort as I was able to drive my car today. I'm less pleased about the huge raw area on the palm of my right hand where a blister burst!

Archives:
2008: Look at My Belly Flops
2007: Winter Solstice
2006: Last Celebration Meal

Dare I say it!

I'm going to try one more time to get a flight to Dublin. I wonder will it be third time lucky!

Yesterday EmBee was released early from work. At home there was another little job waiting. Is he clearing the snow, chatting or trying to lob a snowball at me through the dining room window!

Hopefully I will be seeing you all today Beccy.

Sam hope you have a lovely weekend away with your friends

Archives:
2008: Grange Hill Only one more series + Happy Chinese New Year
2007: My version of Blueberry Breakfast(Anytime) Bars

I'm still at home!

Dogs don't worry about the weather.

Well as you can see I didn't make it to Dublin yesterday. I have now experienced having my flight cancelled not once but twice in a day. There were no flights available today which was just as well because I hear on the news the airport had again cancelled flights. I have an early morning flight booked tomorrow but it really doesn't look too hopeful. I've spoken to Beccy and she has the children off school, the bus wasn't running, so conditions in Dublin seem to be much the same as here.

My neighbour is a great bloke he has cleared the road single handed everyday this week, only for it to be several inches deep in snow by the next morning (I took a sneaky photo of him hard at work).
I felt very guilty for not getting out there to help him. I chatted to him from my dining room window and apologised for not helping. I had to laugh when he sweetly said "don't worry-when I'm 60 odd I won't be doing it either". I wonder who he thinks cleared my steps earlier.

Embee managed to get into work today but arrived home early about an hour ago. I suggested he did a little snow clearing and he's thinking about it! If he does go out I will probably help-well I will as soon as I have finished this. Actually I think I can hear him outside so better go and show my face.


I decided to snap some snow scenes in monochrome.

Archives:
2008: Witty Wednesday-36.html"
2007: Was yours a top toy

Winter Wonderland

Now I fully realise that for those of you who have snow, snow and more snow that the few inches that we had yesterday would not even be worth mentioning. However, because we get so little it's a big deal which has to be recorded. So yesterday as the snowflakes fell I took a couple of pictures.

Below is what I looked out on first thing this morning. You will see my neighbour put salt on his bit of the road, but it wasn't too icy and the main roads were completely clear.
I'm not sure if they had any snow in Dublin so I decided to go out and play this afternoon and make a snowman for Ben my youngest grandson. When I looked at my snow post 2007 (8th Feb) I realised the photos are practically identical, except the previous snowman was much better!

Ben I do so wish you had been here to help me.

Snow 2008
S'No'w 2008
Jan 2009

Archives:
2008: Comfort Food for a Cold Day
2007: Top 20 Toys of all Time

Snow!

This apology for snow is what I woke up to yesterday morning. It didn't last long, so by lunchtime it had all disappeared. If I hadn't taken this quick snap I might have thought I had been dreaming!

Archives:
2008: Meme-7 things about me
2007: Using up beef

s'NO'w

Did we get the predicted snow....I woke up at 5am, looked out of the window and it had been raining. By the time I got up at 8am the sun was shining and this was my view as I opened the curtains..... Just a powdering and hardly worth mentioning really, however other parts of the country did not get off so lightly and it even snowed in central London!...... it did give me something to post about!!

Archives:
2007: Sierra Mijas(mountain trip by cable car)

Snow was here..........

Yesterday afternoon we had a snow storm. It only lasted about three hours and then turned to sleet and rain but for a brief period the garden looked white and as it might be the only snow we see this winter out came the camera. I know this will seem as no big deal for many of you but for us snow is something of a rarity! I know Beccy is always envious of those who have snow!

Today dawned clear with just the hint of sun and no trace of snow to be seen!
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The next thing I need to tell you is I'm in BIG trouble again with my other daughter. Sam is rather cross with me but how could anyone be cross with a sweet old lady like moi! Well it might have something do with this. Yes I won her 'Menu for Hope' prize after she specifically told me not to bid on it. Well what could I do, but disobey my daughter and incur her wrath as I know she was trying to make a lot of money for a good cause. I didn't think it would matter as I was not expecting to win and as she says ~ I don't even like tea! Of course the other prize that I really really wanted eluded me~ still never mind there's always next year!
Forgive me Sam I love you x
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Hint # 2

Abrasions
Vinegar is a natural antiseptic, so use diluted to clean minor cuts or abrasions, and to reduce itch from poison ivy or mosquito bites. (not sure I would want to smell of vinegar!)

Aftershave
Relief for skin sensitive to shaving may be at hand. Elderly men who use this method regularly are said to have soft, smooth faces, just like a baby's. This is also good for rashes or pimples. Drink apple cider vinegar,honey and hot water every morning. The vinegar smell goes away very quickly when used as an aftershave (it would need to as not many men would get a goodbye kiss in the morning!!)

Allergy to Dust Mites
Add 4 fl oz (8 tablespoons) vinegar to a gallon of water to keep vinyl floors clean and shiny but kills the dust mites! (I guess this would work on laminates and tiles as well).

Athletes Foot
Try soaking your feet in vinegar and water. It changes skin pH so that fungus cannot grow. Soak three evenings in a row.

Bones
The manganese, magnesium, silicon and calcium found in apple cider vinegar have been linked in sustaining bone mass, which is important in the fight against osteoporosis. A supplement of cider apple vinegar could, for this reason, be valuable should you suffer from calcium shortage, or if you are entering your post menopausal stage, where a risk of bone density loss could cause a problem.

So to the winner(s) of my little quiz...
Enidd named 9 varieties
Kaytabug named 7 (beer? not in my book!) but also guessed there might be 15.
There are actually 26 main types mentioned in this book. If you both email me your address I will send a small prize.
Sam if verjus is a vinegar you named 10 so I did note that~ and I do believe you haven't looked at the book!!

Archives:
2007: Why does excercise...

The weatherman got it right for once!

I'm sure those of you who are knee deep in snow will by now be quite bored with our pre-occupation with the white stuff here in the UK. Everyone else in the world copes admirably, not England, everything grinds to a halt and travel is chaotic. For instance some airports have been closed, roads are blocked, trains delayed, and many schools are closed which clearly delighted the children but not so parents, just think of the childcare problems it's created. The snow has been the topic for most of the radio 2 programmes, as I speak Jeremy Vine is suggesting everyone emails in a photo taken in the snow to be posted on their news board.

Where I live we missed the worst of the snow storms but we did have sufficient to cover the gardens and I did take a few pictures to prove it. The light was quite poor as it was snowing quite heavily as I was snapping away.

This is the view as I opened my back door.


The back yard taken from my dining room window.


The front garden must be more protected as there appears to be less snow settling here.


This one is for Ben, my 6 year old grandson who didn't have enough snow in Dublin even to make a snowball. I went out especially to make a little snowperson, I do wish you were here because we could have made a much bigger one. Granny Betty lent me a hat and scarf to keep him or maybe it's a her warm. Hope you like!!


Ben (and anyone else) guess who's busy building this huge snowman!!! Taken over 25 years ago.