If you've been reading this blog for a while (you mad thing) then you may think I'm recycling my pictures. Not so, but this is very like one from a couple of years ago.
I shall be using this post box as my snow-ometer. If anything I think we have slightly more snow this time and it's not stopped yet. This picture was taken yesterday morning on my way to work and it snowed all day.
The roads haven't been ploughed or gritted, the bins aren't being collected and no post has been delivered. It's a positive winter wonderland here, you'd think snow was a surprise and it didn't do just this each and every year.
School was closed to students except those sitting external exams and rehearsing the school musical. Only local staff were in and most of them left early.
As I walked to work a woman was pushing a car along the road. Periodically she got in, span the wheels a bit, got back out and pushed. As she passed me she gave me the sort of look that requested sisterly solidarity. No way, baby. Mine's on the drive, why shuld I shove yours? It's definitely four wheel drive weather. Or two-by-two as my Mother calls them.
It's all very gorgeous to look at, though. If you ignore the grey skies. A nice bit of blue and some wintry sun would set it all off to perfection.
As I was doing the ironing after work, I was idly watching the blackbirds and sparrows having a bath in the little open bit of the pond (are they mad??) when a flash of pink caught my eye. A bullfinch in the garden. I adore bullfinches to the point of distraction and almost wept. I know... a very irrational reaction, but they're so seldom seen here. I ran to get the camera instead of just watching him as I should have. Because of course he'd gone by the time I made it back to the window.
But the good thing about gardens, and birds, is that there's always a compensation.
