Earliest ever

Sat. 24th Dec 2011
            Just a very brief look around my garden revealed the first snowdrops beginning to open, this is very early in our part of the country up here in Lancashire. Last year which was much colder the first snowdrops didn't open until the 26th Jan. a full month later

       Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

I had to get out

Sunday 18th Dec. 2011

       This week has been changeable with much of the week having wintry showers and blustery winds  This morning I was like a caged animal, the weather was cold clear and frosty with a light covering of snow overnight which turned out to be very local, just in our immediate area.  None of our friends were available for a walk and my wife had a cold so to get some exercise I made for the Pennine tops to refuel the body and mind. This walk took me over Boulsworth Hill the highest hill in the Southern Pennines just short of 1700 ft This is as near a wilderness as one gets in our area where the hand of man as had minimal effect, the walk was around 4hours.
          From the summit there are commanding views over to Pendle Hill and the Yorkshire Dale and today the Howgills and Lake District Fells could be seen.

      One of several rainbows viewed from my bedroom window this week

        One of several panoramic views of Pendle Hill that I enjoyed today

                 Place the camera on self timer and hope for the best

                         Pendle Hill on telephoto zoom setting

                             The same view on wide angle

   The dead stalks of heather can look effective under freezing conditions

                                    The distant Howgill Fells

                                         Towards Halifax

             This clear visibility is not very common up in our misty hills

Wintry scene from Lancashire

Sat. 10th Dec. 2011
                        This week has seen the first light snow of the winter, I've been away for a few days down to my daughter and family in Warwickshire where the weather is always kinder and sunnier so this is the first opportunity if had to get out for a few minutes.

                        The wintry scene at the back of our house

Always dominant.... Pendle Hill  famous because of the Lancashire Witches 400 yrs.ago

Back home in my back garden my garden ponds take on a wintry look, I love to compare the same scenes in late June where all the wild flowers have naturalised around the pond.

                    Still a bit of seasonal colour in the garden

This poinsettia is certainly no prize winner but I have nurtured it through 3 summers and now its rewarding me with its 4th Christmas display.