Comparing the Season

                                 Blowing snow this morning

Friday 22nd March 2013
                   Spring is so late this year compared to the last few years. Last year in the same week  we found  Lesser Celandines, Wood Anemones, Primroses and the first Bluebells, the frog spawn in our garden pond was hatching and the Purple Saxifrage on Pen-y- Ghent was at it's best. Looking through my diaries from previous years  this Spring is about 3 weeks behind.
             So briefly this is what's been happening in our part of the world over the last  few weeks

Spring was on time on the 17th Feb on our Walk around Gargrave in West Yorkshire with this lovely show of Winter Aconites and Snowdrops.

The Snowdrops were at their best up in Litton Dale in the Yorkshire Dales on the 3rd March but were a week behind compared to 2012

Also the ducks were back in my garden pond for the season on the 4th March but were 2 weeks later than the last 2 years. I'm assuming they're the same pair that return every year because they come to the backdoor and look through the glass into the kitchen, in their way they're asking to be fed.

The persistent cold east wind has given us permanent snow cover over the last few weeks, during the day the snowline moves up into the hills only to descend overnight with the freezing temperatures.

The first lambs of the year were out in the fields around Barley near to our home last Sunday17th March with Pendle Hill  dominating the background.

Back in my own back garden the frogs have stopped spawning and the early spring flowers are just about surviving under the constant bashing of the wind and snow

                          Freeze thaw conditions around the pond

                             Frogspawn frozen in the ice

                             Tough conditions for the flowers

Finally this morning I headed out into the teeth of the gale force easterly wind for a brisk walk near to our house, heavy snow had been forecast but here in East Lancashire we're in the shelter of the Pennines so we missed the worst of the blizzard, it was very cold but not unbearable.

                 The dead flower spikes of Common Spotted Orchid

                                The same group in July last year

Abstract sculptures formed by the wind blowing through the dry-stone wall

Early Purple Saxifrage

Wed. 27th Feb.2013
             This is a short film I made in 2009 I have re-edited it firstly to show the interest and enthusiasm I have in this beautiful mountain flower and secondly I've had to change the music to non copyright because You Tube must be monitoring uploads and they flagged it and sent a message stating the infringement, so we are being checked.
                I've uploaded this film now because in about 4 weeks we'll be walking out into this area to find this beautiful flower a walk that I never tire of.

Blue Skies

Sunday 17th Feb 2013
                         After the many days of either cold/grey weather with periods of snow and rain, what a welcome change to be able to enjoy a day out under a cloudless sky with a definite feeling of spring in the air.  Our walk today from Gargrave in West Yorkshire was just over 9 miles, crossing over Eshton Beck  passing Flasby Hall, skirting near to the top of Flasby Fell and then through the small hamlets of Stirton and Thorlby before returning along the banks of the Leeds & Liverpool canal for almost 3 miles.
        There were around 20+ Oyster Catchers along the banks of the River Aire  the Lapwings were calling and we also heard a more distant Curlew.

             

Along the banking near to our path a lovely display of Winter Aconites and Snowdrops

                              Striding out along Flasby Fell

                  First Coldsfoot of the year on a south facing banking

A lovely show of Snowdrops in the small hamlet of Stirton

This sheep is what I call "Rigged" they roll over onto their backs and can't roll back because of the width of their flat backs and in many cases at this time of year they're heavy in lamb, so a helping hand is needed to roll them over. I'm told they can die if they can't roll back on their feet but I'm not 100% sure about it.

Several Osytercatchers were feeding in the field besides the Leeds & Liverpool Canal

   
                                

   
                                

Just finished editing

Tues. 5th Feb. 2012
                 The cold wet days of winter make it ideal weather for my video editing because I feel I'm not missing much in the great outdoors. I've just finished my motorhome video diary from last May & June for our local film club competition the dead line being tomorrow. I've tried to show in 15 minutes just a brief, but fast moving video of our holiday.

Double left click on picture to show full size.

Never Too Old

Mon.21st Jan.2013
             A good covering of snow this morning this was too good to miss, so out came our 40 years old homemade sledge again for a good bit of old fashioned fun sledging down the local golf coarse not far from our house. Loads of people were sledging and we were definitely the oldest (sledges) out today, but who cares life's too short to miss this bit of fun.

                                             Setting off

                    I prefer the old fashioned belly dive position

                                     Having a jolly good time

              Homeward bound for a cup of coffee and a hot mince pie

A winters day on Pendle

Wed 16th January 2013
                                   For the last few days the weather has turned more seasonable with a light covering of snow in our area. We're not people for sitting about so we choose to walk over Pendle Hill  this morning the  first ascent of 2013. The morning felt quite mild -2c with very little wind so we set off from Barley village for the 6 miles circular walk, a walk we've done dozens of times throughout the seasons. There's something about a walk in the snow that gives a new lease of life and lifts the spirits in the dark winter months.

        Pendle Hill viewed from above the village of Newchurch in Pendle

                              Along the ridge above Ogden Clough

A spring bubbles up near to south ridge of Pendle Hill  this is one of sources of Pendle Water which flows into the River Calder then into the River Ribble reaching the sea south of Blackpool at Lytham.

                                  Along Pendle's southern edge

                       Frost and ice crystals on the blades of grass

                                      Pendle's summit 1831 ft

Wintry scenes on the top of Pendle with the high cloud proceeding warmer air from the Atlantic spreading over from the west, this is heralding snow as the warmer air clashes with the cold continental air from the east.

    The wire fence takes on an added attraction in the freezing conditions

            Finally down the tourist path back to the village of Barley

                     

Keeping Busy

Wed. 2nd Jan. 2013
           For the first time in around thirty odd years we didn't celebrate New Years Eve with our friends because both me and my wife Audrey had caught the dreaded cough and cold that doing the rounds up in our part of the world. We assume we've caught it off our three young grandsons during the Christmas period.
      Not being one to sit around and let the cold and cough take it's course (even though I did feel grotty) I  edited another short film on one of my favourite subjects (Wild Orchids) that I'm so passionate about. I've tried to weave a message into the story line to make the film a little more imaginative Once again it features Eric one of my life long friends, he's good talking to the camera and we rarely have to shoot a second take.
       I'm not sure that this video can be viewed by some of my followers, If it can be viewed I'd been interested to hear any comments as how far it's reached on the Internet.