We've avoided the snow again

Wed. 22nd Dec 2010

                                There's been some terrible disruption because of the heavy snow in many parts of the country but thankfully we've had very little, no more than 2- 3 inches, yes it's been very cold down to -12c in our immediate area and down to -17c in other parts of  N.W. England. I haven't done much walking over the past couple of weeks just a few circulars of no more than 6 miles from our  house. Snow conditions photography-wise have been very ordinary so there's been very few photo's taken.

                    Looking S.E. to the snow clouds that past us by

             A few holly berries that still haven't been eaten by the birds

            A few wild orchid spikes all that remain from from last July

                Icicles hanging from Barden bridge over Pendle Water

  

 This is a good stretch on the River Calder to (I hope) watch Salmon spawn now that the river has been cleaned up and the weirs have been removed on the lower reaches but so far no signs of the Salmon

                          Redshank on the River Calder

Finally..... wild orchid spikes in my garden and the same orchids in july in their full glory

Chrstmas Card scenery from Shakespeare Country

Thursday 9th Dec. 2010
    Over the last 4 days we've been visiting our daughter and family in Alcester in Warwickshire in the heart of Shakespeare country .The weather has been very cold with frost both day and night, perfect for Alcester's.... 
St. Nicholas's street festival which is held every year in the town's main street.This year it has had an added bonus with the formation of freezing fog which gave the event a sparkling christmassy feel and left the surrounding countryside coated in hoar frost, everywhere you looked it was like a scene out of a Christmas Card, the whole countryside was absolute magic.

                                      St Nicholas's night

The sparkle is from the tiny ice crystals illuminated by the camera flash

     The full beauty of the freezing fog was revealed the following morning....

               A Couple of shots of Alcester from the Monarch's Way

                                         Along the river Alne

                The ice crystals show off the oak leaves in a new light

                                               Hog Weed

                                      Alcester Church

                                      Over the hill to Wixford

                                           Wixford

                   Just as beautiful on the way back to Alcester

We've got off lightly

Wed. 1st Dec 2010

     Like most areas in the British Isles we've had some snow, here in NE Lancashire we've got off lightly because we're sheltered by the Pennines from the blast of Siberian air which always dumps the snow more to the east.... saying that as write this blog the snows fairly coming down, with this very cold weather our pheasant has returned for its second winter in and around our garden he most know he's going to be well fed. Yesterday we had an exhilarating walk into the keen wind that was blowing across the local fields near to our house, I've tried to capture a few images that portray the onset of winter.

                               Looking east to the Pennines

                          Snow sculptures on the dry stone walls

                                       Bouldsworth Hill

                         Wind sculptures in the frozen snow

                                    Sunset 3.30 pm