Sky Watch Friday - A Skif of Snow!

Did I mention, we had another snowfall this week?
Probably not - it only lasted a few hours before the skies cleared...Guess I could have used the above for TCT re BLUE & WHITE!

True Colours Thursday - APRICOT, Take 2!

Calling in for coffee this morning with friend & neighbour France' - Pussycat Paul & family are home from their Christmas holiday cum French ski-ing vacation - I spotted her previously un-noticed window box with APRICOT Winter Polyanthus peaking though the now melting snow - poor, poor them...

Hopefully, their snow blanket has protected them from the worse of the recent cold!

On the Winter Front - PP was amazed @ the volume of the white stuff locally.

He'd have liked the same snowfall @ his Alpine Ski resort, as he says fresh snow is the best - I wouldn't know!

Anyway, he was quick to make both our house's front pathways accessible again.

Now, as a Lawyer specialising in 'Accident Litigation' & Junior Partner in one of Oxford's most prestigious Law Firms, he obviously knew what he was doing regarding the consequences re shovelling snow!

And, if any one does slips on mine, I certainly know who to call!!!

Re - me, I'm set to head away for the weekend to help Friends!

Maybe out of touch for a while as it involves moving homes!!!

Wednesday Wit - The Dog & the Snowman!

This cartoon made me chuckle...And, after more snowfall over night, plus continued flurries this morning, am sure a fresh wave of snowmen will appear.

Two Fer Tuesday - The Winter Sports Ground!

Sorry but more snow shots I'm afraid for this meme of Jonna's which just requires two or pairs of images!University College's Sports Ground should have been teaming with keen Rugby players on Saturday... Some had obviously trekked in...Only to find more of a Ice Palace rather than of a Sports Pavilion awaiting them...

Although as I said yesterday we have a small thaw, the thickness of the snow, much now compacted into ice means it is going to take quite a while for it to clear away, so making mobility easy.
This is not helped by the fact that in England, we have a nonsensical law that states if you as an individual clear snow/ice from your surrounds and then someone slips & incurs injury, you are liable to prosecution - subsequently, most footpaths including my own remain untouched!
Only 'Official' gritting/salting has happened on the main arterial routes leading into the city, leaving all side roads under a thick very uneven blanket of the now grey stuff still; so much so there has been no mail delivery in my area since the first snows fell last week - not that I'd wish my very nice & friendly Australian postlady cycling/walking in these treacherous conditions - I'm happy to wait for my bills!

Monochrome & Odd Shot Monday - Icicles!

The forecast weekend snow didn't reach Oxford, we've even signs of a thaw!
Opened my back door that benefits from the mornings bright sunshine to find this dripping above it...Monochrome Weekend's creator & host is Alieni.

Saturday Photo Hunt - Bulky!

This week's prompt from host tnchick, in light of the cold, immediately conjured up images of bulky Winter attire.

So I delved into the Photo Archives, for this odd shot of my snow boots...

I really could do with them right now, but they're out on the farm in Saskatchewan, CA!

It's *** Snowing Again!

My blue skies are gone!
They are replaced by snow laden ones, that are already leaking small flakes!
And, the forecast is for a huge dump of the white stuff in my locality this Sunday, with blizzards across the country & severe wind chill being added to the mix!!!
Grrr!
Sure, I am safe & cosy in my own home - no problems there!
But, by rights I should be in Brighton again now - my usual hotel, the Royal Albian, as part of the Britannia Group, having made me an offer I could not refuse to take up.
Although, it's rather, very premature to go flat hunting as my own house isn't going on the property market till early March, I decided to accept, as am always happy visiting there.
So, was set to join Jackson on his weekend walks, his J1 for several fun lunches @ Bills in the week and to put my name down for info @ various Estate Agents - all is now in frozen limbo.
Brighton once away from the promenade is surprisingly hilly with many steep roads and since it had heavy snow much earlier than Oxford and more recent snowfalls, the town according to J1 is seriously treacherous under foot & freezing
She said my decision re cancelling visit was probably for the best, only being wise though, does not sit that well!
But, FOOTNOTE to myself - when apartment hunting seek one on level ground!

Sky Watch Friday - A Wintery Neighbourhood!

Okay - for most North American friends my current posts maybe a joke!
You take Ice & Snow seriously as a matter of course, it is your Winter norm.
While, here in the UK, especially in Oxford, it is a novelty!

As the 'Big Freeze' is set to last, after my snowman building of yesterday, I ventured briefly out just as far as my local convenience store for essentials supplies - these are scenes from my very careful walk under blue, blue skies...

And this is the current view from my kitchen window....

True Colours Thursday - SNOW WHITE, Take 2!

Braving the morning chill - RAF Benson, Oxfordshire recorded an all time low of minus 17c last night - the Fifty plus child in me had to go play in the SNOW today as it was sunny!!!
Meet my gardens newest cheeky WHITE resident...Sadly, I lacked a carrot for his nose and I was too cold/mean to share my hat & scarf with him.
As it's barely hovering around minus 6/7c now [noon], he may be with me for quite a while!
This is a near by neighbour, built by a four year old...Guess, I need to fine tune my SNOWman building skills!

True Colours Thursday - SNOW WHITE!

Friends, will know of the change in my blogging patterns!
My True Colours continues but only re - TC Thursday posts.
That is the way it will now be - it is your choice where you leave any 'Comments', as I regrettably, don't have the techy skills to link comments left on one blog to another!

When I listed this weeks colour and added "hopefully not here!", the only SNOWY images I planned to post were this SNOWman & the cake...However, I obviously tempted fate - big time - an unwise move on my part!
Dreamingspires having escaped the heavy snows that have blighted much of the UK recently, had it's first taste of the WHITE stuff on Tuesday evening.
The flakes were huge...
Yesterday morning I woke to a thick blanket of snow & measured 8 inches, a record since 1981 in this city!
As the WHITEout is well WHITE, this is my token SNOW shot...And, because my poor sense of balance, brittle bones & inclination to be increasingly accident prone of late, makes me confess to being a total scardy-pants re venturing out in icy & snow conditions these days, I'm sticking to the photo's I had originally taken for this post.

This unusual SNOW WHITE wreath has been decking a neighbours door...I spotted this window display whilst in Brighton...While, one of Covered Markets butchers boasts this sign all year...And, my final Christmas cake from The Celebration Cake Shop, in view of the weather is very apt...
Trying to finish on a optimist note - as the SNOWdrop, is the most welcome of flowers in January, since it heralds the promise of Spring, another card from my 1930's silk Kensitas Cigarette Card collection...In the 'Language of Flowers' the Snowdrop means Hope.
It originally grew wild in Italy & other parts of Europe, and was introduced to this country around the 15th Centuary.
The botanical name 'Galantus' comes from the Greek 'gala' - milk & 'anthos' - a flower, so a milk WHITE flower.

To join True Colours Thursday, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, as I do now, with many memes, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment below, so we know you are 'IN'!
For this meme only, I lift my 'Comment Moderation' to help players connect with each other.
Everyone, who to my knowledge has participated recently, is named in the TCT Roll Call in my side bar.
Next weeks colour is APRICOT as suggested by Doyle & Mollie!
And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome!]

True Colours Thursday - SNOW WHITE!

When I selected this weeks colour and commented "hopefully not here!", I obviously tempted fate - big time - a bad bad move on my part!
Dreamingspires having escaped the heavy snows that have blighted much of the UK recently, had it's first taste of the WHITE stuff on Tuesday evening.
The flakes were huge...Yesterday morning I woke to a thick blanket of snow & measured 8 inches, a record since 1981 in this city locality!
As the WHITEout is well WHITE, this is my token SNOW shot...And, because my poor sense of balance, brittle bones & inclination to be increasingly accident prone of late, makes me confess to being a total -pants re venturing out in the ice & snow these days, I'm sticking to the photo's I originally planned for this post.

This unusal SNOW WHITE wreath has been decking a neighbours door...
I spotted this window display whilst in Brighton...
While, one of Covered Markets butchers boasts this sign...
And, my final Seasonal cake from The Celebration Cake Shop is perfect too, in view of the local weather - brrr...

Trying to finish on a optimist note - as the Snowdrop, is the most welcome of flowers in January, since it heralds the promise of Spring, another card from my 1930's silk Kensitas Cigarette Collection...In the 'Language of Flowers' the Snowdrop means Hope.

It orininally grew wild in Italy & other parts of Europe, and was introduced to this country around the 15th Centuary.

The botanical name 'Galantus' comes from the Greek 'gala' - milk and 'anthos' - a flower, so means a milk WHITE flower.

To join True Colours Thursday, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, as I do now, with many memes, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment below, so we know you are 'IN'!
For this meme only, I lift my 'Comment Moderation' to help players connect with each other.
Everyone, who to my knowledge has participated recently, is named in the TCT Roll Call in my side bar.
Next weeks colour is APRICOT as suggested by Doyle & Molly!
And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome!

Wordless Wednesday [almost] - The First Snow of Winter!

The difference twelve hours makes....

Two fer Tuesday - Hoping Spring stays!

Last weeks very pleasent Spring-like warm weather, has brought my neighbours Forsythia shrub out into bloom...Just hope the sudden change to cooler temperatures now, doesn't mean it flowers suffers the same fate as last years did...Two fer is friend Jonna's easy fun meme, requiring two or pairs of photo's on any subject.
She's still away in India, but blog reporting on her fascinating time there.

Two fer Tuesday - The Little Bridge!

This was the scene last week on one of my regular country walks - the Devils Backbone, with its bridge across Hinksey Stream, a tributary of the River Isis...Guess, I could have used the image for Saturdays Photo Hunt re Bridge [s]!
However, am glad I didn't; as over the weekend, sorting through my Archives, I came several other takes, making it perfect for Jonna's idea - where you need two or pairs of photo's!
Here's looking back from the other side of the bridge, Spring 2008...The Floods of August 2007 produced many odd sights including this one...And, for real nostalgia, Hero enjoying his final Summer in 1997 - he's about to head down the bank into the stream to swim..

Monochrome & Odd Shot Monday - Snow Windows!

It's more snow photo's!
Walking along the Devils Backbone to view the scene, couldn't resist capturing the effect on the fencing.
So, for Aileni, have an almost en-natural Monochrome Maniac entry...
And, then peeping through the frosted wire, gave me my Odd Shot for Katney's meme.. Woodstock snaffled the oddest one to tinker with in B&W!

Camera Critters Sunday - The Snow Hare!

Sadly, I have no pets, to photograph out enjoying the recent snowfall.

My late beloved Springer Hero, loved frolocking in it.

But, regretably, I never thought to take photo's of him then, as I would do now.

However, did discover this creative snow sculpture in my park...

Camera Critters is Misty Dawn's creation and the blog HERE!

Snow Musings!

Listening to the BBC lunch-time news - a tale of road & school closures, disruptions, business's failing as no-one made it into work, general woe & people be-crying the effects of the snow, I think we Brits have gone soft!
I have posted bemused snow photo's, because, having lived in Dreamingspires for now, an amazing 36 years, I've only twice, in the last twenty plus of those, seen snowfalls here to match this weeks.
And, with my current brittle bones status and ability to slip, slide & fallover, I profess to being cautious in this weather.
But, I am of the generation that remembers, repeatedly snowy Winters when, life just continued on, rather that grind to a halt as it seems to these days.
And, I've been to places like Saskatchewan, CA; where what we have now, is the norm!
To them, we are a joke!

Friend Aileni, per an 'Comment' earlier today, reminded me of the severe Winters of 1947 & 1963.
The former is well, before my time; but, I grew up hearing tales of it's length & severity, when snow chains on cars were the norm.
I do however, remember 1963, as that was the year I walked on solid frozen snow drifts that towered over my Mother's head.
But, the Village Infant School, I attended remained open.
And, the Steam Trains made it through - mine, was a Railway Community.
Other Winters in the 60's & 70's, regularly saw my village, in a rural valley in Northamptionshire severely snowed upon.
The Secondary School there, only closed briefly then & not because we, the locals couldn't walk there but the 'bused' in children couldn't get in on the first day.
I remember, with amusement, one over zealous teacher skied in, to take his C.S.E. Geography class [mine, as it happened] only to find it cancelled.
He couldn't ski home, up hill & ended up lodging @ one of the local pubs for the night.
Strangely enough, when the school, re-opened, the following morning, he was unable to take his lesson - cried off sick!

Winter back then, automatically meant, stocking up in advance, doning Wellington Boots & thick socks, mittens & warm woollen jumpers.
Now, due to years & years of mild affairs, no one is prepared.
Or, worse still, is dangerous - as no one knows how to drive carefully in ice & snow.
I think we better learn fast, as I for one, am with Aileni, re Global Cooling!
Think we are in for a lot more of this...

Snow Watch replaces Sky Watch Friday!

As yesterday, I was pre-occupied with managing my blossoming 'True Colours' photo meme, I never reported on the unusual phenomena that hit Dreamingspires for the second time in a week - Snow!
Dawn on Thursday, saw four inches...Thankfully, my bird feeders were still half full...The neighbourhood children, off school because of the snowfall were soon busy...Because of their efforts, this guy appeared @ the end of my road...And, found another fun little one, in a nearby drive, although he was suffering from mid-morning melt off...However, further flurries fell @ lunchtime.
The 'Cut' the lakeside path to my Park...But, the walk there, was worth it...The latest on the white stuff:-
It sleeted overnight, then froze and now it's snowing well again.
This is quite unprecedented Winter weather for here!
The treacherous conditions, means travel chaos reigns across my region & else where in the country
I'm staying close to home!