Celia Hart's blog about what's going on in and around her studio.
Art, printmaking, inspirations, gardening, vegetables, hens, landscapes, wild flowers, East Anglia, adventure, travel.

Sunday 5 February 2012

White, not crisp – salted and unsalted

Last night we had tickets to see 'Neighbourhood Watch' at the theatre in Cambridge; snow had been forecast to fall at some time on Saturday and it seemed as if the whole country was 'on amber alert' as the Met Office had labelled it, but undeterred we drove into town and as we neared the outskirts of Cambridge the first skimpy flakes were flying past the car windscreen.

At the interval we bought our ice-creams and stood at the theatre door watching the snow accumulate, the street was white and huddles of bicycles were disappearing under fluffy white blankets of snow. The mood of the audience returning to their seats, was a mix of excitement and slight trepidation of what the journey home would be like . . .

 

. . . a tad hairy to be honest! Cliff seemed confident driving my 'tardis' with it's new winter wheels, but as we passed a rather crunched little hatchback we worried about whether the car behind us would be able to brake without sliding into the back of us!

As we headed out over the Gog Magog Hills we were almost alone on the road, the snow was coming down thick and fast and by the time we turned down the little country lane to the village we were relieved to have made it to within easy walking distance of home, should we have got stuck . . . which we didn't.

This morning I peeped trough the curtains and this was the scene . . .


Bright sun and freezing temperatures would have made everything sparkle, well you can't have everything . . . the palette of white, greys and umbers has its own beauty. When we saw that the road through the village had actually been gritted! (at 7am it hadn't so Cliff had decided not to join his walking group 20 miles away) we decided to go for walk up through the village and out the other side.

At the top of the hill we had a choice, salted or unsalted . . .


. . . we took the road less traveled



And I had fun taking lots of photos of the twiggy textures and distant woods.


I think this next one is my favourite . . .



Near the village playing field are two trees which always seem to hold on to there fruits right through the winter



and underneath, a Robin was thankful of a snack.



Back home, the snow outlines pruned structures and bright stems glow – the garden is unfamiliar under its coating of snow.



The hens are confused – most of them chose not to leave the hen-house; but Pearl was out and about – but not at all sure of what to make of this snow stuff!


My hunch is the snow won't stay around for long, we'll be back to chilly, muddy February very soon.

In the mean time, I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon sitting by a cosy fire and looking at the snow-scene while it lasts.

Celia
x

PS someone's just mentioned going for another walk to see if we can spot the Barn Owls hunting in the snow - mmm? might be worth doing before I get snuggled down ;-) Naah! tea and biscuits by the fire won!



21 comments:

  1. what a beautiful robin...you were brave going over the gog magog hill in the snow...i'm going nowhere!

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  2. I think there will be a large element of truth in the statement 'cold muddy february"!
    Isn't it a shame the sun didn't come out for the photos today - I could have done with it too (my blog post is in progress!!!)

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  3. What a lovely robin. I'd have done the unsalted walk too. It is a sahme we didn't get some blue sky to go with the snow but it's been lovely all the same. Having said that it may cause me some hastle tomorrow as, at the moment, my road is still unsalted and looks too lethal to risk driving on - the joys of rural living!

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  4. Love the robin photo - I can never seem to get one of ours - even less chance today.

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  5. Love those berry pictures - very Christmassy somehow. Yes, I'm infront of a log fire as I type - lovely! Glad you made it back in one piece.

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  6. Happy to hear you made it home in one piece! It can be scary driving in poor weather conditions. We have been fortunate in Massachusetts this winter, we've had nary a snow flake - I'm not complaining, especially after the winter we had last year - record totals!

    Your photos are beautiful, especially the robin and Pearl, she's a real sweetie.

    Like you, I would have stayed by the fire with my tea also! Enjoy the day!

    Go Patriots!!! (American football.)

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  7. Thank you so much for this opportunity to share your walk. You all did well to get home last night without any big adventures beyond the theatrical.

    The photo of the fruit on the branches is remarkable, and I can imagine it as a print.

    What a brave and round little robin!

    I could just sense the stillness as you all walked along the pathway you chose. xo

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  8. Glad to hear your journey was basically uneventful.

    Everyone seems to have snow but us ... not a flake here, and a Welsh winter without at least one good snowfall just doesn't seem right! Here's hoping we get some soon.

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  9. Hi, I am just catching up with your blog and see that you have made the most beautiful knitted shawl. What patience you have! I love your choice of colours.

    Keep warm, roll on muddy February.

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  10. I'd say you were wise to do your touring on foot after that snowfall.
    We are watching the news over here. What incredible weather you're having all over Europe.

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  11. It's so beautiful isn't it? We spent quite a lot of yesterday evening admiring the swirling snowflakes...

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  12. the photos of the fruit tree and the robin are my favourite, it is lovely walking in the snow....when you dont actually have to get anywhere!
    xxx

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  13. Lovely snowy-walk photos. Your car sounds rather spiffy actually - I think I'd like "new winter wheels" on mine.

    I do like the bright berries against the bushes, with all the white snow. And the Robin, bless him. Always a Robin out there when it snows - we actually have a pair in our garden and they were as busy as ever today, despite the white and chilly dampness.
    We stayed indoors today; DS has a rotten cold and I didn't want to take any risks myself. Have to go out tomorrow, whatever the weather is doing... but I think a certain Boy will be at home recovering.
    So glad you shared your lovely pictures. You might find some good inspiration from those, I would think - some lovely shapes and shadows there. Stay warm!

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  14. Lovely photos, particularly the fruit, with the pings of bright colour against the black and white.
    P x

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  15. Hello! My goodness what a wonderful photo of that little robin! Your snowy pictures are lovely, I too enjoy seeing all the twiggy sculptures in the hedgerows, seedheads and the like look so pretty against the white!
    Glad you got home safely from your theatre trip!

    Julia x x x

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  16. Those photos are brilliant Celia. To me they say 'print me' or 'make me into a Chris***s card (I know... don't go there...) Glad you got home safe and sound. Driving in snow can be frightening but it's fine if you keep your nerve and keep going forward slowly as I remember being told by my driving instructor. After all that I hope the play was worth the drive!

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  17. I saw a thrush tucking into my crab apples in the garden. Your chicken looks nice and warm with her feathers all fluffed up like that. Let's hope the snow clears for the weekend after next !! xx

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  18. It was exciting snow in Cambridge on Saturday night wasn't it? I thought of you as we drove home to Wiltshire last night when I saw a hare sitting up with pricked ears against a snow field.

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  19. What a beautiful colored chicken! Makes my not-so-little brown laying hens look quite ordinary... :) is it some specific breed?

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  20. I was starting to wonder what the Girls were making of your decadent snow, when Pearl made her appearance. Doesn't that fluffed up Robin have a wonderful cross expression on his little face!
    Vanessa xxx

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  21. The trees are magic - a perfect subject for a keen photographer. I guess, if I lived somewhere nearby, you would see me going round them in circles and of course taking photos :)

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