More visitors.

 The birds are getting bolder as they discover we have food for them. Here is a Jay finding a piece of fat.
Underneath is Jack's cat, Socks using our pathway to keep from disappearing in the snow.

Enough already.

Another total white out again today. Tiny snowflakes swirling from every direction into a blizzard of white. We'd been expected more snow on Wednesday so today's was a surprise. Knowing we may get it worse and running out of milk we decided to have a hearty walk to the local supermarket, a round trip of just under 2 miles. Going there was fun because it was pretty and we were travelling light but on the way back, with a backpack and four bags of shopping between us (we bought a tiny turkey - just in case) was hard work. We stopped off for a rest on the turnstile and some kind stranger pulled up alongside us in his car and offered us a lift up the hill. I would have jumped at the chance but Luke said we were fine, thank you anyway. As the chap drove off I shouted after him, "We may catch you up and have to give you a push" and he laughed. His kindness meant he had lost his momentum on the hill and when he had to stop ten metres ahead of us for a passing van he was stuck. Down went our shopping bags and before he knew it we were both pushing his car to start it again. With a cheery toot he drove off and we took the opportunity to take a few photographs of the snow (and for me to have a rest). When we got home we were tired out; it's hard work walking through thick snow with a heavy load so all plans for DIY were cancelled and I had a lovely afternoon nap. Luke scooped up the remains of last night's belly pork and threw out the fat for the birds. Within minutes we had a blackbird, a robin and two jays feasting on it (not at the same time).

Behind Luke is the field we made snow angels in a couple of days ago, all trace now completely gone. Behind him, on the horizon, is our road. So near yet so far.

 Above: Luke trudging uphill.

Me getting a phone call from work. I was glad of the rest to stop!

The snow novelty has now worn off  though and the weather is a real threat to our Christmas plans. But I'm quite excited in a way that we'll have to make do. None of the presents I have bought have been delivered so it'll be a simple Christmas and we have invited Jack and his cat around on Christmas day if he can't get to his daughter's house and we can't get to my Mum's. Because we don't have a stack of presents to fall back on it will be just a lovely simple affair. That's not so bad, is it?

Feathered friends.

The feathered visitors to our feeders have proved varied. A variety of Tits; Great, Blue and Coal. The ever present photogenic robins, puffed up above the cold. Chaffinches braving the snow to find seed in it and for the first time, a Greater Spotted Woodpecker! You'll see him on another post.
We've viewed the doves, dunnets and the goldfinch eating his niger seed and also a tiny goldcrest, the smallest bird in Britain (along witht he robin or is he smaller?) nestling in the compact conifer where he kept finding bits of nut dropped from the messy birds above his head at the feeder.  I called Luke to see him and we both got within two feet of the little chap. Every season brings it's own beauty and I am pleased that I appreciate these things. Nature truly is the best artist there is.
Below is the goldcrest. It's not a great photograph; you have to just hope you get something without scaring the birds away but if you click on the photograph you will see him in the right of the conifer.

Here are some more of the birds we've been seeing today. The loner robin has been feeding from all the places he doesn't usually bother with. Normally he has a bowl on a ledge but here he has been feeding alongside the blue and great tits.
I read that last winter took it's toll on the robins but that a good breeding season took their numbers up to five and a half million in the UK. He's synonymous with Christmas, he seems to know how much we admire him this time of year and stands out against the snow with his bright red breast. Such friendly little birds.

It's a white-out.

What a joy; today we had a visit from a Greater Spotted Woodpecker. He didn't hang about long after he was spotted (no pun intended)  but I did manage to catch him on camera. The next second he was gone.

With 8 inches of snow here we could do nothing but go for a crunchy walk across the fields. There was a lovely low winter sun catching the sparkle of a million diamonds nestling in the heavy snow and a hazy mist ahead of us at all times. We made snow angels in the virgin blanket and walked along the river bank, trying to keep up with the ducks swimming in the water. Now, snuggled up infront of the woodburner, the coldness of the day is but a memory.
Here are some photographs to remind ourselves of our day.

Why does the snow bring out the kid in adults? I don't know
but it's fun, isn't it?

Snowballs on the window, obscuring Luke's view.

.Our outside lamp at 4 in the afternoon, looking like it's wearing an Elf's hat.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.

The snow is thick on the ground, we have milk and bread  after a quick trudge to the local convenience store (why do people think they have to have milk and bread in bad weather?) and plenty of logs and coal for the stove.We thought this snow was deep until the car was completely covered, up past the number plate and obscuring the wing mirrors - completely hidden in a mass of snow. It looked like the car had it's 'ears' pinned back!

Now all we have to do is enjoy the changing face of our garden. The snow is 20cm deep out there and it's the most marvellous powdery snow which compacts easily for snow ball fights. Here I am, cold against the wall to show you the amount of snow by 10.30am.

This was our overnight snowfall.

Getting to 20 cms. If you click on the photo you can read the ruler properly.

The majestic oak in the adjoining field stands proud and tall looking like a skeleton against the sky.

The birds are busy stealing peanuts from the feeders, flying off when an overhanging bough gets so heavy with snow that it drops it's load. It really is a Winter Wonderland. My brother, visiting relations in Australia is missing all of it and will be happy to do so. There's nothing one can do in this weather much better than sit indoors and marvel at it's beauty.

The picture above is a view from the front bedroom window.

This ghostly Christmas tree, below, is the reflection on the conservatory window of our indoor tree.

 

Above is the birdbath. I don't think the birds will be using it for a while!

The view from our loft window, overlooking the garden. The greenhouse in front of the shed houses a naughty chicken so we thought it best to brush all the snow off, 8 inches worth as it's got to be pretty heavy.

 Christmas decorations. We have placed the tree in the conservato ryto keep it nice and cold. Although with the compacted snow on the roof it's actually keeping the space quite snug now.

 

There are photos of the birds in the snow on my latest posting. There are so many snow photos that I've gone a bit mad with my posts!

The big thaw.

Amazing how one good day's temperature can thaw the whole place. When I left for work this morning there was snow over the entire garden; even the greenhouse had ice in it from the chicken's water dispenser. However, at 7pm when I arrived home all we had were a few random snow mounds and an entire garden of grass again. It's so nice to walk up the garden without slipping and sliding on patches of ice.

Happy Christmas to you.

Chickens in the snow

 

Here are two of the girls out in the snow. It was very amusing watching them standing on one foot only, as if it was too cold to put both feet down. Still, they couldn't resist the lure of dropped wild bird seed from the feeder above (and Buck Bucky discovered a piece of warm bread thrown out for the birds) so braved the relative warmth of their hen house to peck around the garden for an hour. .

Christmas mincemeat and shampoo presents.

Trimming candied peel into tiny pieces is quite time consuming but making mincemeat is now a Christmas tradition for me. I'd heartily recommend it if you have a spare hour or two.The smell of spices when you cook it is fabulous.

I've also made some more soap, just in time to be ready for Christmas (it needs 4 - 6 weeks before it can be used).I've discovered silicone moulds and just love them. I've made citrus and bergamot soap and lavender and nettle (both harvested from the garden this year) solid shampoo.

Siberian winds in November.

After the coldest night since records began for November the birds were whizzing around the bird feeders. Already we have had to refill them after yesterday's feast. Although Luke poured boiling water into the bird bath there was still ice forming within half an hour and two hours later the entire bowl had frozen solid. Likewise, as you can see, the chicken's water had to be changed twice in the day as it was froze solid.

Robins and snow seem made for each other; I suppose it's the abundance of Christmas images on those soon to be written cards that leads me to say it but it gladdens the heart to see that ball with it's intense red splash. I read this morning of a robin building a nest in the pocket a gardener's jacket which he'd taken off for his morning work. By lunchtime the nest was well under way. Whilst they are territorial and have been known to fight to the death with other robins we still consider them the friendliest of our garden birds.
We had goldfinches, various tits, the return to our garden of the blackbird, a lone nuthatch and chaffinch with it's apricot underside and a teeny wren (hiding in the legs of our garden chair, you may have to squint to find him) eating in the garden today. It's nice to be able to offer them a ready supply of food and we can just sit and watch them from the conservatory which is an idyllic way to spend half an hour. (Do remember, you can click on the photographs to get a larger image.)
 


Minus seven and a half degrees today and a colder night to come but at least we have the wood burner kicking out the heat. Lovely!

Brrrrrrrrrrr!

Woah, that cold spell caught us out, didn't it? Totally unprepared for it, was I. Yesterday morning I was out in a tee shirt, putting the naughty chicken in her temporary run and by then end of the day I was lifting five cms of snow off her house before settling her down for the night. The chicks had the right answer to it all by putting themselves on the perch early and fluffing themselves up to trap warm air. One of the reasons we chose that breed (Wynadotte) was for their hardiness, surviving happily in minus 0 degree temperatures. I still was concerned for Sweetie in her little house though as it was bitterly cold. This morning she proved that despite her diminutive size she is a toughie, she's happily in her run having a dig around.
The first photograph below was taken about 2.00pm, the same scene is captured again only two hours later. The light fading fast, I snapped a few more photographs before huddling in for the evening.

 

The outside tap had frozen as had the water in the hose! I touched one of my old cream coloured roses and it was like the Snow Queen had passed over it. I could have snapped the petal just by pinching it. Just hours later, the roses had become snow balls on sticks. They were completely laden with snow, to the point where some of the branches were boughing over and touching the ground. I knocked off some snow to release three little roses but it wasn't long before they were snow-capped again.

Before it got too bad, I filled the feeders with peanuts so the blue and great tits would have some food and let the neighbour's cat in for a warm. Then, as the daylight crept away amidst a flurry of snowflakes I took some photos to show how beautiful it looked.
My borders were completely blanketed and the bird bath had gone from an ice rink to a dome of snow. The ancient oak behind us looked wonderful against the white of the sky. It really was a majestic sight.