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Winter surprises

23 comments


Yesterday was cold and foggy, not a day to rally the spirits, but this morning I awoke to blue skies, and a winter wonderland caused overnight by well below freezing temperatures.
Now I am not normally a morning person, but the prospect of some interesting pictures got me up, dressed and out well before 9am. The garden didn’t seem to offer much scope apart from the Ophiopogon nigrescens, and my poor Viburnum bodnantense Dawn. When it thaws all I will have left are soggy brown flowers.


I live on top of a hill and the sun is late getting above the houses in winter. The pavements were like skating rinks, but some of my near neighbours’ gardens were a better source.



I am fortunate enough to live within a few minutes walk of National Trust woodland, so I headed off there, hoping for some stunning wild shots.

This sweet chestnut looks like a sea urchin and the leaves sounded as though I was walking in a bowl of Corn Flakes!



The holly was hung with frosted ropes of cobweb, reminding me of the Xmas decorations I have just put away.

This gorse may regret putting out some early flowers!

Lots of things that you would not normally notice were picked out in frost – I have no idea what this was on top of a tree stump – could it be a moss or fungus roots?

This long needled pine was in a garden on my way back home. The ice spicules were much longer on plants out in the open – I guess the tree canopy protected the plants in the wood from the worst of it.

By the time I reached my house, it was 10.30am. The children from the Primary and Junior School (whose school field my garden backs onto), were all out to play. Girls mainly in pink or red coats, and the boys, being macho, only in their African violet coloured jumpers. They were a bit of a shock to the retina after the muted frosty grey/green/browns in the woods.
As I put the kettle on, the fog rolled in again, and the visibility was down to about 150m. The fog has now gone, but it is still well below zero outside, flat calm and overcast.
The frost remains, but the magic has gone.

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Comments

 

Lovely, Shirley - I enjoyed the walk and photos, especially as I am still stuck indoors getting over the flu bug!

Thanks for posting this! That Ophiopogon has taken on a new persona - I like it like that.

9 Jan, 2009

 

Very enjoyable set of photos. Thank you.
My favourite picture is of the gorse. :o)

9 Jan, 2009

Sid
Sid
 

Thank you for sharing your lovely peaceful morning Shirley - your pictures were beaufiful, and I very much enjoyed your commentary :-) BTW the frosty strands on the tree stump might have been animal fur - I saw something very much like it caught on a fence and had to touch it to find out what it was and it turned out to be sheeps wool.

9 Jan, 2009

 

These pictures are lovely.Thank you.

9 Jan, 2009

 

What a lovely interesting blog & photo's enjoyed the walk with you.

9 Jan, 2009

 

Your photos are amazing.

9 Jan, 2009

 

Lovely photos. A frosty world looks unreal.

9 Jan, 2009

 

Lovely stroll Shirley, great photos, they all look so magical. and yes Sid just beat me to it, i was going to say animal fir, we don't have much woodland where i live, so no sheep around. but we do have a really nice park with a woodland walk, and i have seen dog walkers brushing thier dogs, whilst over there. gues it makes sense really, i have never had a long haired dog myself, but i would imagine it can be a pain to clean up in the house.

9 Jan, 2009

 

beautiful photos Shirley

9 Jan, 2009

 

You captured the atmosphere really well...enjoyed the walk.

9 Jan, 2009

 

Oh thankyou so much for sharing these beautiful photos and your experience this morning. I had a similar walk last fall and also noticed common weeds looking ever so splendid with their frosted covering.

9 Jan, 2009

 

Thank you, I enjoyed that walk! Lovely photo's.

9 Jan, 2009

amy
Amy
 

Spectacular photos Shirley , I enjoyed it very much , some people might not like the winter but you have to admit that mother nature weaves some wonderful patterns for us to admire .:o)

9 Jan, 2009

 

Love the pics. Looks like you have a proper frost I only have enough to be annoying.

9 Jan, 2009

 

It may have been freezing Shirleypoppy but what a wonderful set of Photos........

9 Jan, 2009

 

Lovely blog Shirleypoppy. I enjoyed the walk through the frosty woods. You took some amazing photos.

10 Jan, 2009

 

Well done,great photo,s

10 Jan, 2009

 

Thank you all for your kind comments. The frost is still here this morning, but no magic!!
Spritz : Hope you're a little better today. Poor Ophiopogon - what's not to like? I Bought the original plant in Cornwall years ago, and carefully transported it all the way home in the car! Now it's offspring are all round the garden - it is pest-free and needs no attention - my kind of plant.
Sid : sheep's wool,I don't think, but could be the combings of an Old English SheepDOG, as people take their brushes over to the woods when walking their dogs. Majeekahead wins a major prize!

10 Jan, 2009

 

I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I don't like Ophiopogon, Shirley! I do! I just meant it looked different and interesting, that's all. Wouldn't it be good if we could buy a black and white striped variety!

I was 'persuaded' to go out for a walk with Henry and husband this morning as it was a bit milder. My legs wobbled all the way back - I nearly sat down at the edge of the lane and refused to budge! Talk about slow progress... lol. Snail's pace.

10 Jan, 2009

 

Well done Spritz pleased you were well enough for a walk ,let Henry do the running he has four legs...

10 Jan, 2009

 

OOOOOhhhh more prizes! lol i am doing well at the moment! and i like the sound of that Spritz, or even green, black and white? and good for you a bit of fresh air is proberly do you good, be careful not to over do it though, x

11 Jan, 2009

 

Incredible pictures, great closeups, enjoyed the walk, saved my legs.........

11 Jan, 2009

 

Lovely

11 Jan, 2009

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