Today’s picture shows how much more snow they have in London than we do. My sister Mary saw this multitude of sledgers on a handy hill.
We had an unrelenting day of sleet, sometimes verging on snow, sometimes nearly rain but always wet. Combined with leaden grey skies it didn’t make for a day useful for cycling, walking, photography or anything very much at all.
Luckily, I had a visit form Dropscone to entertain me over coffee. He came bearing gifts of economically priced sticky buns which he purchased in Hawick on his way back from his important golf meeting in the north. Dropscone is a fine golfer, a keen cyclist and an admirable baker of scones but his true skill in life is his ability to arrive at a supermarket just before closing time when returning from business outside Langholm and pick up fresh food just before it hits the supermarket skip. On this occasion, his four sticky currant buns had cost him just 19p and after tasting two of them, I can say that this was money well spent.
I spent the best part of the day after coffee, putting choir music onto the computer so that I can make practice MP3 for any members who want.
The birds didn’t seem to mind the sleet and from time to time I looked out of the window.
A chaffinch in a tree to please my sister Susan
A brambling to please me.
The camera’s ability to peer through a window covered with rain (sleet) drops and just see what I want it to see even on a really miserable day is truly remarkable. If you look closely at the pictures you can see some of the rain on the window.
I caught a blackbird in one of the day’s damper moments.
As always, the endless parade of birds at the feeder brightened up the day for me.
The brambling seems to asking for a little peace and quiet.
As soon as one leaves, another arrives.
I did think of taking a break from the music and going for a walk but it was really dispiriting. The hills were getting a little covering of snow…
…but in the town, it was just slush underfoot as this picture of our drive shows. I had to slurp across it to fill the feeder.
Keen followers of Sherlock Holmes will be able to deduce how often I had filled the feeders by the time the picture was taken.
The day brightened up when my flute pupil Luke came. I have given him some harder music to look at and he is getting a grip on it very well. After he left, I had an omelette and went off to play trio sonatas with Mike and Isabel. This was as enjoyable as ever and we tried a sonata by Francescoo Mancini (1679-1739) which I don’t think I have ever played before and which turned out to be very rich and enjoyable.
It has been a quiet day though with nothing much to say and nothing much to show for it but the forecast looks better for tomorrow and I am hoping to take a few seasonal snaps.
Today’s flying bird was doing some tobogganing without a sledge.
The birds seem to come and go quite happily through the depressing weather – they have you to thank for that.
It is a mutual benefit. They provide winter colour in the garden.
I like the weather in the pics and happy to know it is not just my badly focusing eyes!
I would put a smiley icon in here if I could remember what to do.
Thanks for my bird picture and your final comment made me laugh out loud!
The bird pictures have come out very well in spite of the weather. I have not heard of the composer you mention, but glad to hear it was an enjoyable piece.
One reason I don’t have any desire to go and live in London – loads of virgin slopes round here.
I like the Brambling shot – only ever seen one or two in my garden.
I like London but it is a rather busy place.
I like today’s bird pictures, especially the last, Tom. As for snow, well, I always think I want the white stuff, but then when it sticks around I don’t want it anymore.
I can identify with that series of thoughts but I would rather have proper snow than the fiddly stuff we are getting which is inconvenient without being picturesque.
Agree!
Through my Holmesian powers of deduction, I conclude that the bird feeder was resupplied by a Scot, or at least a person who lives in The Borders. He clearly was carrying a camera and quite probably was a person familiar with the internet. Finally, his gait is that of a youthful man, perhaps 20-25 years of age.
Spot on. You omitted the fact that he had wet feet though.
My, that is a busy sledging hill…
Big place, London.