Winter cometh

No winter here yet - a bit parky today though 10c registered on the car thermometer. Just dank and dismal.

Butter Your makes me

Been snowing heavily since 10am and now a couple of inches all over. Yep, proper parky like - as we used to say in Staffs.

Frost this morning but a lovely cold sunny day in my part of Cheshire.

I am finding myself dreading the winter for the first time - I suppose it is because we live in the middle of nowhere (which is magically beautiful in winterand all year tound) but my recent fall has really highlighted for me the difficulty of our situation on a steep hill. We have always filled the freezer and gone with the flow when we get stuck here in the winter. But OH is currently having medical reports concerning his driving licence (he has PD) and I cannot drive at the moment and it brings home how vulnerable we could be as the years go by. He is bound to lose his licence eventually.

I am worrying about a further fall on our steep steps and drive in the winter when it is very precarious.

I think I have just had my confidence shaken and will bounce back soon.

A fall does sap your confidence I know. But pick your self up, dust yourself off and start all over again! do I feel a song coming on?

I sympathise, Mishap - we are in a similar situation, although not so isolated as you sound. All I can suggest is that you do all you can to preserve your independence by making your property as safe as possible, e.g. a handrail by the steps (which we need to do as well!), ensuring you have a good stock of grit/salt for icy conditions etc. I'm sure you will bounce back - just take stock!

Mishap so sorry your fall and situation with OH driving licence is making you nervous. Perhaps time to think about a move nearer to civilisation next year? Not easy, I know. In the meantime, how about getting some of those crampons for your shoes- they fit on an elastic frame onto sturdy shoes- and really help. In most sports/hiking type shops. If you can't find any I could buy 2 pairs and send them on to you.

If you Google 'crampons for shoes' you'll find that Amazon do several types- including a very good deal for £3.99 at the moment.

Artic here, and snow drifiting all over the place. Our kitchen door to the garden is blocked by a huge drift.

Thanks for suggestion granjura - I do have some of those, so I will dig them out and put them somewhere accessible to give me confidence.

I have also seen an advert for a sort of non-slip outdoor carpet runner which you put on the drive/steps/paths - it grips into the ice underneath and is safe to walk on top. I might try some of that.

The only good thing is that our garage is on the flat (steep drive drops away from it then) so I can hop into the car on my crutches.

Not much going out likely now as OH (who is always reluctant to go out anyway!) has pulled a muscle in his chest poor chap - he did it trying to put the wheelchair into the boot of the car. I feel very frustrated having no independence now and being stuck indoors - usually I am out and about doing my own thing. Can't even get into the blooming garden as it is too steep getting out of the house. Weeks of this to come!!!! I am going to turn into a couch potato.

Snow on the hills again. More than last time. I think I'm beginning to recognise that pre-snow evening chill.

Re crampons, we've tried various ones. These are the best: Kahtoola micro-spikes. You can run on ice in these. We all have a pair at oor hoose otherwise we'd be stuck sometimes.

These look similar but I haven't actually tried them.

When we awoke, the Paps of Jura were capped with sparkling white snow. The sun is shining - and the snow is gradually disappearing.

Back home from the long round trip to orthodontist, and the garden was full of a sixty or so strong flock of fieldfares. Their chatter is quite something! The rowan berries are gone.

I think I heard a little owl call this morning too

Little owls are a delight. (smile)

Raw and rainy tonight - suits my mood.

Miserable and rainy this morning but the sun arrived at lunch time and brought out pink blossom on the apple tree next door. DGD2 was swinging on our plum tree causing a cascade of golden leaves to fall all about her - magic moment!

Pewter grey clouds lit by a mere trace of a fading rainbow.

Couldn't see the hills this morning after a night of wind and rain. Typical November wet, dull day, I thought. Then the sun came out and the wind blew the clouds off the hills and showed their bright, white tops. In frontof me now the nearer hills are dried straw colour, and the farther ones are dark. Lovely contrast.

Soft pastel pinks and blues
Reflected in the loch this morning.
And snow-capped hills beyond.

Bags

The islands of Gigha, Islay and Jura - bronze and purple streaked
against
A blue sky, bedecked with pearly grey clouds.

Sun shining on the welsh hills
Reflections in the tranquil Severn
Breeze ruffling the golden leaves
A preview of heaven?

Lovely! jeni

WAXWINGS in the ash tree down the hill!!! YAY!

How marvellous!

Took a drive out this dusk-evening and loved the ginger-bronze leaves against the early evening sky blue. A mix of colours only nature could provide.

Just heard all my plants /trees will be delivered next week for my new flower bed (70' x 6' approx).. excited!

Copwslips out in our garden. [shrug!]