Monday 1 February

[Kath Mulligan]

Can't believe we are already into February. Is it just me or does the time seem to be flying by ever faster?

It was a beautifully sunny, very cold and frosty start to the day here, but the sky has clouded over now and it has that ominous white look about it as though we could be seeing some more of the fluffy white bits before too long. Elizabeth says there was a bit of snow on the ground when she got to work in Macclesfield this morning, and it was snowing in Buxton again yesterday. Really hope that we don't get a heavy fall again cos there are places I need to go by car this week!

Sybille, how are you faring? I have been reading reports on the internet over the weekend about the dreadful conditions in Germany and Hungary - so much snow and so many accidents in the icy conditions. Hope you are managing to stay safe and warm.

Kath

[Brenda]

I'm with you, Kath - time is zipping by more quickly as I get older. The first month of the new year gone, already! Did I blink?

We heard from my sister-in-law in East Devon yesterday that they'd had another little dusting of snow and quite a heavy frost overnight. She was feeling disappointed that the buds on her acacia tree had been spoiled by the cold - she really looks forward to the display of cheery colour at this time of year.

We also had some new snow yesterday, but that's to be expected for our area. Winter isn't finished with us yet, and won't be for quite some time. I think we can be cautiously optimistic about the end of the really frigid temperatures. They usually disappear around the end of January, and then, except for the odd plunge, the temperature gradually moderates in the next two or three months. We sometimes have days in March when it's warm enough to sit on the deck without a jacket, even though we're still surrounded by lots of snow. Those are treats.

Take good care on the roads this week when you have to venture out. I hope everyone else's winter is being kinder now, too. You've all had such a hard time of it this year.

[Sybille Weber]

.............Sybille, how are you faring? I have been reading reports on the internet over the weekend about the dreadful conditions in Germany and Hungary - so much snow and so many accidents in the icy conditions. Hope you are managing to stay safe and warm. Kath

Yes, Kath, the situation was dreadful, especially in the northeastern parts of the country where villages were cut off. In our area we had the worst accidents during the night and in the mornings when everything had frozen over again. I'm so pleased I only start work at 11 am, so can always avoid the rush-hour, and at least the major roads have usually also been cleared by this time. So we were alright. Sunday was infact rather nice with a mixture of sun and cloud and temperatures around freezing point. We went for a walk in the deep snow in the public gardens in the hills above the river, and compared with the temperatures we had had before it almost seemed mild. Today we have +2 degr. and a mixture of snow and rain, so hopefully temperatures are gradually rising. There's still a lot of the white stuff around though. I seem to remember that last year this time - or was it the year before last? - I took photographs of snowdrops and crocuses. No sign of any of them so far.

Yes, Kath, I have had the impression that time is passing faster and faster for a long time, infact I have a feeling each year the speed by which it passes is increased even further. Almost everyone keeps saying so, so perhaps it is normal to have this impression as you get older.

[gloria townsin]

Time...........?? Whoosh........that was it just flashing past..........Happy New Year.....2011??? well perhaps not quite that fast, but not far off!!

[adesmith]

Its Candlemas today and we took down the token greenery that we had left up after Christmas (the kissing bough that we made) and burnt it as tradition prescribes. We lit lots of candles as well which Rupert liked. Anyway as you probably know:

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won't come again.

So certainly in South Wales it looks like winter has passed after a very cloudy and rainy day. BUT I do believe some of these sayings because I think they have built up over years of experiencing weather patterns and of course because of the days that we lost in the calender the old Candlemas day isnt for a week or two yet!

[gloria townsin]

Well if the tradition is true I'm pleased to report a very rainy day here in this bit of Hertfordshire!!

[jane jackson]

Down here too!

[Kath Mulligan]

Very wet here too yesterday. Very cold and frosty this morning so should imagine the roads are a bit of a nightmare, and I believe we have some snow forecast for later this afternoon and evening, although it is supposed to turn back to rain tomorrow.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Oh No Kath.......not more snow for you.......it has to stop being such a bug-bear soon surely!

[Kath Mulligan]

Oh No Kath.......not more snow for you.......it has to stop being such a bug-bear soon surely!

Unfortunately yes, it's 2.30pm and the fluffy white bits have just started floating down past the window. Am hoping that it doesn't do too much this time. Icy cold wind out there too.

Kath

Now 5pm and we have about an inch and a half down and still snowing hard. Traffic starting to struggle up our hill again. Shall be very glad when the girls are home safe and sound.

[adesmith]

Oh no! Poor you Kath! It started to snow as I drove to work from the doctors in Caerleon this morning but it only lasted a few minutes and then it was rain for the rest of the day. I have had enough disruption for one year (and we never had as much as you!) and would like to see a bit more spring weather now! My snowdrops havent really come up this year but Rachel's Dad has loads so he sent me a pot over. I am going to brave the dark and cold in a minute and go out and put them in the garden.

[Kath Mulligan]

Well, we ended up with a couple of inches but it is much wetter stuff than before and is already turning to slush now the snow has stopped. Elizabeth had a rather hair-raising drive home over the tops from Macclesfield but fortunately both girls got here in one piece. Our forecast for tomorrow is rain so am hoping that most of this may be gone when I get up in the morning.

Not yet seen any snowdrops out up here, Adrian. There is a garden at the bottom of our hill that has a rockery chock full of them but there are no signs of the flowers opening as yet. I think Spring will be very late up here this year, unless we suddenly get a very warm spell.

Kath

[adesmith]

I think that the snowdrops from Rachel's dad must be from a sheltered part of their garden because I have two that have come up in mine and they look pathetic! Anyway I have installed the pot near the front door and when they are finished I will plant the bulbs in the garden for next year.

Glad that your snow isnt as serious as before!

[Linda]

we have snow drops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
a few in a little pot by the sunroom door.....spotted them on Sunday! and forgot to mention it

[Kath Mulligan]

we have snow drops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
a few in a little pot by the sunroom door.....spotted them on Sunday! and forgot to mention it

Yey, Spring must be just around the corner then! They are just the most amazing little flowers, aren't they? How can such tiny, delicate-looking plants be tough enough to withstand these Arctic conditions? Still no sign of my crocuses showing their heads .... I am beginning to think I must have planted them upside down .... look out Jen, they may be appearing in Melbourne soon.

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Just told Eddie your latest weather news Kath and he said Blimey!! Hope the girls got home safe and sound and you will soon have a thaw, and please no more snow!!

[jane jackson]

My you are having a hard winter Kath. No snow here just pouring with rain all evening. Hopefully your snow will disappear in the night as you wish.

We didn't find any snowdrops in the garden when we moved here so I did get around to planting a few bulbs last autumn and the leaves are showing but no flower stems as yet. The first of the bulbs to flower will be the hyacinths I think as they're showing their flower buds plus the camellias which are bursting with dark pink buds ~ do hope we don't get another nasty frost to turn them brown.

I'm getting very excited as our Bird of Paradise plant has a flower stem on it for the first time! We bought it in 2008 and it stays outside from May to October and then comes into the lounge so I'm really hoping nothing will stop it from flowering.

[Sybille Weber]

Sorry to hear you have had yet more snow, Kath. We had some more, too, yesterday, but here in the extreme west of Germany it quickly turned into rain, and the snow started to melt. Chaotic conditions in other parts of Germany though. Still 20 - 30 inches in the Sauerland hills which is just an hour's drive southeast of Essen. Motorways closed, schools closed, villages cut off and in other parts of Germany rivers and canals frozen, no trains and no bus services. (We didn't have any public transport here today either but that was because of a strike.) We still have quite a bit of snow around here at Essen as it was just too much to melt away immediately once the temperature started to rise. It was surprising though to find that, when going to work today, there was hardly any snow at all at Mülheim where I work, and this is just 20 miles west of Essen.
Most remarkable though was that, when we left the house this morning, insects were flying about everywhere which was so unusual as there was still quite a bit of snow about. Temperatures rose to as much as +9 degr. during the day. So, at least here in the extreme west of Germany, we can hope to see the first snowdrops soon.

[nashie]

How i look forward to seeing the snowdrops! The first of ours came out a few days ago, but most of them are still just green stalks. We're more exposed here at the top of the hill though and I noticed that there's some large clumps fully out down in the Lamorna valley, along with clumps of daffodils. Everything is so sodden though from the constant rain over the past few days, although it's stopped now at last and there's a clear starry sky tonight.

[jane jackson]

although it's stopped now at last and there's a clear starry sky tonight.

And lovely sunshine this morning John. I saw on Spotlight TV that Pencarrow have their snowdrops out and are opening the grounds for viewing them. They seem to be very dog friendly as you can let dogs off leads in the woods where the snowdrops are.

[Brenda]

We have snowdrops here, too! Snow drops from the roof, snow drops from the trees, snow drops from the sky...

I'm so envious of those of you who have early flowers! My three February trips to the UK absolutely filled my soul with joy. The sight of colour, let alone blossoms, was so wonderful after three months in a white world (leaving aside the two months still to come). I have snowdrops in my garden, too, but they don't appear until late April.

Brenda

[Kath Mulligan]

I have snowdrops in my garden, too, but they don't appear until late April.

Brenda

So you won't see them again, Brenda, since you will have moved to Madoc by then, won't you? Wonder what surprises will appear in your new garden.

According to the front page of our paper today we are in for another Arctic plunge next week with more snow and subzero temperatures, so this morning while out shopping with Mum I have bought a large, bright orange plastic snow shovel to go with my bag of rock salt! This time I am determined to be better prepared!

Kath

[gloria townsin]

Kath!!!! Please.....NO!! Don't know whether to laugh or cry..........the matching bag of rock salt and orange shovel are the only funny points I've decided.........for heavens sake I think this is wearing thin all round. We've made all the snowmen we need for one Winter - thanks very much!! Now move on to Spring - please........

[adesmith]

I have snowdrops in my garden, too, but they don't appear until late April.

Are they the first spring flowers that appear for you Brenda? They are so eagerly anticipated here as the first signs of spring. There is a saying:

"The snowdrop in purest white array, First rears her head on Candlemas day"

At the beginning of February they are really our first spring flowers although crocus and daffodils are not normally far behind. I was reading that it is traditionally very bad luck to bring snowdrops into the house (I guess as a cut flower) before Candlemas because it would mean a death in the house!!! Sounds a bit over dramatic but I do love these old traditions.

I am going to look Pencarrow up Jane. I have heard of it before. Is it near Padstow?

I hope that you dont get anymore snow Kath. I dont think that we are forecast any and I certainly dont want any next Friday!!!

[Kath Mulligan]

I hope that you dont get anymore snow Kath. I dont think that we are forecast any and I certainly dont want any next Friday!!!

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Adrian, but the cold weather will be nationwide, although from the BBC1 forecast a few minutes ago, apparently we are not expected to have as much snow as last month, thank goodness. At least, heading to Cornwall you should be going in the right direction since the weather front is due to come in from the east. Fingers crossed for all of us that we don't get much more of the white stuff, think we have all had more than enough.

Kath

[jane jackson]

Adrian, Pencarrow is east of Padstow but nearer to Bodmin. On their leaflet it says: 4 miles NW of Bodmin, signed off the A389 and B3266 at Washaway.
I went there last summer when a friend was visiting as she always enjoys these great houses and their gardens. I'm sure she was happy we moved from Exmoor as we'd done all of them around there and were on the repeat visits so now we're in Cornwall she has a new area to look around.

Really hope we don't all get as cold weather as we've had previously this winter. Our plants don't want any more! Bryan's Orange tree is flowering beautifully with a very strong scent now it seems to have taken up permenant residence in the dining room area. The other plants have gone back outside but if it frost is forecast again they'll be back indoors.

Kath I hope you shovel and rock salt keep the snow and ice away.

[gloria townsin]

Eddie said the weather was nice in the main in Mullion today but then there was a downpour not long before he left to journey home. Accident on the M3 delayed him by about 45mins. he was not thrilled when he arrived home!!

[jane jackson]

You'll both be so glad when you can stop driving up and down all the time ~ that time must be getting nearer.

[gloria townsin]

Jane.......I'm not counting on it.........the getting nearer bit that is........best not to ask!!!

[adesmith]

Thanks Jane, I looked up Pencarrow and thought it might be a possible visit for our few days in Cornwall. Looks like it is only open tomorrow though, until the main season starts. Looks like an interesting place to visit though. I will have to make do with the pot of snowdrops by the front door that Rachel's dad gave me. I was admiring them earlier. When we were in Blooms (Garden Centre) Rachel pointed a similar sized pot of them out to me that were for sale. They were £7.99!!!