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Well, having written only twelve days ago how mild the winter has been, three days later down went the temperature and down came some quite a heavy falls of snow! So, triple positive: crisp, healthy air; water in the snow; and some beautiful views:
We expected the snow to disappear quickly, given the high temperatures that we have been having - but in fact the temperatures have dropped further and the snow has stayed, and the snowy garden and landscape has started to become familiar:
- and, of course there are jobs to be done:
So, Godfrey (the snowman) has been content to watch the snow occasionally dropping through the branches, and to admire how it forms umbrellas, bench-seats and table-cloths :
In the past twenty-four hours the temperature has started to fluctuate, rising by mid-afternoon, with a little, very light drizzle in the evening and then dropping overnight: the perfect conditions to form 'black ice' - the ice that often occurs after light freezing rain and snow melting and then re-freezing on hard surfaces to form a deceptive, transparent blend with the surface colour on which it forms: so, car roofs and wind-screeens, where it sticks, particularly hard to remove, as it is much 'tougher' than semi-opaque or 'white' ice:
Early this morning, around 7.00am, the temperature was just below freezing and it was possible to see the black ice on some garden pathway steps:
But what was really surprising was its coating of the cement driveway and the adjoining gravel - the latter is quite large, rough gravel that one would think would not be at all slippery .... but it was as if it had had a coating of grease and I almost took a fall when going to the olive tree to feed the birds their meal-worms and mixed seed:
So, a short Blog Post - just to show how quickly weather conditions can change - and, in this case, to welcome that, as we needed some cold temperatures for health of the soil and to confirm to the plants and wildlife that we still have 'seasons'. We'll see what the next week or two brings.
As ever, best wishes, and keep safe and well.
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