Winter snow forecast...
Birds in the Sleet
Hmm... Yesterday I implied the forecast for winter snow to sea level was a 'tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing'. I would like to apologise, semi-humbly, to anyone whose expertise I insulted. Yes, it is snowing. At this stage I can still see the green grass blades, but this may not last (I'm thinking of the sheep here).
Monday 15th August
But my birds - dear birds - are in seventh (if snowy) heaven. Huge puffed-up blackbirds are cavorting on the crab-apple tree, and the bird feeders are covered in flittering wax-eyes. I've put a large blob of olive oil spread on some old grain bread out for them - hope this is OK.
Well, the day's plan is simple - crochet rows and rows of my woolly blanket for Pond Cottage, while doing some serious TV-couch cycling in the Alps (le Tour). For anyone who is puzzled by my lack of progress, I'm much slower this year because I'm not using the fast forward button, hee hee. I'm hoping, of course, that the power doesn't go down - one of the added extras of rural life.
Snowy Daffodils
Later...
I've fed out some lucerne hay to the sheep, and Rusty the dog and I have been for a walk down the road. This icy wind is a new experience - I don't usually have to think about the wind-chill factor. Silly Lilli Puss popped out of her warm, dry Stables to start walking with us. It's as if she only gets lonely in bad weather...
Oh - I nearly forgot. If I get bored with crocheting and cycling in the Alps I've got a new jigsaw of a Swedish castle. And I'm sure Rusty would like another walk in the snow - perhaps we could go down the road the other way...
Tuesday 16th August
Oh dear. I've woken up to the deepest snow ever experienced by me in my garden - in fact, to ensure unexaggerated records I'm off to measure it with a ruler. But first - my camera batteries are recharging (phew! just one tiny power cut last night) and I'm having a breakfast cup of tea.
Cordyline
My Snow Strategy
Then my snow-strategy swings into action. I put on all my outdoor gear, and my proper tramping boots, grab a trekking pole and my camera, and set off into the white wilderness (the pole is to start knocking snow off the shrubs and tree branches).
Sorry, I know I should be excited, but I'm not. There's even more snow forecast today, as part of this apparently unusual weather event. The evergreens in my garden can get really badly damaged. I can already see broken trees, and flattened Phormiums, and some of the huge Eucalypt branches by Rusty's dog kennel are dangling right to ground level - scary! Actually I feel a little downcast.
Rusty the Dog Loves the Snow
Not Rusty the dog, though - he loves zooming around in the snow. Late yesterday we went for the briskest snow-walk just at dusk. He was quivering with excitement the whole time, and gave the most elegant body-wiggles to get the snow off his furry back. I just glared out of my Gore-Tex hood at everything and hoped the power would stay on in my house. Dogs are better at enjoying weather than humans are, I reckon.
Rusty Dog in the Snow
Half an Hour Later...
I'm back. There's too much snow for my photographs to look any good, and I feel rather sad for my garden. There's so much to do that I ended up knocking the snow off one Pittosporum, just one. It just feels like too much of a problem, and now it's snowing again.
August Snow 2011
So I've come inside for morning coffee to sulk and eat chocolate cake, two pieces, and I don't care!