Cycling in slush

We had a sleety snow storm this morning which made my daily cycle to work somewhat interesting. Sharing a dual cycle/footpath with pedestrians was a challenge in itself, as many of the leaves littering the pavements were frozen and covered in slush so they presented a treacherous surface for the unwary. Despite keeping to a low speed, I was unnerved to see people ahead of me, their ipods plugged into their ears, skittering about with little obvious awareness of what was going on around them. Thankfully, I made it to the office safely, without skidding or taking any one out!

Winter Roses

I thought winter had arrived the other morning as I needed to wear gloves on my cycle to work for the first time in months but, I couldn’t help noticing when I was shutting the back gate on my way out, that there were still over 2 dozen roses in bloom.  I thought  I’d picked the last of them 3 weeks ago before we went away to Wales but there were rather more buds hidden under the leaves  than I had realised.  It lifted my spirits to see them, reminding me that beauty can often be found in unlikely situations

Spring is slow in coming this year

Once I’d left the chilly, snow covered tops of Cumbria behind early last week, I really felt the holiday spirit fill me, for although the beauty of Britain is matchless during the occasional, dreamy, cloudless days of summer or on a bright, crisp winter morning, the damp greyness that fills much of our calendar makes me long to escape. On Tuesday, despite the snow, the light was dull in a bleak landscape, an uninviting pall of heavy cloud hanging over the hills.  Desolate trees stood starkly against the skyline, leafless limbs despairing at the on-going triumph of winter over spring.

Stay at home Sarah

Ordinarily I’m quite a sociable person but in winter, my hibernatory tendencies kick in.  I enjoy the long dark nights when we’re at home all evening, drawing the curtains as soon as we come in from walking Molly. Despite recognising there’s an anti –social element of shutting the world and the weather out, it’s lovely to create a cosy environment to read, sew or watch TV.  But so often we find ourselves needing to be elsewhere. That means leaving the snug nest that is home and venturing out into the chilly darkness. And sometimes I feel quite resentful. Like tonight!

Climate Change

At last the snow is melting here in Carlisle, the thaw bringing the damp coldness that penetrates into your very bones. Here, dull, dank, grey days typify our dreary winter so I long for a return of the bright crispness of drier, wintry days where snow squeaks underfoot and my nose drips with cold rather than rain run off! But ironically, global warming may makes my dream a reality. Continuing disruption to the North Atlantic Drift could see winter temperatures plummet in Britain, possibly bringing about the colder drier winters I crave. Is this a price I’m prepared to pay?