Having a Domestic!

These two swans look like they are giving each other the cold shoulder! Suddenly any feeling of spring has disappeared under new falls of snow and a biting wind.

Heading for Spring?

Even with weather colder than at the winter olympics it feels as if spring isn't too far away. This morning we woke to snow but even so the blossom on my winter flowering cherry is starting to unfurl around the ice crystals.

Happy Days in Italy Picking Olives

Sunny Days Ahead

In the photo's I've been going through today I found this taken in Crete a couple of years ago. It has made me think of summer and warmer weather to come.

Wet Snow

As I post this there is a lot of very wet snow falling outside. This is one of those days when it is much better to play around on the computer than venture out so I've been setting up a Flickr account and uploading photos.

Upwardly Mobile

The ivy is making a determined ascent up this tree. There used to be another tree invaded by ivy that looked like a giant bunny with a pair of huge ears, but finally a bad winter storm brought its host tree down onto the lane.

On The Wing

It has been a good week for spotting birds. These pigeons were wheeling overhead - flying in formation, breaking, turning and re-forming - fantastic to watch - tricky to photograph! I have also seen a tree creeper working its way up a trunk thick with moss, a wren on the hawthorn, a nuthatch in our garden and a grey wagtail down by the brook.

Ansel Adams

Oak Tree, Sunset City, California (embossed)

This fantastic image of an oak tree really inspired me on a day when it is grey and miserable outside and February seems dull and damp.

- this picture is from Easy Art (see my blog SHOP) -

At Last We Had Snow

After a number of isolated flakes during the day - along came the snow. It always seems exciting and it gave me an excuse to make some chocolate cakes!

If you fancy doing the same here's my recipe:
5 oz sugar, 5 oz sr flour, 1 oz cocoa powder, 4 oz margarine, 2 eggs, 3 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix everything together until creamy, divide between 12 muffin cases, bake in the oven at mark 5 (or 170C if you have a fan oven) for 20 minutes, cool, ice and eat!

Along Came A Little Black Cloud

It was cold again today but with glimpses of a brilliant sun. Where you could see clear blue sky it was streaked with white vapour trails as jets traced their routes high above me.

As I was heading home along came a little black cloud followed by a tiny flurry of snow.

A Secret Never To Be Told!

Out walking today seven mapies flew out from the tree next to me (maybe I should have stopped counting when I got to six!)

It was so cold I had to force myself to go out and while I was walking a few spots of snow fell. I had intended to photograph the snowdrops by the church but instead was struck by this feather caught in the hedge. The wind was blowing it everywhere though and so it was hard to capture it in focus!

Walking Down Marston Lane

As I walked down Marston Lane the sky grew ever darker with the remaining sun catching the trees. I just got home before the rain came.