Dormouse

Another glorious morning, 13c outside at 7am. The housework can go hang today! Ticking off the garden jobs thismorning, lounging on sun bed thisarvo! Wow folks! Make the most of it.

Yes, going to keep tommies in at nights. Treacherous night temperatures this time of year. temperature today 19c. That’s high for us by the sea! Brilliant sunny day in the garden today. What a treat.

Temp here 16c today but lovely blue sky at last and NO WIND! stood the tommies and chilli out to sunbathe with us! Will put them in shed tonight. night temps look a bit better today’s forecast thank goodness. Daily Express (I know!) says we’re in for a hot summer. Cross your fingers etc.!

The Big Question. To put the tomato plants out yet as some nights coming up are 6c. Dilemma!

Lol, my kitchen windowcill looks like the jungle with tomato and chilli plants and a Lidl strawberry plant enjoying the sun. sooo cold outside, 6c early mornings, and a nasty cold breeze. Oak trees are out in leaf before the ash this year. remember the old saying? Still hoping for a good hot summer. ive lost all my tender plants this winter, they have survived our usually mild winters but not this last one. Even mature palms have “spear pulled” now so will be in the bin shortly. Even things put in the shed died. Oh well, back to growing hardy stuff from now on!

Just make sure the 303 is clear through the Blackdown Hills on Tuesday, we’re going to Gatwick on us holliers!

Loads of wet big snow here now. -1c and settling on pavements and a bit on the road. Blowing a bit too.trees covered with quite a bit. Lawns are white.

Please no snow until we’ve reached Gatwick airport on 20th March!!!!??? after that it can do as it likes! ???

Burst water main up the road from me, only a single lane with passing places in and out of our tiny village, which is a dead end. they came to mend it, 3 huge deep holes in the road gushing water, but decided it would have to be road closed for 12 hours so have gone away to rethink the problem. theres no other way in to the village. should be interesting! the potholes that have opened up around here is really bad.

Forgot to say, had a 6 hour power cut last night, got out the candles, lit gas hob to keep warm! back to the old days. I know how the kids feel as I really missed my media.!!??

bird count yesterday, not usually see in my patch, 5 redwings digging in gravel drive for bugs, 1 lapwing, and 1 goldcrest. Thaw really set in now. Goodbye snow! has been very entertaining on this very friendly forum.

Forgot to say Just back online after 5 and a half hour power cut.

we Had 3 redwings here all afternoon digging for bugs in the gravel drive. Haven’t seen them for many years. just to say what a great friendly forum this is. ive really enjoyed sharing the last few days and learned a lot from the very knowledgeable people on here. the thaw is well under way.

It’s probably a redwing. Seen several today. Winter visitors from Scandinavia.

Such cuteness! Adorable!?

It’s definitely thawing here now, roofs are dripping, windowcills clearing, birds water not frozen over.

As a diversion I’ve been reading about winter 1947, very interesting, I was 3 then and remember struggling through snow with my mum in Horley. what a winter that was, a good read. going to read about 1963 now, I remember that one well. Living in South Brent and snowed in for a long time. no supermarkets that I remember anyway, and no freezer for food storage. No heating, only a Rayburn in the kitchen. Dad made a sledge to go a mile to the village to get food! That was after he dug out the 6 foot drift in the lane. well, he was brought up in Montreal! its solid ice outside now, the road is shiny, no gritters seen here! just very windy but dry.

my Canadian cousins are laughing at my photos. They’ll never understand the treacherous driving conditions in hilly Devon!

Feeling sorry for stranded motorists on Devon roads last night. looks truly awful out there for them.

Howling freezing cold wind all night, everything frozen outside. still gale force wind now.

The wind is howling and the roof is creaking. Spooky. Trying to go to sleep but too noisy!

Severe gusts here, extremely cold and snow/powder blowing up the road, not taking photos tonight!

Tapping on east facing window sounds like rain but not feeling wet when I put my arm out the window! is the dreaded ice rain?

Very strong gusts here, really banging through. Horizontal powder being picked up and thrown with force up the road! just been out to pick up dustbin and it took my breath away, so cold and strength of the wind was awesome. very glad to get back indoors.

Snowdrift, there’s. 6 inch kerb under there! Viciously cold out there now. Thermometer says -8c.