Thursday 1 December 2016

I don't do cold . . .



Another bitterly cold totally frosty morning out there.  I still haven't warmed up since I went out at barely light to top up the bird feeders, as we were back after dark last night and no point in doing them then.  The birds are queuing up in the apple tree above the front feeders, and I have counted 20 blackbirds making the most of the fallen apples which were surplus to requirements but perfect for keeping them alive in such bitter weather.



We spent yesterday doing our monthly stint at Llandovery Antiques where we man the fort for a day in return for a reduction in rent, as do the other traders there.  It was NOT warm, despite heaters, and we could see our breath all day . . .


I went out for a walk, just up to the bridge over the River Towy, and this bit which was in the shade never thawed at all.  As we were driving home, the headlights showed a glittering frost already on the verges and the weedy strips down our narrow one-track lanes.


The view upstream.  Llyn Brianne reservoir, which we visited recently, is behind these range of hills (though a fair few miles beyond them).


The stump of a tree which, from memory, is something like 8 or 900 years old.  Now a home for various brambles, ivy, moss etc.


View of the church across the fields.  Now that the Fieldfares and Redwings are here, I dare say the berries on that Hawthorn will soon be gone.


One last view.

Now my husband has got a tablet to use, this has freed up the Kindle and at last I can start to read the books I have downloaded to it.  I got two new ones this week - a Phil Rickman I hadn't come across before : The Cold Calling, and the first of Ann Cleeve's Shetland novels, Raven Black.  The Phil Rickman is unputdownable of course . . .

10 comments:

  1. Beautiful views. By coincidence I have just bought The Cold Calling by Phil Rickman for my Kindle - decided I would read some of his other books while waiting for the next Merrily! I think you will enjoy the Shetland novels - I really loved them. Just have the latest one to read (waiting for it to come down in price!!).

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  2. Ah, snap then! My kindle and I are currently inseparable - I was reading it in the car today too (but only when OH was driving!) It's sunny out and I "should" be tidying the garden, but have cakes to make and kitchen walls to paint . . .

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  3. I saw from the reports that Wales was down to -10. I had -6 to -7 to cycle to work in the mornings in. My poor hands!

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    1. Simon - it was Sennybridge that had minus 10 - it's ALWAYS much colder there. We were about minus 6 I think, same as you, which was bad enough. You'll have to get some extra-warm gloves.

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  4. Why can I just not get into Phil Rickman books? Should I try again for the 3rd time or just not bother, it's not as if I'm short of reading!
    Lovely wintery pictures, I don't mind cold as long as I'm warm but standing in a cold building all day sounds chilly

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    1. I know the areas he is writing about, which makes the books resonate with me. I suppose some authors just don't make a connection - for me, I would say that try as I might, I just CANNOT read Hilary Mantel's books, though I love their subject matter and enjoyed Wolf Hall immensely on tv.

      I have cried off helping my OH at the wee flea tomorrow, as I don't fancy pneumonia!

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  5. These are such lovely wintry photographs BB - but like you, I don't really do cold.

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    1. I don't do really hot either - I am a creature of the very temperate zone! If I had to choose though, too hot beats too cold.

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  6. The quality of the sunshine when it does appear makes all the difference to the winter scenes I think- the red berries look lovely in that shot.
    Arilx

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  7. Phil Rickman is very difficult to put down, yet he has written loads. Gave him up because he was too expensive!

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