Sunday 5 December 2010

Red sky at morning . . .

Shepherd's (or sailor's if you live near the sea) warning . . . How right it was yesterday!

The photo was taken from my office window. We were barely able to step outside to ttake photos, as the rain on top of freezing-cold ground, had turned to a thick slick of ice overnight. Even the tractors and landrovers of Next Door were unable to move an inch. A slick of ice covered everything, even these rocks on the top of the wall beside the front gate. I think he must have got his cattle in, finally, as the poor creatures were in free-fall coming down a steep icy trackway from the field the previous evening. They were standing at the top of the slope, obviously a bit worried about proceeding, and then they would begin to glide down. It looked really funny, but of course, was quite serious as several fell and could easily have been deadstock.

This was what faced us yesterday - ignore the slight thaw with water - it was the blardy Cresta Run. We had to VERY carefully take dolly steps to negotiate the lane as far as the gritting box, only to find that the "grit" (in actual fact, duff with a little salt added) was frozen solid and we couldn't stand upright to even put the little we could chip out across the road.

Below, is Next Door's yard - a bovine ice rink . . .

Of course, all the workers in the household had to phone in and say they were stranded. They were not alone. Listening to local radio, people were phoning in and one lady said under no circumstances attempt to drive down Allt-y-Cnap hill at Johnstown as she had just gone into free-fall down it, sideways all the way down, with a car behind her doing the same. The story was a similar one across the county, and the Kidwelly road was shut all day because of a multi-vehicle pile-up . . .


A thick layer of ice covered everything, leaving the grass looking like seaweed . . .


This was the path just outside the front door . . .

Today we "just" have freezing fog.

I have been throwing out frozen apples for the blackbirds - we have upwards of 20 in the garden at any one time, pecking at the small apples which we left on the tree for just this sort of weather (though we didn't expect it so early).

Off to make soup and more bread . . .

10 comments:

  1. Goodness that looks dangerous. being on a hill we have quite slippery surfaces, but nothin glike as icy as what you are ebduring. SOup and bread, sounds a perfect winter comforter.

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  2. Make soup and bread sounds to me about the most sensible thing to do BB. It is like a rink here too and one man has been killed on the bank in our village, going to the help of another motorist. Weather is appalling. Keep warm.

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  3. Please to all of you, please be careful. This is what we endure here where I live.
    The sailor's saying I heard as a child as my dad was a sailor in WWII in the US Navy, so I grew up with this saying and live by it daily now. And where I live here, I assure you it is daily.
    Please stay warm and safe.

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  4. Those sheets of ice look treacherous. Good to hear that you all stayed away from the roads today. I feel sorry for the stockman Next Door, having to get his cows up and down your hill.

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  5. That is serious ice, take care,
    It's much the same here,(not far from you) Friday night was bad snow-wise, cars were stuck by us again.
    I do feel for the poor livestock as well.

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  6. Cait - not good weather to be out in. Shall I stand on top of our hill and wave?!!!

    DW - the cows were just having to CROSS the hill in front of the house. The bit they were sliding down was frozen mud, by the field to the left of our house.

    Denim - we all kept indoors - you just couldn't stand upright and I couldn't get to top up the bird feeders in the yard until late afternoon. I hope we don't have another 3 months of this . . . I am just glad we don't have the ice storms you folks endure.

    WoG - I should imagine you are well stocked up with provisions, living where you do. Hope we DON'T have a white Christmas this year!

    Kath - I did wonder if you were paying the price for your wonderful view. I should imagine "they" grit a bit more in your town anyway. We don't exist here! Off the gritting map . . .

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  7. It sounds horrendous - poor cattle, glad there were no casualties. Can't help thinking maybe Next Door should have brought them in sooner! Although we have much more snow than you do your conditions look infinitely worse. Go carefully - or preferably don't go at all until it improves!

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  8. I missed seeing this yesterday--horrible!
    At least when one wallows through snow falling down doesn't usually cause an injury although driving in any accumalation is chancey.
    It is frustrating that such weather has come down on you so early--but not a thing to do execpt see it through and survive.
    Bread and soup are a sensible action!

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  9. Goodness, that looks terrifying! Maybe I should be grateful for the snow, at least we can go outside to feed the birds.

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  10. That ice looks terrible, I was thinking of your very steep lane the other day, and wondered what was happening, you really do have to be self-sufficent in your corner of the world. Do love the way your children come home in this bad weather. Its sad about the wild animals, surely you could spare a tin of cat food for the fox ;)
    Thousands of deer starved to death up in Scotland last year because of the snow, and I read yesterday that our little robin may desert the country over Xmas - not that I blame them!

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