Tuesday 7 December 2010

A Wintery walk

Another new kid on the block. This is Eric the Red. Anther young tom, who seems to tolerate the Three Muskateers (that's Alfie and Tippy just in the picture).


There was another hard frost this morning and many of the trees and bushes were blasted with a white rime of hoar frost. I've not walked up the hill since this bad weather has been with us - mainly because I didn't want to meet up with anything larger than me on 4 wheels sliding in my direction! Up in the canyon part of the hill, there is nowhere to go!

The views were wonderful, and you could tell which bits of the valley caught the sun first, for they were green, and the valley bottom and eastern slopes were white and shadowed still. I got quite warm in the sunshine, and was surprised to find that I am still fitter than I gave myself credit for. My pulse was about 75 as I climbed the steep bit of the hill, returning to 63 after a minute's rest. Going downhill later, it was around the 64 mark. My resting pulse is something ridiculous like 40!

Looking across the paddock this morning as the sun rose over the hills.

Climbing the hill and looking across towards Court Henry.

The frost on these twigs looks like snow blossom.

This is my favourite, apart from the out of focus bit in the left corner. The shadows on the slope make up for it though.

Looking towards the Towy Valley.

Black Mountain under snow.

You can just make out Dryslwyn Castle in the centre.

This fox was desperate for food - he was hoping he would turn up a tasty vole as he hunted across our field.

7 comments:

  1. What a hansome cat, I like his name, he sounds very dashing!

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  2. isn't our snowy land so very beautiful, viewed from the comfort of an armchair with a cup of coffee and a mince pie?

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  3. We've had a lovely hoar frost this morning, it looks beautiful in Wales x

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  4. I am in awe of the beauty you show in your photos today. I really like the markings on the cat, too.

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  5. Kath and Terra - He is a beautiful boy isn't he? Perhaps we were a bit remiss in returning the cat trap so quickly . . .

    WoG - I think you have a good idea there . . .

    dubgirl & Terra - I just couldn't take a duff photo today!

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  6. Hoar frost is absolutely magical isn't it? Those are lovely photos, I love the frosted twigs. Eric the red is a very handsome chap. Does he belong to someone or is he hoping for the offer of a good home? Have to say that he doesn't look like a stray. Poor fox, I feel so sorry for wild animals and birds, the death toll must be very high I think after such a prolonged spell of bitter cold and frozen ground.

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  7. Stunning photos! I agree that on snow and ice some of us cannot get "out of the way" very handily.
    Our barn kittens went for their spay/neuter procedures this morning. There are at least two ginger ferals slinking about as well as a black cat. Sadly, a stripy stray was a road victim last night just beyond our property boundary. I get a bit frantic realizing that our funds will not stretch to take in more strays--but I don't want them--errr--multiplying in our barn!

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