Joining in again this week with Sunday Sevens – started by Nathalie at Threads and Bobbins – sharing seven (or so) pictures of the week beyond the blog.
The week began bright and sunny, but with a bitter cold wind. I’d agreed to ride the nine miles to the station on Sunday morning with Lovely Husband. But I when got out of bed, I took one look at the trees swaying violently and volunteered to drive while he cycled. I met him at the station cafe and, while he had a massive breakfast, I had a pot of tea, followed by a three mile walk, while he cycled home.
Too cold to do the weeding on Sunday, but determined to do some gardening, I cleared up the wind-blow debris from paths in our small copse of trees.
Despite the cold, I managed to put my washing out for the first time this year, three times in all. Even the jeans dried in the sunshine and strong east wind.
While we had clear sunny skies at the start of the week, the weather forecasters were following ‘The Beast from the East’ – a Siberian snow storm that was heading for the UK and causing the strong winds we were experiencing. They were also tracking storm Emma, rising from the south, and predicting they would collide over the South West on Wednesday.
Wednesday came and went with only a flurry of snow, but it was so bitterly cold (minus 13 with the wind chill) we drove to the pub for the quiz. Only six other brave souls turned up, so we split into two teams – boys vs girls, with LH being and honorary girl. Of course, with girls being so much smarter than boys, the girls won – despite the men gaining an extra team member half way through and getting help from the bar staff.
Thursday night we woke up to only a little snow, but were informed we were going onto a red weather alert at 3pm – in plain English that meant blizzard conditions, don’t go out, danger to life.
However, the wind was already so strong, our small log shed blew over well before 3pm…
At almost three o’clock exactly, the wind upped several gears and, although the snow that was falling was only very fine – and the camera couldn’t really pick it up in photos – there was so much of it. I got soaked just leaving the house for a minute to change to birds’ frozen water.
There was nothing to be done, but stay in, knit and watch the snow build up. Okay I work from home, but it was still a snow day.
After a very very cold night, we woke up to a sight that at first didn’t look too bad, because the wind had blown the snow almost completely off some of the lawn. On investigation most of the garden was 5/6 inches deep in snow. There was also alot of drifting. Here’s what met me at the back door…
This drift on our drive was three foot high.
Reports flowed from the news of people stuck in cars, lorries and trains over night, snow drifts blocking roads all around us and the army being called out to help.
With another snow day, there was nothing to do but head out for a lunchtime rendezvous with our next door neighbours in the pub. On the walk down we spotted a huge bough that had broken off a tree at the hotel four houses down from us…
…. and chest high snow drifts on the cycle route…
At the pub everyone else had burger and chips…
While I had salad and fish cake.
Having completed an almost dry January and a completely dry February, after lunch I treated myself to a glass of wine – that went immediately to my head.
The snow was already beginning to melt on Friday afternoon and it was raining on Saturday morning, but there was still plenty of snow about when we went for a walk after lunch.
With so much snow still around, it was definitely time for an impromptu get together in the evening with our next door neighbours to share provisions.
Hope you’ve had a great week and the weather has treated you kindly.
Important to keep the fluid & food intake up in this cold weather, so wine is a must😂
We had the worse snow I’ve known in Plymouth but nothing compared to some of your lovely pics. I was stuck at home for 2 days, so unfortunately had to fill my time with sewing and crochet, then finally managed to drive to Totnes yesterday to reopen the salon. It was much worse there so most clients cancelled anyway, then it took me 4 attempts to get back out from the snowy parking space!
Looks like you’ll be back to very muddy walks when that all thaws
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Oh No! Sorry to hear you had such a trial in Totnes. It really hasn’t been good 😦 A lot warmer now, so hopefully thawing fast.
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Yeah what a difference it’s been today, just had a walk in the sunshine!
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🙂
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Whoop look at them drifts! Its been similar here though I did manage to get to work as I work within walking distance. Wil had a snow day though. Looks like you had a pretty nice week anyway. Think we are in for a thaw here now. Turning to slush! Looking fwd to Spring. X
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Definitely thawing here, although I think some of the big drifts will take a long time. Bet Hugo enjoyed the snow.
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Yes he loves it! So much cleaner when he gets home too. 🙂
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ha ha! Yes. What a bonus! 🙂
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Oops – is the log store fixable? We remembered to invert the trampoline before it was too late – in the last gales it flipped and missed the cars by a whisker. After my experience, I had to laugh at the wine going straight to your head after a couple of dry months! Well done on the quiz success – go girls!
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Hello. Yes, LH has fixed the log store today. He’s also improved it by adding ventilation at the back, so the wind goes through at the top and doesn’t buffet it so much. Well done, I know trampolines can develop minds of their own in high wind. Yes, I did think of you when I had the wine and again this morning as I had some yesterday evening too and, although not a lot, had a bit of a thick head this morning.
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Dear Bekki,
Absolutely loving your Sunday Sevens. I feel like I am there with you. We in Eureka (or at least environs have also had snow days and much of the white). Not sure but I think the UK wins for the amount of snow of the Beast.
Lots of love and a hug,
Lucy in Eureka.
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Hi Lucy, Great to hear from you. thanks for stopping by and for commenting. Glad you’re enjoying Sunday Sevens. We did have an unusually large amount of snow. Some years we have none at all – especially down in the south west. But the Beast sure made up for the recent years we’ve missed. Love and hugs right back at ya! xxx
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Oh wow! What a bitterly cold blast you have endured – so glad the worst damage was to your wood shed, hopefully fairly easily mended? I do recall waking up one morning in Kent to a full on covering of snow to see my car had completely disappeared beneath it. That’s my most exciting snow event ever and it happened back in 91 or 92……… 🙂
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Snow was much better in the 20th Century 🙂 Kent is to my memory one of our more snow prone regions.
Although I do feel for all the people and animals who suffered or struggled because of the weather, personally, being safely at home, I did rather enjoy it.
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Wow, that is quite a storm! Glad you are OK, and were able to get to the pub!
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Thank you. Gotta get your priorities right 😊
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🙂
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Oh my, you ended up with more snow than us. So good that it is going now. Your salad looked very nice and you did have the moral high ground.
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Brrrrrr!!
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🙂
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I’m so impressed with all this marvelous snow I’m seeing in lots of Sunday Sevens this week – I haven’t experienced it like that since I was about 5 (which was a long long time ago! 😉) as where I grew up, never gets much more than a sprinkle. I love that you had to clarify why the bars were on the pantry window!!
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We certainly don’t get the snow we used to anywhere in the U.K. – but this was a bit OTT.
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So much snow, in such a short time. I am very happy to see are all okay, and able to get to the pub and such at least.
Thank you for all the snow pics, it is pretty amazing to see such a huge storm. 🙂
I hope when it starts to melt away again, it is not to wet and muddy for to long.
Take care and be safe out and about. XX
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I did enjoy sharing them. Yes, unfortunately it does create mud when it melts.
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🙂 Soon it will be mostly dried out and you can start heading on towards Spring and Summer. Fall will be here soon I guess, I would be very happy. 🙂
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Fingers crossed – the weather does seem to do unseasonal things more and more for both of us 😦
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Indeed. I also noticed this morning one of my orchids have decided to push flower stakes. How odd, we are heading to Fall. I must check later if it is normal, and what to do to have the flowers stay pretty if it is out of season.
Have a great crafty weekend. 🙂 We have a sunny day today.
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Oh hope it’s okay. We seem to have more and more flowers doing unseasonal things too.
Can’t believe it’s weekend again already. You have a good one too xx
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