Out the window - Thematic Photography

We have had no snow so far this winter although we are forecast for some this week.

2010 was different however with snow in November. Out my office window this was the view.

Some of you will no doubt recognise that wall.

In January it had been much worse,

I frequently get shots from our lounge.

Coal tit on the feeder

However two of my favourite pictures from 2016 were taken in Michigan.

You can't get more 'out the window' than Finn wanted to be.

For more way out shots please check in at Carmi's Thematic-photographic-396.

White for winter - Thematic Photography

We have had two (on separate days) big (all of half an inch) snowfalls this winter. Just deep enough for me to use a snow shovel but not scenic enough for a photograph.

I'll just have to settle for shots from the last two years.

Scout wonders what to do in the Michigan snow.

Where's that ball?

Lily thinks it's whiter on the other side of the fence

You go that way, I'll go this

But what they really want is for the snow to go away.

But the white in our garden at this time of year is a different kind of snow....

Snowdrops

These have been in flower since the middle of January - what's an half-inch of snow to them!

For other white winter wonderlands wander across to Carmi's thematic-photographic-326.

Holiday meals - Sepia Saturday

Despite having attending hundreds of conferences and training courses, I have no photos of delegates with name tags helping themselves to enormous plate-fulls that will put them to sleep in afternoon sessions.

The only photo that I could find on the flash drive I've carried with me to the States was from a festive meal sometime in the 1980s, I don't know the actual date.

Christmas Party, South Wales

Annie Scotney, my mother, is the lady on the left of the front row. Its the last photo that I have of her before she died well into her eighties.

Looking at the bottles of sauce on the table I can only wonder what they had to eat.

It has been an interesting experience to be in the USA at Halloween and to see pumpkins outside properties.

It was a bit of a shock therefore to also see the first scattering of snow at Halloween.

Halloween snow 'fall'

However that set us up for a festive meal, inside, in the warm.

Halloween spread

Food for four that would have fed twelve from a local Middle East restaurant and not a name tag in sight.

To see how other Sepians have fared just follow the links at Sepia-Saturday-252.

Snow Conditions - Sepia Saturday

I guess we have been lucky so far this winter as conditions have not been right for snow - plenty of rain however. 

Despite working for nearly ten years in Norway I never made it to the ski slopes as I would have need to have done to have any personal shots to match this week's prompt.

So I went looking for appropriate pictures from the past. I even managed to find one from Norway.

Skiing in Strandalen 1924
(County Archives in Sogn and Fjordane)

I have tried my hand a sledging but not as long ago as this.

Sledding & Skiing in Frognebakken (Oslo, Norway) 1903
(Anders Beer Wilson 1865 - 1949 - Norwegian Museum of Cultural Heritage)

Before I went to Norway we had snow in the UK of course and our children were please to pose with (on) the beginnings of a snowman (or was it just a large snowball?)

Andrew, Rachel & Adrian (early 1970s)

It seems to me that the snow was much deeper here in the USA.

Cody (or Scout) - Michigan 2011

The most snow I remember was in the winter of 1947 when the Rutland village where I lived had that much snow that the boys were able to hack out large caves in the snow. Unfortunately no-one had a camera so you will have to take my word for it; it was the snowiest winter since 1814 and I don't believe there has been one like it since.

For other snowy conditions you should plough across to Sepia-Saturday-212.

Greyish - Thematic Photography

We have had some winter fogs the last two days but there is no sign of one today when Carmi gas set us a 'greyish' theme. So I looked back to January a few years ago and this is what I found.

Not fog, but snow blotting out the sky.

However there was sufficient fog to ground helicopters when we visited Tresco on the Isles of Scilly in August 2008.

Hill fog - Tresco, 2008

And enough to distort the shape of rocks on the same day.

A 'beast' in the mist

The foggiest shot I have taken for a while I posted late last year in another of Carmi's TP themes (here when you scroll down).

For other greyish views check out the links at Thematic-Photographic-278.

White - Thematic Photography

Our best wishes go to Carmi and his family as they slowly recover from their recent lost. We welcome back Carmi's thematic photographic theme and the new 'White' target he has set for us.

With snow forecast for us again this weekend my first shots couldn't be more apt.

Kirklevington stream - trimmed with white.

Here's the hope of sun to thaw the snow.

Garden view

Perhaps I'd better hedge my bets a little.

Snow Cap

But further up the lane on a day when the snow had gone the old farm house looks fine.

White House (in the pink)

Still further up the lane is this favourite wall.

I think that calls for a drink while I make my way across to Thematic-photographic-236. Join us there.

Snowshovellers - Sepia Saturday

With snow forcast for us this week I may have to get my snow shovel out again. I just hope that it does not get as deep as in this week's picture prompt.

Of one thing I can be sure I shall not get any help from any volunteers and no-one will ask:

Can I shovel off the snow?

(Artist - John George Brown {1831-1913} - 1871)

The worst winter I can remember was in 1947 when our village was cut off by deep snow. As a boy of ten I walked across the snowdrifts to meet the snowplough cutting its way to dig us out. I have no photos from that time and the nearest I could get was from 1978.

The Great Blizzard of February 1978

The backyard of Maple Street, Woonsocket, RI (By Dahoov2)

Here the snow had drifted to within two inches of the top of the door, The drifts were 10 feet deep and a jeep in the yard was completely covered. To get out the inhabitants had to shovel snow INTO the house.

Britain often comes to a standstill following just a dusting of snow, So far however the mail has made it through and not got stuck as it used to do.

The Mail Coach in a Drift of Snow

Artist: James Pollard

I can't see our postman coping with snow like that.

Meanwhile the sun is shining while we wait

I hope you don't get lost trudging over to Sepia Saturday 163

Softness _ Thematic Photography

As we have had snow for over a week snow seemed to me to be the obvious thing to show. I have to admit that my shot is from two years ago but the view from our front door is much the same today.

Snowy Garden

At this time of year when there are no leaves on the trees the branches look anything but soft. Two weeks ago a frosty morning made them look almost fluffy.

Frost Covering

It always surprises me what you can see from your own front door as these 'softened' trees are behind the house on the opposite side of our lane.

Softness always reminds me of when a TV show The Generation Game was all the rage. Contestants were asked to memorise objects passing before them on a conveyor belt.

Cuddly Toys

Which reminds me that macho dogs can be cuddly sometimes.

Duncan and Cameron at ease

But others always get in on the act.

Duncan (or Cameron) and the Cat

However my favourite shot of all is one sent to us by a delegate from Greenland who attended a training course I led in Denmark some years ago.

Softness personified.

For other soft touches I suggest you float over to Carmi at Thematic-photographic-231.

Ice

A-Z Challenge – ‘I’

Last December was the coldest in the UK for a hundred years. Snow snarled up the airports and planes could not be de-iced. 

Locally we had the most snow that I can remember since we moved here at the beginning of the 1970s. The bungalow we live in has a drive that slopes up from the road to the garage. Keeping it clear of snow is a must if you want to go out in the car. Going out is not a problem; it’s getting back up that slope is a major obstacle as the compacted snow turns to ice.

The main road from the village to the local town snakes its way through a beech wood. The S-bends have been the scene of many an accident over the years, this one being no exception. In November the drain on one of the bends was blocked with fallen leaves and rain water spread across the road. Then it snowed forming a sheet of ice. Salt and grit on the road each night meant the road always had standing water on the surface. It was a no-go area for pedestrians as the pavements were hard-packed snow covered in ice; ice skates would not have helped on such an uneven surface. In addition as vehicles passes cold water was sprayed over everything nearby covering everything with ice. To be safe and avoid the ice walkers had to climb the fence and fight their way through the woods.

Why do I mention all this?

It gave me a photo opportunity that I did not expect:

To celebrate the pictures I could have had a forbidden whiskey on the rocks. However I’m told I shall have to wait until it’s warmer to toast myself - with ice tea.