Chilly in La Macherie but the sun makes an entrance!

Another sub zero day here in La Macherie (-10 this morning!) but we have to go out because the sun is shining, my pipes are still frozen solid so no chance of a hot shower and of course Balloo is raring to go .... he's enjoying all the snow, running just as fast and I'm convinced he's skidding around on purpose!

The river Gartemps is completely frozen over in parts and even here where it flows really quickly its beginning to go at the edges as you can see.

Balloo still thinks he can go in for a splash around though .... no chance matey, look as longingly as you like but you're staying just where you are!

Its lovely to see the sun out, making the fresh, crisp snow positively glisten and I just love the crunchy feeling under-foot as I walk and that hint of warmth on my face. Could have done with sunglasses this morning it was that bright!

I disturbed a Common Snipe (right)  and a Woodcock (left)during my trek out, both long billed birds (the latter is often shot at) that really struggle to penetrate the ground and therefore feed in cold snaps. Snipes are usually to be found probing around on the edges of ponds whilst Woodcock favour the forest floor but in weather like this they can often be seen in unusual places such as roadsides or even gardens as they search for soft ground to probe.

On the way back up the hill to La Macherie I was trying (unsuccessfully) to photograph a couple of Wrens when I noticed this Blackbird sunning itself on one of the few bits of earth not covered in snow ..... he wasn't giving up that spot for anybody, never flinched a feather as I walked right up to him. Ok, probably one of the commonest birds in France, especially at this time of the year but even the most ubiquitous of birds can look good in the right light!

Later on in the day I managed to capture a few decent photographs of Long Tailed Tits as I walked along a hedgerow just outside the village, again a common enough bird but in the right light ....

In actual fact I spent nearly 20 minutes and took maybe 30 pics trying to get some good shots and by the end of it my fingers were so numb with cold I had to give up but these 3 shots came out pretty nicely. The big problem was that although they were quite close they were flitting about like mad in a very twiggy tree which meant that many of the shots were obscured .... ah but it's all in the challenge and worth nearly getting frostbite!

Well I've just succeeded in raising the temperature in my kitchen to 10 degrees C with the aid of both paraffin and electric heaters so time to leave my cosy lounge and cook some food!

I leave you with another nice sunset, yesterday it was Askam Bryan, Yorkshire ... today is an equally chilly La Macherie sundown .....

A wonderful Winter walk in Yorkshire and back to the Vienne and minus 15!

Flew back today after spending a very pleasurable week in my home town of York (N.Yorks, UK) and in the company of my outstanding fiancee Gabrielle. Certainly not as cold there as it is back here in the middle of France - I've returned to -15C, frozen pipes and 10" of snow! As I write I'm defrosting bowls of snow in front of a roaring fire so that I can make myself a cup of coffee whilst Balloo's frozen water bowl is likewise defrosting so that he can slake his thirst. The cistern on the toilet is just a square block of ice and has cracked the pot surround, so obvious issues there ..... there's always a bucket I suppose but visiting the bathroom is like stepping back into the ice age!

So I'm staying put in the only warm place in the barn, in front of the wood burner ... oh and I have Bailey's courtesy of a special offer in duty free at East Midlands airport - so I'm more or less sorted!

Took my point n shoot camera back to the UK and whilst out on a late afternoon walk around the fields in Askham Bryan with Gabz I took these snaps.

This was a classic point and shoot moment as 2 happy girls ran past in the snow while we were walking through the Church yard ... to be honest Gabz was slightly unsure about whether I should be taking such pictures but I think its anonymous enough and I'm pleased with the shot

No anonymous girls in this shot, Gabz up and over a stile!

The evening sunlight, low in the sky was playing all sorts of tricks and in this shot the diffused light is because the setting sun was shining through a distant gate and illuminating the low lying freezing fog that began to chill us to the bone!

Talk about the 'bleak mid winter'! If you look closely you can see a cold looking moon (a sliver away from being a full one) rising in the background to this chilly hedgerow scene, but honestly who would be striding out on such an evening!

All credit to Gabz for spotting the setting sun through the mist as we trudged happily back for a cup of hot tea, I would have walked past this misty sunset (well it was on my blind side!). Wasn't sure which of the 2 pics came out best so I've posted both.

A lovely walk but hot tea never tasted so good afterwards!

Ok, well it was way too late to venture out with my camera on my return to La Macherie but tomorrow will see me out and about and I'm sure there are some wonderful Winter scenes out there just waiting to be captured ... tomorrow, but for now it's back to my good friend Mr Bailey and my guitar mistress Takemine!