Wednesday 16th January 2013, 4.40pm [Dutch time] (day 510)
….if only for another 8 days in my case. Taken at Schiphol airport, from out of the plane window, towards the end of that interminable taxi to the outer runway.
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: winter
Tree, before dawn
Wednesday 9th January 2013, 6.55am (day 503)
I took precisely no (n=0) good photos today, but this one makes it to encapsulate the fact that I am in a sort of limbo week, still getting up before dawn to trug in to Manchester on the early morning cattle truck, waiting for my sabbatical to get going. Wintry morning with freezing fog today, but not much longer to suffer this.
Heptonstall church, Christmas Day
Tuesday 25th December 2012, 1.00pm (day 488)
Was determined to present a photo that wasn’t ‘festive’ – not that I am anti-Christmas, I just fancied hitting a different theme. This shot was taken during the short walk we did in the early afternoon, a nod to the desire to get some exercise among the eating and drinking, and is altered slightly by the rain in the lens but not spoilt, I think. No White Christmas this year, though we have had some in recent years.
Anyway – a happy Christmas to you all, wherever you are and whatever your weather.
Frosty morning
Sunday 2nd December 2012, 11.30am (day 465)
Stayed below freezing all day today, the coldest day since Moscow back in March. Beautiful weather however, a glorious winter’s day. These brambles have made a break for freedom above a stone wall up the road from our house.
Back to winter
Tuesday 27th March 2012, 11.40am (day 215)
In Britain at the moment it is about 21°C and full-on summer, apparently. But here, in Moscow… it isn’t. I have no idea what this structure actually is, it is either a ventilation shaft for the Metro or just a brazier, possibly there to help warm the homeless overnight. Either way it shows the reality of the weather here right now. International travel? Yeah, it’s fun… somtimes!
Wrapped up against the cold
Wednesday 8th February 2012, 8.45am (day 167)
As someone who grew up in the South but now has firmly settled in the North, I do have a certain sympathy for some of the anti-Southern sniping which takes place up here and which is often deserved. However, on this occasion the reason the papers are all saying how crap the weather is in the South, and not mentioning the North, is not some innate metropolitan bias: it’s simply that at the moment the South (being closer to the very cold air settled over Europe) is having bad weather, and we’re not.
Having said all that, there was a deep, damp chill in the air today; these dogs were not the only ones wrapped up against the cold as the kids walked to school.
Full Moon, from the train home
Monday 6th February 2012, 4.50pm (day 165)
Not much happened today but there was some great light and a stunning full moon (well, one day short of full) in the evening. Had to snap it from the moving train as I made my way home, but even if it is a bit of an odd shot, it will certainly do for the daily pic. That’s the moon’s third appearance on the blog, I think.
Garden Centre, Walsden
Sunday 5th February 2012, 11.45am (day 164)
Had to choose something which showed the white stuff but the ‘bird in snow’ pic (of which I did get a good one today) was done yesterday, and the panoramic shot of the town… too clichéd. So let’s have the Buddhas instead. Most of the snow’s gone by this evening anyway.
Turned cold again
Saturday 4th February 2012, 4.10pm (day 163)
The forecasts have been promising a snowy turn to the weather for a while and today it duly arrived – although it was hardly The Day After Tomorrow. This did not, of course, prevent most of Britain’s infrastructure clogging up as we all fretted about the place, and councils and national government blamed each other for there not being enough gritters. But it’s the same every year.
This bird is apparently a Muscovy duck: not indigenous to the UK (a fuller shot of it is here). Either it’s stopped over for a busman’s holiday, or it’s an escaped pet. I have been told the eggs are very tasty. They’d keep well if laid outside in this weather, too.
Being 42 