SNOWDROPS AND SNOW

I just felt like going out to look for some snowdrops today, so that’s what we did after Church.  I had one place in mind and Mr. HCB had another, but in the event, we came upon these quite unexpectedly.

We had been to this particular place sometime ago, and it was the place I had in mind - near Carisbrook Stud on the road to Boomerang Stables.  The road was deserted and Mr. HCB told me that the temperature had dropped from 5° to about 2° so it was pretty cold - I daresay most sensible people were indoors enjoying their Sunday lunch!  As the road was rather narrow and quite muddy, Mr. HCB let me out of the car before pulling into a nearby gateway.

I had both cameras with me and also my iPhone and just as I got out, it started to snow - stinging my face.  We were quite high up on top of the downs and the wind was howling so with the snow coming down too, it was not very nice, in fact, it was decidedly chilly.  I wandered along the roadside, taking photographs as I went while Mr. HCB got back into the car.  I think had it not been snowing, we might have gone for a walk, but a warm home, a cup of coffee and a Hot Cross Bun did rather sway our decision. 

We didn’t stay very long so instead of turning round and going back the same way, as we have done before, we carried on.  It was then we found the thatched cottage that you will see as an extra.  It was called Crooked Cottage and when we got back to the main road, realised that we had passed the sign many times before indicating that the place we had just been to was Crooked Soley;  I’m sure we will be going up that way again during the different seasons.

When we got home I looked at all the photographs and decided that I preferred the ones taken with my iPhone - especially this one, with the lichen growing.  It never ceases to amaze me that these little flowers push their way up through the frozen earth and delight us with their nodding heads.  Spring is definitely on the way!

"Snowdrops: 
Theirs is a fragile 
     but hardy celebration... 
          in the very teeth of winter."
Louise Wilder