Awful weather - typical Brits talk

LessImpecunious

For those yearning for it, here's a few snowy pics from our Sunday am walk - didn't go to the forest, as that requires a short drive along snowbound roads, so sensibly walked along mostly slushy local roads instead...

Drunkards claim it is currently 8 degrees here, but more reliable sources (our own outdoor thermometers) confirm c. 0.8... Just enough above freezing to result in drizzle and slush rather than more snow at the moment...

twopenny

Beautiful hedge pic Less. I love the hedges at this time of year, sometimes in rain they look like black lace.

Bluey, what a lovely church. Is it as nice inside?

Heating worse, the bill had 4 days to pay So he'll either be back or he won't. Unfortunately there's a load of work for them with the tourist trade going all year and the governments building scheme and hinkley point staff moving.

I've been looking at Rightmove for bungalows with a chimney if you're still allowed to use a chimney for log burners.

Car, it's comfy and well designed. But it doesn't have an ash tray I found.

Farway, you could read the instructions while you're house bound? I still haven't read mine, it's a last resort. I finally did for the car and got the clock right. Who'd have thought of looking under Audio?

Abs I'm not sure I can appreciate snow that early. But it does cover up anything that needs doing which is it's saving grace

Gone up to 13c and down again in short time as the sun (wherever it is) goes down. Slushy snow then torrential rain and now just grey.

Still no real stars or anything to appreciate, just bleauh............

But the little sparrow are singing their hearts out outside. That's a good sign as well as giving some spring hope.

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

I've just bought a second hand Nikon D300 & one lens, it has more knobs on than a space shuttle, I've only just fired it up, so time will tell. 

The point I'm trying to make is I now have nearly £2000 worth of gear for around £150, so fancy need not mean breaking the bank if you don't want the very latest fashion

Missed your post again! That looks to be an excellent buy! You obviously did plenty of homework. My old Panasonic bridge camera is still going strong, despite dropping it, having it roll out of the car etc, but I'd like something 'nice' and compact. I chatted to an artist at the Fatstock Show, to find she used an iPhone, like pp. So, I'm not sure now....posh phone, or better camera?   Neither would be new.

I had computer probs at this point. Maybe it was general. I couldn't quote or anything, so gave up.  

Next, somebody (Not Mrs Dusty) asked "How are you getting on with XXXXX?"  and I found I'd forgotten something I promised to do. Goodbye Sunday!

I'm reading along and enjoying your pictures. No ashtray, 2p? Haven't they banned that in cars yet? Don't worry they will!

ArbitraryRandom

twopenny said:

I've been looking at Rightmove for bungalows with a chimney if you're still allowed to use a chimney for log burners.

Don't think you're serious, but just in case - yes, unless you're in a smoke free zone, but you need to get it lined (which they do as part of the install) 

I'm so glad that I replaced the old gas fire here with the multi-fuel stove. I've had it lit every evening since New Year (plus, if you only burn wood, then the ashes can go on the garden...) 

We had a power cut in late December (when it was more damp and cold then freezing) and I had heat/the ability to boil water/cook, and if it had gone on to the evening it would have given a decent amount of light (not to read, but move around safely).  

Only downside is that I have no cats at night - they all stay downstairs (I try not to fall asleep on the sofa)

greenbee

As Arb says, yes, you can have woodburners, and if there is no chimney you can install a metal flue rather than lining an existing one. 

Like Arb I have a multifuel stove, and as my oil tank level is getting low (there is usually a cold snap as soon as I've run it down and decided to book a 2 week or less delivery) I've been running in on solid fuel since yesterday afternoon. It has the advantage over wood that it is still alight in the mornings and just needs the ash removing, the coals riddling and some more fuel adding. Not such as nice blaze, but consistent heat. I've had multifuel in the past two houses and like the flexibility it gives me if I have no heating - I didn't use solid fuel last year, so only have one sack (which is about 2 days' worth), but it has proved it's worth. So I need to sort out storage and stock up in the summer. 

pink_poppy

I absolutely love our multi-fuel stove and would have had hypothermia without it. We tend to use logs, peat (I know) and heat logs broken up into smaller pieces, rather than coal, although we do have a small supply of coal if we fancy a change. Do you think you will move, twopenny?? You might be lucky and find a bungalow with a stove already installed.

Dusty, the one thing I like about taking photos with a phone is that I always have it on me, so I can take impromptu photos if I see something interesting. I think with a camera I'd be going looking for things to photograph, it's more planned, itms.

AR, your snowy garden is huge!! Hope you got back to sleep.

Less, beautiful snowy pics. My DSis has a heavy covering of snow today - I'm jealous    

I love your starry sky, YBE, but I see what you mean about it being potentially Bertigo inducing. Weird about the invisible window on your first pic. I think I saw Mars this morning (not the chocolate)...

We've been out for a walk this afternoon and it was beautiful - cold, frosty, sunny and no wind. Perfect. I took some photos, but my phone is charging, so I'll post them another time.

-taff

That's a pretty impressive sitooterie 2P, I want [ I probably want something like that as a garden more though, that just screams enough space for secret places. Glad your box on wheels is at least warm even if it's dodgy in other areas. I did laugh at no ashtray though, haven't seen one of those for donkeys.

We haven't had any clear sky that I've noticed to look for auroras so your pics are welcome PP And yes, Budgett/bodgeit sound similar. Shme about them apples too, I'd have snaffled some,

Fancy there being more daffs about!? And I wouldn't worry about misidentifying, one treee down is one tree down commiserations on falling, spectacle crushing and freezing. Those jackdaws have sufficinetly scary eyes to induce fear don't they...And that's a lovely little bid on a fork handle...which reminds me, I still haven't been to get two new ones for my broken ones, best get the angle grinder out to get the peens or whatever they're called out.

Clever thinking re AI and photogrpahs Farway, might have to emulate that.

WM, lovely sunrise too. I don't post for a few days just to see all the goodies [ lovely pics] in one place all together I do like wind turbines too, I coud watch them for hours, very hypnotic.

Less ,love the moon and venus pic, so many people on the daily thread mentioned seeing that, I enjoyed seeing yours! Thanks for that website too, I'm pocketing it for later...

ybe, different angles of sky great stars though, I never see half as many here [ time to move somewhere less light filled], funny about your quickest complaint too ..There was an occasion when someone messed me about when i was working in a cake shop so eventuall I gave up, put what she wanted into a bag for the third time, then put them on the floor, jumped on top of them a couple of times and told her we didn't have any left, sorry. Googly eyes on the rose would also be funny, poor thing.  Cute puppy, my sisters favourites...She would agree too with the sentiment.

Loving the snow pics too, ours disappeared overnight, maybe I'll move to outer scotland or very up north instead...

a polytunnel and away I go...

We've got 13 as well today but from tomorrow it goes cold apparently, so armed with my new foot operated splitter, much more wood can be burned. I should really check if it's multi fuel or just wood...

Allotment tomorrow I think after I go to the hardware shop.

twopenny

Thanks for the info folks. Yes, I think I've seen those tall vents in some bungalows.

Not sure it's a great idea, I love a real fire and heat but I seem to remember how wonderful it was to get a gas fire when I wasn't dusting and clearing out ashes all the time. Woodlice under every piece of furniture

BTW in Australia there were wood burners that stayed in all night. And we sure have plenty of logs here what with the gales and ash dieback.

We don't get power cuts much. Think there's too many people on the vulnerable register here It's more the warmth and being able to relax and unwind in the house with a cosy feel.

I am semi serious about moving again. It was the original plan before the pandemic and loosing one neighbour, two more who are lovely are thinking of moving, two actually are and it's broken up the lovely community. There is no one out and about now. Quiet is lovely but it's become deadly empty. This house has been nothing but trouble. Perhaps a new start.

Managed to get my mostly dead onion sets in today as it was light till 5 despite the cloud. Might as well, you never know what the current rain will do for them.

Floods across the roads when I went out for a drive and the scenery was gloomy. Still fairly mild though, it's supposed to be changing again tonight. Hopefully they are wrong as they usually underestimate the temperatures in my little spot.

pink_poppy

"a catch buy for non gardeners looking for presents" sums up my DH perfectly, Farway    

Some photos from today/tonight

Synchronised swans 'reflecting' on life...

Beautiful sunset with photo-bombing UFO (okay, helicopter)...

The lost Mona Lisa sock... (a spare for Dusty??)

The UFO (okay, helicopter) again when I was trying to capture the aurora (bottom left faint green bit)...

And for YBE, Farway, twopenny and anyone else plagued by squirrels...

pink_poppy

I think the highest temperature for us this week is 4 degrees, taff. As long as it stays dry and sunny I really don't mind.

Btw, Aurora activity as I type for those with clear skies.

twopenny, keep looking on Rightmove, now is the time for things to pop up.