Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Davesnave

Hard frost this morning, but plenty of sunshine, so I got the chores done and we went walking in my home town after an early lunch.

It was interesting wandering about in places I'd not seen since about 1970. We knew some housing estates had been built, and in fact one's just being completed, but what interested us was the huge community woodland that's been planted over about 20+ years. The whole area use to be fields, so there must have been a benefactor who bequeathed it to the town, or something like that. I was so intrigued I forgot to take any photos. Sorry!

Black_Cat2

Sounds intriguing D, maybe a pic or two next time if you're able 😸

Must've been another cold night so awaiting the light to come up to see how hard a frost it was before planning my day 🐈

judiciously

We have had a dumping of snow but the roads, at least, are moving. 

Farway

Just another hard overnight frost here, dull & a bit misty as well, radar showing snow way up country [Swindon way ]

Made a start on browsing the Parker's catalogue, there are a few items I need to look more closely at, creeping sedums anyone? Thinking of in pots at my volunteer place for some colour and able to stand neglect, indifferent watering & ants in the tubs

Davesnave

Not freezing here this morning, but close, and the foggy stuff has descended. I think it will be an on and off battle with sunshine and cloud till the wind goes around to the west on Sunday.

I still haven't found out the origins of the woodland we were in yesterday, as I got sidetracked and discovered 3 more not far away, so that's the next month's outings covered. I like the Woodland Trust site, because it lists loads of places, but  doesn't spoon-feed, so you have to do more research to find access points, parking and so on. I'd guess this is to filter out the trippers who just want a quick dog walk. Nothing wrong with that, but they're the reason I avoid some of the well-known local places which can be very busy.

Apodemus

-3C and overnight snow, but beautifully clear morning here. I managed my first al fresco breakfast of the year - having managed every day from 1st March to Dec 15th last year. I thought the garden bench was going to break, though, as the frozen slats didn't half creak as I sat down!

 Dave, some of the recent housing developments near here were complete purchase of farms by the developers. The open areas left after construction were designated as public open space on the Planning files and in theory the householders were to form residents associations to manage these areas. In practice residents associations were never formed and the open spaces went unmanaged with the result that these have now naturally regenerated into woodland, with a network of desire-line paths. I wonder if a similar situation has arisen in the village that you mention?

ancientmum

Walked up to the lottie to transfer kitchen veg waste to the big black Dalek.  I use a footpath that goes past a shallow part of the bay where I saw a little egret, cormorant, and flocks of widgeon, swans and gulls. No birds on the feeder but all the dried mealworm had gone.
It was cold  but not windy and thick ice still on the water troughs.

Davesnave

Didn't realise we could have been fined £200 each yesterday for straying out of our local area, although at 10 miles away I thought we were still in it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-55560814

I know the Derbyshire area has special tourist problems, but jumping on a couple of local residents is ridiculous and terrible PR, but then that particular force has form. It was them who pursued hikers with a drone last year. Police state here we come!

When we'd walked, I popped into the supermarket, so combined my shopping and exercise as efficiently as possible. Although I've not explored my home town much since returning here 11 years ago, it's the closest real supermarket and market town to us.

Apodemus, this woodland isn't random or unmanaged  and much of the land could have been used for housing. I'm glad it wasn't, as they've already built a trunk road through the places where we played as kids, just beyond the range of adult surveillance. Not only that, but my favourite piece of river, where I'd almost exclusive permission to fish, is now a blooming great holiday park.

Edit: Funny you should mention the egret and cormorant ancientmum. On the way home both were spotted in the river valley....a good 20 miles from the sea.

goldfinches

Incredibly cold here overnight and still bitter this morning. I spotted a tree creeper on a trunk right next to the path yesterday but my photos were terrible mostly due to my hands being so cold. So I took this at 9am this morning instead.

That's about the lightest it got today.
Hope you're all tucked up nice and warm in bed, night all, goldfinches.

Farway

Another bitterly cold frozen morning at least us gardeners can relax in the knowledge of the pests that will not make it through this winter, and the fruit getting a proper cold spell to get ready for Spring

Nothing else to report