Friday 18 January 2013

Snow on Snow

It would be a shame to have a winter without any snow.  So it was a pleasant surprise to see that rather more had fallen overnight than the sprinkling promised by the forecasters.  I'd intended to walk to work, but a neighbour needed to get to the university by 8:30 to invigilate an exam, so I agreed to give her a lift.  Of course, it soon became evident that no car was going to leave our valley any time soon -- multiple cars had slid downhill and blocked each of all three exit roads by 8:00 -- so we had to walk anyway.

I was glad, naturally, because it meant I could take my time walking the scenic route and get a few photographs on the way.  There was also that warm feeling of self-righteousness to savour, strolling past the stationary motorists, unaware that their day at work was already over.

Of course, some people have never seen snow, though they seem to know all about it.  It's always a delight, watching gaggles of overseas students shrieking like 5-year olds, as they do all those snow things it seems they've dreamed of doing all their lives.  This lot were at it outside my office window for several hours:




Otherwise, it was "snow as usual".  I expect I took exactly the same pictures in the last big snow in 2010.







But that's enough snow now, thanks.  The university had to close at 1:00, and will be closed over the weekend, creating havoc for the poor devils psyching themselves up for exams.  In a country which may not see more than a few days of snow in a year, it's a beautiful disruption and distraction for which we are never quite prepared, rather like young Asian women playing snowballs under your window.

9 comments:

eeyorn said...

I had to sign on today, so drove slowly and carefully into town.
Returning home its a gentle uphill up my street to my place....pulled out to pass a parked car and evidently overdid it on the throttle and slid gently and ungracefully onto the left hand kerb. Gave the guy waiting to drive down a smile, I'll bet.

Martin said...

It's a winter wonderland out here, Mike. The car is buried and our Close is eerily silent, but for the occasional footsteps, gingerly taken. We might try to get out for a walk later today, but the odds on staying upright aren't good.

Mike C. said...

Martin,

Sounds like my Saturday shop in Romsey is off then...

Mike

Dave Leeke said...

We became a Faith School overnight on Thursday - the amount of people praying for snow so the school would close. "Just for one day" as Bowie said. But, alas, no. This coastal area of Suffolk rarely gets enough snow to close our schools down. Still, there's the threat of heavy snow tomorrow which could lead to a three day weekend. More praying from bad weather believers.

Mike C. said...

Dave,

Ha! Like it...

Probably praying to the wrong party... Snow is a mischief cooked up by various collaborating deities, something monotheisms can't pull off (unless Catholics have saints for cold fronts, high pressure, and Warm Wet Westerlies?).

All those axes and swords didn't get dropped in those East Anglian rivers by accident... Try chucking a couple of the school's laptops in the harbour!

Mike

Dave Leeke said...

You think we haven't? They decided to change the network last term and we were SIX WEEKS without internet, emails or registers. Academies want to emulate businesses but what industry would be so ridiculously inefficient?

Anyway, I'll give it a go but I'll keep the iPad.

Anonymous said...

Christina Rossetti.

My daughter is very upset that the snow is melting. She is not at all interested in the problems that snow brings, the difficulty of driving in the snow, only in the fun you can have with it.

Martyn

Kent Wiley said...

I like the 3rd pic, Mike, w/ the wireless routers in the lower left. Wonderful shapes.

Zouk Delors said...

Yes, I like that one, too. There's nothing like a dusting of snow to bring out the full dendritic glory of a tree.

Or did you mean the shape of the routers?