Phew! What a week: busy work-wise, children off school, will it/won’t it snow, freezing rain, howling Siberian winds… It’s fair to say that the infrastructure of the UK doesn’t handle snow well. All trains were cancelled in this corner of east Kent on Thursday and Friday (they’re still not running today) and the roads have been treacherous. Our part of the coast was spared the worst of the weather although we did have scary freezing rain yesterday which turned all paths and roads into ice rinks, followed by just enough snow to sledge on. As the light was fading yesterday, we dug out the two sledges we’ve been waiting for years to use and headed to the lane at the bottom of the garden which has just the right degree of slope to make a perfect (and very fast) run. Once we’d got the steering right…
Anyway, before we did that, I took a few photos of the garden so I could join in with Helen’s End of Month View. Not much has happened since the end of January apart from bulbs shooting and buds swelling on the trees. We did get round to pruning the new apples and pears but not the old trees in the back garden which badly need doing. I have plans for seed sowing but haven’t done any yet. Those flowers that were out (snowdrops, hellebores, bergenias and the first daffs) keeled over in the icy blast this week and I haven’t been out to see what damage, if any, yesterday’s snow did. It’s fast melting and almost all gone now.
It’s the time of year when I dust off my winter lethargy and gear up for action – by the end of March I hope to have more to report!
Thank you for your comments on my previous post. I always hesitate and dither before posting such a self-indulgent musing, so I was relieved that it did strike a chord with some. Now I’ve got that off my chest, it’ll be the usual plants, gardens, frustrating teenagers combo for a while. I hope you’re safe, warm and dry where you are (or, if you’ve been sweltering down under, that it’s cooling down!). Have a good weekend.
acoastalplot 
In amongst the chaos that the bad weather has brought, it does seem to have brought us (the general public) together. It took Graeme and I over 4 hours to travel from the New Forest back to Newbury on Thursday. A journey thst would normally take an hour and a quarter. In a normal day, going at 100 miles an hour (metaphorically soeaking), stress and road rage can take over. However when the roads grind to a hault and we are knee deep in snow, I have seen real comnerardary with strangers helping to push cars up hills and help clear roads so that everyone can get home safely. Loving your blogs and hope to catch up soon – weather permitting! X
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It’s good to hear you got home safely! x
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I’m just on my way home to Broadstairs now. I’ve been stuck in London since Thursday, sofa surfing whilst I wait for the train service to resume. The damage had already been done in my garden before I set off, but I am still dreading what I’ll find when I get home tonight. At least it will be dark! I hope your garden has weathered the storms and will bounce back when spring finally arrives. Dan
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Very belated reply, Dan – sorry! (I’ve been up to my eyes in a work project.) I hope that the icy blast heading our way this weekend will be done and dusted by Sunday evening so it doesn’t impact the commute next week (although given Southeastern’s track record…). It’s frustrating to have another weekend of gardening potentially curtailed but spring will be all the more welcome when it properly arrives. Keep warm.
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It so will!! I am planning for the worst on Monday, which means it will probably be fine. Have a lovely weekend Sam.
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You too.
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It was an ice rink here too! Our bulbs looked dreadful yesterday but now the snow has melted they have recovered, the wonders of nature! Sarah x
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It’s amazing how they bounce back, isn’t it!
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We ha e had enough snow to keep us aged ones inside, catching up on computer work, while watching the birds through the window. The young ones have enjoyed the time off school, building snowmen and sledging.
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Hopefully the snow forecast for this weekend will be over quickly!
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Our poor garden is still buried under a few inches of snow. The daffs are bowing. Hoping for a melt now! X
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Hope you don’t get loads again this weekend.
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Quite deep snow here but today it is melting fast today, thank goodness. Great fun for the young I know, but I mis my garden when it disappears for a whole week.
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I’m ready for winter to be over now and am not relishing the prospect of more snow this weekend 😦
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I hope the snow melted soon for you, our snow is now heavy slush, and I can tell the lawn is a swamp already. roll in spring… soon!
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It doesn’t tend to hang around long here by the sea. Hope all’s well in your garden.
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With all that snow it looks a little like Chicago! Actually, all our snow has melted and I’ve been working the garden today. Keeping a wary eye on the weather to see if we get another snowstorm in March.
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Here the last patches thawed out today but still a memorable week. It must have been great fun to have been able to use those sledges. Good luck with the seed sowing Sam. I filled some seed trays with compost this afternoon and hope to make some first sowings tomorrow 🙂
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I still haven’t sown any seeds..! It’s been a bit full-on here with work, house and children. Hopefully I’ll get round to it in the next week or so! Hope you’ve managed to do some.
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The snow is incredible Sam, I have never seen snow before so all of the snowy footage from your part of the world is fascinating. Stay warm!
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We do live in opposite climates, don’t we?!
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