frosty mornings – T E Shepherd

On the tenth day of Christmas: a frost so thick

Thomas — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:56:00 +0000

A damn cold night; a damn cold morning followed it. The morning commute was a joy; a beauty; a complete winter wonderland of white beauty. I felt compelled to do more than just wish that I had stopped to take pictures, but to actually stop and take photos. So I did; just that…

The Twenty-second Day of Advent: Fog, frost, and yet more fog

Thomas — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 23:30:00 +0000

1. This morning was hauntingly beautiful this morning. Still as foggy as ever, as the sun rose, so the mist that shrouded the land lifted, and illuminated the New Forest. Every cobweb was coated in silver, and tall grasses stood like strange sculptures amoungst the heather. Driving across the top of the forest, silver birches hung with silvered branches in a golden light was enough to lift a heart that has been cloaked in fog for days after days. Further towards Reading it was thick again with fog, in Maidenhead a little clearer, but as we lunched with Granpa in the Blue River Cafe, the fog came down again on the river valley, and it was thick again for the drive home.

2. Strained and decanted my sloe gin, the berries drained of their juices, and shrivelled remains of what they once were. The inaugoral vintage of the Pure Bure Sloe Gin, has a good, rich colour, a fine nose, and a nice taste.

3. It was not so much a case as Goldilocks and the Three Bears today in Postbox Cottage, but Bramble and the Two Cats. After Bella had found both biscuits and a bed on top of the fridge, it was a case of Bramble coming back into the utillity room and standing over the bowl, looking at it and then us sternly, and declaring, ‘Who’s been eating my food?’ before taking to the top of the fridge, and upon smelling foreign cat, indignantly declaring, ‘Who’s been sleeping in my bed?’

4. Bella found a novel way of eating today, one hind leg, each on a separate oak beam, and a third supporting her on a higher beam as she ate her food from below.

5. Bella also found herself a dab hand (or should that be paw) at hooking balls off the tree, for Arthur to poke and prod around the floor… Tonight they sleep in the kitchen with Barney dog for the first time…

6. Anyone know what was up with the internet earlier this evening. Around 7ish and 8ish, the internet appeared to be dead. It might have just been the OneTel ISP but strangely mail was still getting through, but all websites (or at least a cross-section selected) were unaccessible? Back now (obviously), but still weird.

A shaft of light on a frosty morning

Thomas — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 19:37:00 +0000

Ice #2
Originally uploaded by shepline on 29 Dec ’05, 7.04pm PST.

Burnt gorse, frosted
Originally uploaded by shepline on 29 Dec ’05, 7.06pm PST.

Frost on gorse
Originally uploaded by shepline on 29 Dec ’05, 7.05pm PST.

Woodland Frost
Originally uploaded by shepline on 29 Dec ’05, 7.03pm PST.

Brambles, frosted
Originally uploaded by shepline on 29 Dec ’05, 7.00pm PST.

( more )

Holiday Tuesday Morning

Thomas — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 12:25:00 +0000

Holiday Tuesday Morning
Originally uploaded by shepline on 27 Dec ’05, 12.17pm PST.

You win some, you lose some

Thomas — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 23:03:00 +0000

Last night, I’m not sure how or why, but I ended up on the BBC Oxford site. There was a competition there to win tickets to see Rory Bremner at the New Theatre, Oxford next Monday. It was one of those really easy questions, so I entered. This morning I got a email to say that I had won a pair of tickets. Maybe they don’t get that many people visit the BBC Oxford site…!

In other news, I cursed myself at both ends of the day today for not having my camera with me. Not only did we have the first major frost of the season last night and a spectacularly hauntingly beautiful sunrise over misty, frost covered fields, but the golden sunset this evening was awe-inspiring. I could of kicked myself for forgetting my camera. Actually, I think I did…

A day to get up for

Thomas — Tue, 18 Feb 2003 10:35:00 +0000

With the increasing light in the mornings, it’s definitely getting easier to extract oneself from the warm slumbers of the duvet upon the morning. And this morning was one of those that make you glad that you have done so.

Damn cold it may have been – cold enough to freeze the digits off your hands! But it was also stunningly beautiful. Driving in through the country lanes and Islip – enchanting whatever the weather – the road fields were covered in icy whiteness, the sky was clear purity, and the sun radiant.

Where I sit at work (overlooking the food court) I don’t get to see much of the day, but the sun does cast quite striking shadows across the atrium … artistically pleasing, yes…