Snow lovely...

The past four winters we have been blessed (cursed) with LOTS of snow. It disrupted everything from food deliveries to public transport and emergency service response. We have had to abandon vehicles and walk home through the drifts when freak snowstorms have made it too dangerous to drive. Local supermarkets ran out of staples as everyone panic bought essentials in fear of the worst. Our business suffered badly as, for two winters running, the snowy conditions dragged on for weeks and nobody was coming into the shop. Assuming the OH could even get to the shop to open up.
So this winter's distinct lack of the white stuff has been a welcome relief. Yes we've had snow but it hasn't been enough to stop most day to day activities (at least in this neck of the woods) and it hasn't hung around for long enough to be a pain.

Yesterday it was doing it's damnedest to prove that, actually it can be rather beautiful...

When we woke up to this sight - a bright, slightly waning moon suspended in a pinky blue sky just before the sun rose - I knew we were in for a lovely day...

Snow covered black branches against a pale blue winter sky

In places where the sun doesn't reach the snow still lay thickly

A Hazy Shade of Winter

Temperatures have plummeted over night this past week or so, creating  a 'snow-thaw-freeze' cycle that has made for some gorgeous icicle formations...

 

Every twig has it's own little ice jacket...

Even the individual blades of grass have been treated to crystal coating!

Natures own tinsel and fairy lights - this tree actually glistened. Unfortunately I could not quite capture the sparkle of sunlight on the ice... Believe me, I tried.

 

The late afternoon sun on the rapidly melting ice was dazzling.

It's all gone now. With every day we are heading closer to Spring so I don't know if we'll get any more this Winter... If it means we can head out in the sunshine and witness this beauty again then I won't mind too much.  

But if it stops everyone from getting to where they need to go and means the corner shop runs out of coffee I might stamp my feet a bit...