The First Frost of the Winter

Mid January and another week of very mixed weather that swung and changed every day.  We did get our first Frost of the winter on Thursday.  With temperatures on Thursday hovering around freezing, the Lake did seem to be preparing to Ice over, then a breeze got up and it was never calm or cold enough to do a proper job.

We also had one day when we did have some ‘proper’ rain, it also seems strange to say sadly, but sadly we didn’t get enough to help replenish the water table which is very depleted…..and yes, we did have the occasional grey damp day.

On the positive side we also enjoyed some real warm (10/11c) Spring like days when it was great to be out walking.  The woods at this time of year are at there winters best, skeletons dancing across a leaf strewn floor…the ancient Oaks looking very Tolkien like.

 We came across some Deer in the Deer Park.  Strangely the Red Deer Stags were locking horns and acting very territorial….now that is something we expect round the autumnal Rut, so may be they are just ‘practicing their battle skills’.  Sorry the image isn’t larger but I was traveling light with no long lens.

This rather handsome Fallow Deer rather fancied himself, not in the least bothered about strangers.  A quick pose for the camera then back to the task of grazing..

The Forecasters tell us we will get some snow next week, sometime…might come from the Atlantic or down from Scandinavia…though it is noticeably colder now.

But for now ..if this is winter we will settle for this.

19th January

(C) David Oakes 2019