We didn't go out today either, it is very precarious because there was a hint of thaw yesterday afternoon and it all froze over in the night.
Miss Sophie has spent a long time in the back garden while I got the last house chores done, and was a bit disappointed because there were no cats to bark at.
We wish you all a peaceful and joyful Christmas!
Town Raven
In flight
Location Map
This shows where we walk and meet the ravens
Friday 24 December 2010
Thursday 23 December 2010
Thursday, Dec 23rd, 2010
No - we still haven't been able to go out into the park!
The snow sitting here since last Friday has been compacted, and there was an addition to it on Monday as well. It has been below freezing, with very cold nights, and the couple of hours of winter sun have not had any great effect on the snow. The icicles have grown, however.
As a few cars here in our little road have made it out into the main road, I grabbed this last opportunity to get a taxi into town and back. The state of even main roads is beyond belief, as were the pavements in town - not that I walked there ...
So Miss Sophie had the chance to chew a nice Christmas bone while I was away, which did not prevent her from dragging my proper hand bag off a chair, knocking over the waste paper basket in the living room, nor from getting a couple of balls out of the box in the hall! And then she ran into the front room as I came through the door, not wanting to even look at the balls she'd taken out ...
Now we're snug and warm, everything prepared - and if the weather and snow allow us to go out during the next few days, we will do so, to feed the ravens.
The snow sitting here since last Friday has been compacted, and there was an addition to it on Monday as well. It has been below freezing, with very cold nights, and the couple of hours of winter sun have not had any great effect on the snow. The icicles have grown, however.
As a few cars here in our little road have made it out into the main road, I grabbed this last opportunity to get a taxi into town and back. The state of even main roads is beyond belief, as were the pavements in town - not that I walked there ...
So Miss Sophie had the chance to chew a nice Christmas bone while I was away, which did not prevent her from dragging my proper hand bag off a chair, knocking over the waste paper basket in the living room, nor from getting a couple of balls out of the box in the hall! And then she ran into the front room as I came through the door, not wanting to even look at the balls she'd taken out ...
Now we're snug and warm, everything prepared - and if the weather and snow allow us to go out during the next few days, we will do so, to feed the ravens.
Tuesday 21 December 2010
Tuesday, Dec 21st, 2010 - WINTER SOLSTICE
The snow we had yesterday was frozen over during the night, and Miss Sophie came back indoors from her first outing in the back yard, licking her hind leg and looking worried.
So we stayed indoors.
The icicles meanwhile have been growing, even my small ones are now a good ten inches long while those on other houses are two feet ...
No sun, no wind, grey sky and cold - don't know yet what we'll do tomorrow ...
So we stayed indoors.
The icicles meanwhile have been growing, even my small ones are now a good ten inches long while those on other houses are two feet ...
No sun, no wind, grey sky and cold - don't know yet what we'll do tomorrow ...
Monday 20 December 2010
Monday, Dec 20th, 2010
We didn't go out yesterday, it was too scary because I could hear the thin layer of ice on top of the fallen snow crunch when Miss Sophie went into the back garden. I have no desire to slip on ice ...
Today, I tried the conditions before taking Miss Sophie into the park - I delivered my Christmas cards to all my neighbours. It was very cold, but walking was ok - so we ventured into Llandaff Fields around 8.40 a.m. It was grey, but the walking was fine because the snow had somewhat sunk in on itself, so no more wading through ten inches of snow - it was about six inches.
We dodged a couple of dogs and I let Miss Sophie run in the toddlers' playground: no toddlers there, and it had started to snow, so I was able to shelter under one of the futuristic climbing frames.
A murder of crows had assembled in the trees.
Today, I tried the conditions before taking Miss Sophie into the park - I delivered my Christmas cards to all my neighbours. It was very cold, but walking was ok - so we ventured into Llandaff Fields around 8.40 a.m. It was grey, but the walking was fine because the snow had somewhat sunk in on itself, so no more wading through ten inches of snow - it was about six inches.
We dodged a couple of dogs and I let Miss Sophie run in the toddlers' playground: no toddlers there, and it had started to snow, so I was able to shelter under one of the futuristic climbing frames.
A murder of crows had assembled in the trees.
Saturday 18 December 2010
Saturday, Dec 18th, 2010
We had ten inches of snow here, but we did go out at 7.55 a.m. - about twenty minutes before the official sunrise.
It was cold, just 28 F, but there was no wind at all. There was a light ground mist over the fields.
Nobody was about, so I let Miss Sophie off in the first field for the first time ever! She loved it, but the snow reached up to her elbows, so she did not roll.
It was cold, just 28 F, but there was no wind at all. There was a light ground mist over the fields.
Nobody was about, so I let Miss Sophie off in the first field for the first time ever! She loved it, but the snow reached up to her elbows, so she did not roll.
Friday 17 December 2010
Friday, Dec 17th, 2010
It snowed during the night, so when we went out this morning everything was pristine. As we were one of the first to walk down the street and into the park, we didn't encounter any ice, formed by compacted snow. That was at 7.35 a.m., at dawn.
We got into the tennis courts,and Miss Sophie ran around. The two juvenile ravens came and sat on the fence, one of them making a soft croaking noise. They did get some titbits.
Miss Sophie hugely enjoyed chasing them.
We got into the tennis courts,and Miss Sophie ran around. The two juvenile ravens came and sat on the fence, one of them making a soft croaking noise. They did get some titbits.
Miss Sophie hugely enjoyed chasing them.
Thursday 16 December 2010
Thursday, Dec 16th, 2010
It is grey, gloomy - and the wind comes directly from the North Pole. Fresh snow predicted as well for tonight - it will be difficult again to get out.
We did go to Llandaff Fields today, and the two juvenile ravens appeared. They got some titbits but are still not happy for me to look at them when they pick them up.
sadly, Miss Sophie has taken to chase them, and I swear one of them enjoys this game. He sometimes swoops very low right over Miss Sophie, lengthwise, knowing full well that she will try to retaliate.
They didn't do this today - too windy, too cold, too gloomy.
Here's hoping we can make it into the park tomorrow ...
We did go to Llandaff Fields today, and the two juvenile ravens appeared. They got some titbits but are still not happy for me to look at them when they pick them up.
sadly, Miss Sophie has taken to chase them, and I swear one of them enjoys this game. He sometimes swoops very low right over Miss Sophie, lengthwise, knowing full well that she will try to retaliate.
They didn't do this today - too windy, too cold, too gloomy.
Here's hoping we can make it into the park tomorrow ...
Monday 13 December 2010
Monday, Dec 13th, 2010
I am sorry I haven't posted for some time - and I apologise in advance for not posting every day for the time being.
There have been - and are - a bunch of reasons:
*) my health - getting better, but it is tow steps forward, one step back, so it'll take time;
*) the weather - it has been arctic here, with pavements, pathways and even some of the fields actually iced over, which has made walking far more hazardous than last year, especially since Miss Sophie is a bit more of a handful, physically, than Madame Dog was;
*) the ravens - they are erratic at the moment, because there are far more crows in Llandaff Fields than last year. This is due to the building works going on in the area where I live. A couple of trees where the crows used to roost have been felled, so they and the ravens are looking for new accommodation.
Please bear with me - I'll do my best to get this blog back to normal!
There have been - and are - a bunch of reasons:
*) my health - getting better, but it is tow steps forward, one step back, so it'll take time;
*) the weather - it has been arctic here, with pavements, pathways and even some of the fields actually iced over, which has made walking far more hazardous than last year, especially since Miss Sophie is a bit more of a handful, physically, than Madame Dog was;
*) the ravens - they are erratic at the moment, because there are far more crows in Llandaff Fields than last year. This is due to the building works going on in the area where I live. A couple of trees where the crows used to roost have been felled, so they and the ravens are looking for new accommodation.
Please bear with me - I'll do my best to get this blog back to normal!
