Yesterday was finally milder, and for today, around 10C is forecast - that feels almost sub-tropical compared to the -12 we had this week!
The sun is already out, and I plan to go for a run later; I haven't been running for weeks and really miss it.
But back to winter for a little bit. Here are the pictures O.K. took on Sunday, the 18th of February.
View from my kitchen window at breakfast time:
Palace grounds:
At the deer park:
As you can see, we had bits of blue sky and glimpses of the sun. After the deer park, we walked down to the lake, where it was still sunny at first. But then the sky took on a more dramatic look:
By the time we arrived back home, we were both very ready for the warmth of my kitchen, mugs of hot coffee and later a substantial meal. Thankfully, the roads were clear for O.K.'s drive home later that evening.
It is now March, and although I know it will be a while before it gets really warm enough to put winter coats and boots aside, the sun definitely feels different when it is out. Looking at pictures on my blog from this time last year, spring was much further on that it is this year, but we paid for that when icy rain hit in April and destroyed up to 80 % of crops in vineyards and orchards in my part of Germany. Therefore, I much rather wait and let winter stay on a little bit, if it wants to, before giving way to spring properly.
Winter still holding us in its firm grip up here too. I just wish the ice on the streets and pavements would melt away soon, it's difficult to walk at the moment...
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely out there today, sunny and mild, no traces of snow or ice left! Which is why we're off for a walk in a minute :-)
DeleteEnough already! At least the days are getting longer, later this month we will clocks and there will be evenings again. It’s a bit warmer here too but the snow is still deep. I need supplies next week so I hope that my drive will thaw in time.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new found activities, including walks in pretty scenery.
I think you would enjoy Michael Innes, I used to love reading him (there are not that many of his crime stories) and am about to rediscover him. That era of crime writers is my favourite, there were quite a few of them at the time, all gone, sadly.
change clocks, of course.
ReplyDeleteI understood what you meant, Friko. Yes, there is considerably more daylight now than only a few weeks ago. It is full daylight when I get up at 7:00, and still daylight if I leave work early enough. That is definitely a plus and makes me less reluctant to do anything after work.
DeleteI've checked Amazon's Kindle shop for Michael Innes' books, there are quite a few there.
I hope you will be able to go on a run today! I just saw that today is March 4th, so it is considered MARCH FORTH day, a day to go out and do something! Isn't that great! (I am a sucker for a play on words like that.)
ReplyDeleteI love your snowy photos, the snow looks very beautiful.
Haha I didn't realise the MARCH FORTH wordplay until I said it out loud :-)
DeleteI did indeed go for a run, even if it was just a short one of 5 km, but it was my first since January 13, so I need an easy start to get back into the habit again.
The snow would have been much more welcome around Christmas... not now when we all want flowers and blossoms on the cherry trees and butterflies and birdsong!
Green parties talk about global warming but this past couple of weeks the problem has been global cooling. I blame Donald Trump.
ReplyDeleteNo, no, it's the German government or, rather, their inability to form a new administration even half a year after the general election!
DeleteI got a whole lot of exercise yesterday....pulling weeds and vines from a loooooong fence in our backyard, plus trimming hedges and chopping down (!!) three small trees with a hatchet. I'm a bit sore today, as you can imagine. I love working in the yard in early spring! :) Sorry it's still so cold in Germany, though.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds exhausting, Jennifer, and I am not surprised your muscles are telling you so today :-)
DeleteIt is finally warming up here a bit, but I have heard some people say that the longterm forecast is for another cold spell before the month is over.
Such lovely pictures, I haven't seen that much snow since I lived in New York, in the 60s and 70s. Here we had summer in January, while February has been very cold, rainy and windy. March will be a surprise .... you know the saying "Marzo Pazzo" :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I am familiar with that saying, Francesca :-)
DeleteToday was the third day in a row of sunshine and mild temperatures, much better than what was forecast!
Hurrah for days of walking with a good friend and then returning to warmth and hot food...A lot of people I know on the east coast lost power and heat! March 11th begins daylight savings time and it's a lovely time of year.
ReplyDeleteOur switch to "summer time" is at the end of March, usually the last Sunday of the month.
DeleteI enjoyed the walk in the snow with O.K., but I also enjoyed the walks I had with my sister and my mother this past weekend - in the sun, and it was warm enough to sit on a bench for a while!