BADGER IN THE SNOW

Before I went to bed last night I turned on the outside light and pulled back the curtains over the patio door. There was a trail of footprints which I followed with my eyes until I came across a badger snuffling up the bird seed which I'd scattered during the day. I hadn't put out the peanuts I still leave every night but don't usually see the animal itself. Not good photos as I'm taking them through the glass, without flash and this one, above, is where it's only just coming into the range of the outside lights. But it's still a badger in February!
It was frightened away when I opened the patio door. I popped on my garden clogs and scattered some peanuts where it had made a clear space. Everything was gone this morning so
it, or another one, returned later in the night. This photo has a strong shadow under the badger's head. Apologies for the fuzzy photos. This is the first badger I've seen in the winter though I've found footprints before.

SNOW ON THE WAY

This is the view from my bedroom window, in one direction. The sun is shining on the houses in the background and it was a good contrast with the very dark cloud which was coming my way. Last evening/night there was just a light dusting of dry snow, so what's lying on the garage roof and ground is nothing serious, like icing sugar on a Victoria sponge. It rained at tea time yesterday but my car doors were iced shut this morning with the cold...

Twenty minutes later it was like this and still snowing.

And an hour after that the snow had gone and there's a blue sky, sunshine in the garden... is it any wonder we're always talking about the weather???

On Wednesday 15th December I meant to post that it was the anniversary of Glenn Miller's disappearance after he took off from an airfield in Bedfordshire but never arrived in Paris, where the band was waiting for him. I'd been to the Eye Clinic and had drops put in and couldn't see what I was doing so wasn't able to post that day. There's a very readable book called 'Next to a Letter from Home' by Geoffrey Butcher which is about Major Glenn Miller's Wartime Band. Just looking to see when it was published(1986) and noticed that the author has signed the first page.

(Later - I realised I hadn't put in the date of the disappearance - it was 1944.)

FIRST SNOW

The first snow this morning at 6.30 with Ashley venturing down the path - but not for long!

I don't mind this amount, which is about 1/2" deep, fine and powdery, it's when it freezes it causes trouble, as you'll know. I've swept a patch for more bird seed as the remains of yesterday's has been covered over.

The carpenter came yesterday to do several jobs, one being to put up a second hand rail so I can haul myself upstairs with alternate hands. I suppose I should varnish it....

He laid a 'patching' floor on top of the shed floor that's going into holes and then made a new sewing table frame for me, very utilitarian but sturdy and what I hope will be the right height to machine on. He's made it with a loose top, which is a wardrobe door panel which I bought at Texas (remember that DIY store?) many years ago.

The framework has been put so that it's 1 1/2" or so away from the wall. I'll be able to drop material or a quilt down the back of the table by shifting the table top. There's plenty of room underneath whereas before, with a pasting table, I had a very heavy set of metal drawers helping to support it in the centre. The only snag is that it's too low to cut on comfortably but I'm learning to use the ironing board!

He also put things up in the roof space for me and got down the Christmas paper/cards/labels which I'll have to use soon, a chore I don't look forward to.

Stop moaning, woman...