The Joy of Snow

 

Having snow around at Christmas time is very unusual for us here in the UK these days. Even though it's one of the things that many people wish for each year it very rarely actually happens. So when the snow started falling last week, hopes for a White Christmas began to rise rapidly, bringing with it much excitement and outdoor play opportunities for those of us with Little People.

Waking up on Christmas Eve morning and discovering we'd had a fresh few inches fall during the night before was wonderful :: everything looked so perfectly snowy and beautiful that day.

You may recall that when I wrote my last post here in the Attic, it was Christmas Eve afternoon and I was about to light the fire and settle down whilst J and the Little People were sledging at the park. But on the spur of the moment I decided to pull on coat-hat-scarf-gloves-boots and head out to join them :: I couldn't bare the thought of missing out on the Joy of Snow on Christmas Eve.

And I'm so glad I made the effort to trudge up our little hill to the top of our park...oh it was just fabulous! I plodded along the snowy path, through the snowy wood....

....emerging at the top of the snow-covered park to the above scene. It looked like an illustration from a book, so perfectly wintery and joyful. Many families were out enjoying the delights of zooming down the snowy slope on sledges, lots of excited shouting and laughter filled the air.

At the top of our park along the line of trees there're some wooden benches, and here I found J waiting for our Little People to climb back up the hill after their recent downward run on sledges. I watched as they came closer, and oh their little faces were a picture!! Such sparkle in their eyes, such rosy cheeks, such excited chatter, I felt fit to burst with happiness observing them.

I lost count of the many times they went speeding off down the snowy slope, down and up, down and up they went, time after time after time.

It was cold that afternoon, cold for us Big People sitting on a damp wooden bench. So J decided to nip back home (we only live 5 minutes walk away) to go fetch a blanket, a flask of coffee and some chocolate.....ahhh sitting on that bench with a mug of hot coffee on that cold, snowy afternoon was just the best! I don't think I can remember such a fun and joyful Christmas Eve as this one, it really will be one to remember.

Today (Boxing Day) the sun's been shining and the snow's begnning to slowly thaw and melt here in town. The surrounding landscape is still impossibly beautiful and joyfully snowy mind you, so we decided earlier this afternoon to head out and stroll around in it a bit before it completely disappears.

We didn't go far, just to our favourite local Easy Countryside Option (Bolton Abbey). And although it was very busy with other people all having the same post-Christmas idea as us, it was still quite lovely to be out and about. Fresh, crisp air, the soft winters sun shining through the trees...

...lots of throwing of snowballs into the river, a rather competitive game of I-spy, and finally a very welcome rest in the cafe for coffee and chocolate cake.

Having the Joy of Snow this Christmas time has been very special and I've enjoyed it hugely. Even if i have been forced to wear J's (big, black) welly boots to go out in it.

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Comments

[lucy]

Some of these pics look like Christmas cards, how very festive x

[Adina]

So pretty and peaceful looking...

[joe currey]

Merry Christmas....what lovely photo's :)

[Jennifer]

What wonderful memories, so glad you had the energy to go along. Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing them with us.

[Laura]

Your photos are so beautiful. It looks so like a postcard. Oh, I love those gloves you are wearing in one of the photos.
blessings
~*~

[Julie]

Lovely piccies - you all will have lovely memories of this Christmas!

[gill]

hi lucy
you're so lucky to have snow! all we've had here in glos is ice - and today rain!
love gill x

[chocolategirl64]

love that pic of the sledgers ~ almost like a Laurie painting ^_*
the snow's all gone here but it was quite magical to have some so early :
what did Santa bring you Lucy?

[rebecca nia]

What wonderful photos, I'm in St.annes near blackpool and even we got snow which is so rare for us, was so magical and wonderful!

[Rachel]

Oh, I love white christmases! You are so lucky! Our snow melted the day before Christmas Eve and turned to rain with 45 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas day. Felt more like spring than winter. We still had a wonderful holiday though! :) Your photos are gorgeous!

[Lululiz]

Beautiful photographs! Enjoy the rest of the Festive Season x

[Anna-Karin, Sweden]

Oh, how glad to see two posts from You, now when I looked at the computer. Haven't found the time to look here. It has been much Lego-building, eating and "outdooring" this Christmas.
How wonderful you seemed to have had! Love your winter pictures!
We too had a white Christmas, even if it started raining on Christmas Eve, but it's still white here, because now it started snowing again. So, tomorrow we will get out and play again :-)
Hope you got something nice from "Father Christmas"!

Love Anna xxx

[Kate Bruning]

Breath-takingly beautiful and such a contrast with our Boxing Day which was spent at a little beach near our house. You must have felt like you were in an advent calender. I just love, love, love all of your decorations too. Lots of love, Kate (the greedy Kate) xxooxxooxx.

[Donnelly]

Thank you for sharing your beautiful snow! We, in Idaho, had very cold temperatures with a bit of fog to top it off! Your photography is beautiful! Have a great day.

[Susan @ pinkportugueseroses]

I can only begin to imagine how wonderful your Christmas was! How lovely to see the snow and how your day went.

Thanks so much for sharing your day with us.

Blessings to you!

[jannimary]

What a lovely memorable time. The photos are gorgeous. I seem to remember seeing the row of trees earlier in the year covered in pink blossom. What a contrast.

[Crissie]

nothing like snow for Christmas! We had a bit leftover snow, and was really pretty. Your pictures are wonderful!

[Jane]

Wonderful pictures of the lovely countryside around you. Glad you can still enjoy the pleasures of the snow, good luck in the coming weeks and a Happy New Year
Jane x

[Lyn]

Lots of lovely memories to remember in years to come.
Love
Lyn
xxx

[Ingrid Peters]

Really nice post about your Christmas Eve. You discribe the atmosphere very good, it's like if I where there too... We had wonderfull snowmoments in Holland too!
Hope you'll have a lot more nice Decemberdays! Hugs, Ingrid xxx

[Laura]

My heart made a warm and happy sigh when I saw the kids sledding. I'm so happy you decided to walk up there and share it with us. Your blog is like a gift every time I visit. Thank you so much for a year of English delights!
We had twelve for Christmas Eve luminaries at our house, then visited the snow on Christmas Day and now today we are awaiting our friends for Boxing Day lunch. Soup and cold cuts and various leftovers as usual. With cookies, fudge, and cake for dessert. With plenty of tea too!
Happy Boxing Day.

[Christina]

You are so right! The scene you came across does remind one of an illustration. Many lovely memories from this season I am sure. Take care. :)

[Aubrey Cotton-Stapleton]

Hi, I am Greedy Kate's Mum and I too love all your amazing photos!! I would so love to seeit all. It does look like a story book, all the people out enjoying the snow, all dressed in colourful clothes add to all the sparkle of the scene. I am so glad you made the most of the opportunity to go out on Christmas Eve with the family, a treasured memory for you all. I am in Australia and we have had beautiful coolish days for Christmas, but our parched paddocks do not compare with your snow, the village scenes, in fact all the winter wonderland scenes. Thanyou for sharing it all with us out in blogland!! Thankyou too for all your blogs, I really enjoy reading them all, Aubrey, Kate's Mum

[Charlene]

What lovely photos Lucy... I am so glad that you got to enjoy those special moments with your family. I have always dreamed and wanted a white Christmas since I was a little girl... I guess thats part of growing up in Australia where its always summertime :)

[Kimmie]

Don't you just love white Christmasses?
Just across the little pond, we've had a huge melt-down, leaving us with a very messy-gooey grey mass of sludgy icy snow. Not worth to take the camera at hand.. I love your pictures...