Martin’s cementing material was frozen in the bags this morning which he consequently spent
cutting out the shapes he would not be able to firmly set in place until Sunday.
Note the ice chips on the covered paving.
Ellie, who has now mastered the art of hand to mouth coordination,
was mesmerised by the open fire.
Martin told me that the roadsides were festooned with icicles formed by the showers of spray thrown up by vehicles during Monday’s deluge. Jackie and I therefore took a trip to investigate.
Some years ago now, a teenage girl was killed in a car crash along Hordle Lane.
Some soft toys still linger in the trees in her memory. One had fallen among the icicles by the roadside.
Further icicles and ice patterns decorated the corner of Woodcock Lane and Silver Street
along which these wintry decorations dangled from trees, draped verges along which they were reflected in the gutters, and rose from grasses on stumps.
We drove along Bashley Cross Road to Ferndene Farm shop to buy some eggs. A fallen branch bore dripping icicles.
Sway Road hosted various ice sculptures reflected in the gutters,
some dripping from a fence post like the udders of a cow in need of milking.
Further along this road autumn red-gold merged with winter’s snow-white.
This evening we dined on bangers and mash; fried bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms; boiled carrots, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Coonawarra Shiraz 2020.
Ice makes the most beautiful designs, Derrick, great photos! Stay warm. 👍🏻
Thanks very much, John
Derrick Knight, you old tease. That’s my family home in that there pic along silver street with the hanging icicles. Well, the one with the red burglar alarm. That is icy! How many times did I cycle out of that drive in the ice to get to school? Ah memories…
A very fine gallery, I especially like the final picture.
As soon as I saw the header photo, I knew it went with the title. 🙂
Such a beautiful collection of photos–Ellie’s face seeing the fire, the poignant frozen stuffed animals, and all the ice photos, but especially the last photo with the autumn leaves.
Thank you very much, Merril. I almost made that last one the header picture
You’re welcome. 🙂
Fantastic intricate icicle designs. Your granddaughter is a picture child, Derrick.
Thank you so. much, Dolly
You are very welcome, Derrick.
Had to put an extra layer on just looking at those photos. X
Thanks very much, Ali
It looks like the big freeze of 1962–1963 might return with vengeance. Lets hope and pray your heating will be fixed before then.
Thank you very much, Chrissy
Flooding and now freezing conditions, ghostly memories of a ghastly accident. Inside, the fire is warm and bright, and the child beams with delight at the flames. Stay warm and dry!
Thank you so much, Lavinia
I was wondering where the swollen bovines were going to come in! The icicles look as though they were flash-frozen. Of course, my favorite photos today are those two of Jackie and Ellie by the fire.
Thank you so much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
A very striking display by the icicles, but what a tragedy with that poor young girl.
It was a tragedy, John. Thank you very much
Quite 🥶 wintery. Why does the heat always go out when the temps dip? Ms Ellie is very enterprising.
Thank you very much, Pat. I will ask Ronan, the engineer, about any link with temperature drop when he comes today
A Coonawarra Shiraz is grand wine to select Derrick. Carole and I would often travel to the Coonawarra winery near Penola during our Christmas holidays to purchase some red wine directly from their cellar door …
Thanks very much, Ivor
That was one very cold start to your day and the pictures of the icicles are amazing.
I love the photos of Jackie and Ellie keeping warm.
The sun shone brightly up here today, but even so, it was lunchtime before the harsh frost disappeared. The north-facing side, without the warmth of the sun, stayed frozen!
I hope all goes well and your boiler gets fixed tomorrow.
Thank you so much, Sue
Really pretty but a sad tribute. Jackie and Ellie look very cozy.
Thank you very much, Laurie
Beautiful ice sculptures offer a bit of consolation for the cold, sad history and reinforce the importance of a warm fire. On a brighter note, it’s interesting that Ellie is so mesmerized by the fire. I’ve often been mesmerized by campfires. Maybe it’s a universal survival instinct. Or maybe it’s just pretty.
Yes, pretty, JoAnna. Thank you very much
Winter can certainly show us a different kind of beauty. Very cool, in fact.
Many thanks, Yvonne. 🙂
Such beautiful pics
Thank you very much, Geeta
The photos of the icicles are amazing!
Thank you very much, Aletta
Ellie is too cute 😍 Beautiful icing photos Derrick!
Magic ice sculptures!
Wow – thise icicles and patterns look amazing … and treacherous!
The icicles are really amazing.
I really like the patterns that can be found in the ice.
Magnificent icicles in such a beautiful landscape.
x
Cooold! (I don’t think I could stand it anymore… I get cold in mexico city… with low temps in the 10C… (I’m such a chicken…)
That final picture, after what had already been a visual feast, was a triumph.
Gorgeous wintery photos though it looks treacherous
It really is, Sheree. Thanks very much
Derrick, I so love the sequence with Jackie and Ellie: especially the one where they are looking at each other.
And the “needs milking” had me laughing. You, sir, are having far colder weather than we are.
Thank you so much, Jodie
Glorious icicles. 🙂
Thanks very much, Widders
My computer keyboard gave up the ghost after eleven years of me bashing away on it. I was able to read blogs for the first time today in ten days … you have NO idea what joy I experienced to find your posts in my Reader AT LAST! Oh Derrick, there are ways of feeling the world is turning in the right direction after all!!!
Your joyful comments are so rewarding Anne. I, too, am delighted all is working well now. Thank you very much