At long last... winter comes to south-east England

Winchester House in snow

In the past couple of weeks I'm happy to report it's actually been feeling - and looking - like winter. 

It's been a long time coming, and those of you who regularly read this blog or are in touch with me via Facebook etc will know I have been bemoaning the warmest winter on record. Up until the last week of January we'd only had five frosts the entire season. Pathetic! I was longing for the crisp, frosty and well-below-zero nights of Canberra.

Snow just starting to fall - view from our dining room

Our car under a light dusting

However a couple of times in the past week we've woken to snow, which was absolutely delightful. The second, heavier, snow day occurred on a weekday and I was fearful of the effect on the morning commute - the English are notoriously bad at dealing with deviations in weather, at least as far as transport is concerned. 

I can't tell you how many times during autumn I was compelled to laugh out loud at the traffic report that services had been suspended on an entire train line due to 'leaves on the tracks'....! 

I have never experienced such sensitivity to weather fluctuations anywhere else - bad weather doesn't even have to have actually occurred for grave misgivings to be expressed. The chance that it might snow, or rain heavily, or be very hot is discussed with great passion and a sense of foreboding. God love 'em! Weather really is the favourite topic of conversation in Britain.

Winchester House entry

In the end my commute was fine - it took no longer than any other day and people appeared to be driving very cautiously and sensibly. For me it was a novelty to be driving along with a roof and bonnet covered in several centimetres of snow. I had cleared as much as possible before setting off but couldn't reach a wide strip down the middle.

Setting off to work with a bonnet full of powdery stuff

View from our bedroom

The snow was gone by the time we came home, and I'm hoping this isn't the last hurrah for winter. 

Snow = lovely! :-)

Until next time,
- Maree  xo