Snow in Richmond Park

It stopped snowing about 9:30am so I went up to Richmond Park to take some photos. It turns out that all of East Sheen was there as well! There were parents with their children, older school kids, and people with their dogs. Anyone and everyone seemed to be in the park. There were people building snowmen and igloos. There were people having real snowball fights, not the virtual ones on Facebook. Give me a real snowball fight any day.

The park was one glorious winter wonderland and everyone there was having a great time. I wandered away from the crowd (it was very noisy) to take some pictures. I saw a little Robin, but I wasn’t quick enough to take a photo, ditto with the parrots and the crows. I focused on the trees and the deer. I am better with stationary objects.

I made a Snow Angel. How could I not? It was easier making it than getting up! I’m not sure that it was such a good move though as I was wearing jeans and they got a little bit wet. I was a bit worried that I might get frostbite on my butt as it started snowing again and becoming colder.

Here is a video of the trees. It isn’t very good as I am still getting used to certain features on my camera, but you can certainly hear the birds and get a good idea of how beautiful the trees were in the woods.

I had a lovely walk in the snow. I could hear the crunching sound of every footstep I took. I could taste the snowflakes falling from the sky. Yes, I actually stood out in an open field with my head tilted back and my tongue sticking out so I could taste the snowflakes. I could feel the cold wind on my face and the icy hardness of the snowball I created. I could see the beauty created by nature, with my naked eye and enhanced with my tinted glasses that cut the glare (my driving glasses for grey, rainy days and better than drugs).

Here are the photos I took today. While editing, I couldn’t decide which I preferred. All of my photos came out with a blue tint and I wouldn’t mind some bright spark telling me why that happened even though it was a grey day. Then I couldn’t decide if I liked the AutoContrast or Feeling Lucky editing feature on Picasa. So I uploaded all three! The trees are my favourite.

If you view the photos as a slideshow, you can see the photos change subtly.

It is amazing how a bit of snow can transform our environment. My garden hasn’t looked this good for months. Welcome to my winter white world. They don’t call it pure as the driven snow for nothing. I think everyone should take the day off from work and play in the snow!

Snow in the Morning

I think it has been snowing all night. This is what it looked like when I went to bed after midnight.

This is what it looked like at 7:30am this morning.

We must have had 6 inches so far and it is still snowing at 8:15 am. As soon as it stops snowing, I will go to the park. (don’t want to get my camera wet!) When looking for the cat this morning, I saw that he did go out, but he went around the edge of the house where the snow wasn’t too deep. What a clever little animal.

I just love how the snow sits on the shrubbery. If I am going on about the snow, it is because snowfall is rare in London. If it does snow, it is usually very little and then it is gone in an hour.

The other thing about the snow is that the English don’t know how to drive in it. Really! Even though it may snow up north, and they know it is going to happen, they are still not prepared for it. I can’t believe how many problems people have with the snow here.

I am not driving anywhere today as I would be too scared of the other drivers. They just can’t cope with it. I saw a Porsche crash into another car one year as he was going a little too fast and when he put on the brake, the car spun around. I was glad my car wasn’t parked on that part of the road. He obviously didn’t have snow or all weather tires on his car!

It is now 9am and brightening up, and still snowing. ;-)

Will keep you posted.