Snowfall

Bracingly cold on Wapley Hill this morning on another forage walk.  We were passed by the sleek, gleaming racehorses from the stables being exercised.  The riders were well wrapped up against the sharp cold.  The light through the beech trees was soft and still; there was not a breath of wind.  The beeches have turned more since my last visit a week ago, and the light was dappled and pale golden, yellowed, still green.  The ground was cold even through boots and two pairs of socks and very muddy, but we collected three bags of free fuel for the woodburner, which is now drying on top of it.  I have also converted the garden bench into a temporary wood store as we have so much foraged wood at the moment.  

Walking down through the trees laden with wood it started to snow.  Some big lazy flakes against the pine trees made me think of Delamere Forest and Christmas; odd pre-Christmas feelings recently.   We only had one heavy snowfall last winter, the day before we went to Cornwall in mid-November, although we had weeks of sub-zero temperatures.   The snow didn't stick as the ground was too wet, but it snowed for a good five minutes.  A cold wet walk enlivened by picnic snacks, a good forage, a pleasant chat with some holidaymakers and a light fall of snow.