Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Michael J Campbell on January 01, 2010, 11:56:17 AM
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-6°C here this morning,sun shining now and still -4°C at 11-55am. -10°C forecast for tonight, = lots of dead plants.
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And by contrast...... currently 21oC here, at around midnight, forecast approximately 30oC tomorrow which isn't that hot for this time of year. ;D Don't you just wish we could meet somewhere in the middle. Averages of our two temps would be a wonderful location. ;)
Although if Cohan starts adding in to our averages we may end up going well the other way temperature-wise from your point of view Michael. And a frost at the moment WOULD be a bit of an inconvenience here at present. :o
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Awoke to the first day of 2010 to find heavy snow falling and a further 4" settled on the existing 11"[ we did have 12" but some has evaporated ] Icicles still lengthening. Pots and waste bins now wearing Lum Hats......Top Hats to those who don't recognise the Scots word .....and hedges all appear 15" taller with their snow cover
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Where are you, Gwenblack?
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Before moving to Nova Scotia I had often heard about "paralyzing Atlantic snowstorms," which, when combined with strong winds, are something to be contended with. A record snowstorm apparently struck Halifax in February of 1960, producing a total of over 75cm of snow in the downtown area and over 96cm in the suburbs, most of it within 24 hours.
The record single snowfall for the entire province of Ontario occurred in 2008 in Ottawa at over 50cm, which I remember well. There was more snow from November-April of that year than I had ever experienced before (over 450cm in one winter).
Average Nova Scotia snowfall is 150-250cm per year (300cm in the Cape Breton Highlands).
So, it is snowing seriously in Annapolis Royal for the first time this winter. ....and the winds are expected to pick up to 80-110km/hr, location dependent. 40cm of snow and ice pellets are predicted over the next 24 hours. I think if this is the extent of a heavy snow fall here, combined with temperatures hovering around the freezing point, I will cope quite happily.
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So, it is snowing seriously in Annapolis Royal for the first time this winter. ....and the winds are expected to pick up to 80-110km/hr, location dependent. 40cm of snow and ice pellets are predicted over the next 24 hours. I think if this is the extent of a heavy snow fall here, combined with temperatures hovering around the freezing point, I will cope quite happily.
lol---its all relative, isnt it?
the most snow i ever saw in my life was a winter in montreal (86-87), probably similar to ottawa levels, and certainly far more than we get here or in toronto..here, drifting is more likely to close roads than snowfall itself-it can snow 2 or 3 days straight and we only have 30cm or usually much less...(occasional exceptions, 20-30 in a day, not sure what the records are..)
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paul--we are forecast a balmy -11C today, and only -19 overnight tonight ;)
so, averaged with your 30, you'd still be safe from frost ;)
michael, and others, sorry to hear about the losses..
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Just to balance things out- another record high temperature for 1st January here with +22.4C in Veliko Tarnovo. Set to fall to +2C over night with light rain on Saturday and snow on Sunday. The 20degree drop in 12hours is going to be a bit of a shock! ::)
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Here at the root of the Black Isle , so near the sea, 12 miles from Inverness we don't expect night temps to fall to -13C nor for snow to lie so deep and crisp and even for so long, so why did it start to do this just when we moved here? Paranoia do I hear? Did I record that we were toying with the idea of trading in 2 chihuahuas and 2 dachshunds for a team of Huskies?
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Did I record that we were toying with the idea of trading in 2 chihuahuas and 2 dachshunds for a team of Huskies?
Presumeably you'd have to find them in the snowdrifts, first, Gwen before the trade could be done?
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Waking up to the following view across the Trondheimsfjord (Norway's largest fjord) told me immediately that the air temperature had fallen further overnight and was now below -15C. I think the fog is called steam fog in English (frostrøyk in Norwegian), caused by cold air passing out over much warmer water (the fjord doesn't freeze in winter not going much below +6C). The steam fog never gets much higher than this and doesn't come in over land.
One of the positive things of moving here from the last place I lived (Edinburgh) was the fact that we almost never have fog. Edinburgh is renowned for the Haar or sea fog - a different type of fog to the one in the picture. The other picture is of a big red moon rising over the mountain in the first picture yesterday evening with a couple of narrow clouds (aircraft?)
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Temperature has risen to 0oC, but it has been snowing off and on since the early hours. Not set to improve next week either. :( Can't even take Heidi for a long walk due to the stitch in her heel! Hope her heel heals quickly.
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Quite a fall of snow today - took a long walk on the moors outside our front door - all the attached are, believe it or not, colour images.
WHITWORTH, LANCASHIRE.
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Some lovely images there Cliff.
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All black and white here today as well, Cliff.
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Cliff and Roma, lovely pictures I do love seeing the snow on the trees.
Angie :)
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Beautiful pics, both of you.
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Gorgeous images Roma.
Some more from our two hour walk on the moors above Whitworth, Lancashire on 2nd January 2010 - I couldn't decide whether several of these should appear in the 'arty' category due to amendments made in the computer, but for continuity purposes ...
WHITWORTH. LANCASHIRE.
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... And the final batch.
Some more from our two hour walk on the moors above Whitworth, Lancashire on 2nd January 2010 - I couldn't decide whether several of these should appear in the 'arty' category due to amendments made in the computer, but for continuity purposes ...
WHITWORTH. LANCASHIRE.
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really beautiful and artsy pictures, cliff.
i would try my hand at a few myself, but i can't get out of my house today because of the high snow.
how funny.
i only recall once, as a child in southern germany not being able to leave the house because of the snow levels.
of course much has to do with your house---here i am at near ground level. in ontario with a high deck surrounding my home, i would have needed to get about 60cm or more of snow before being unable to open the door.
so, i am hoping there will be rain soon, or else i will have to either wait for spring, or call in the neighbours to shovel me out. :) :) :)
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The ice here is getting thicker by the day. Partial thaw in the day and another freeze over night. No shops including Tesco or DIY stores have salt. I suppose this common across the country now. My town runs roughly east west. Everyone is walking on the south facing paths where the ice has disappeared. I cant see shops on the opposite side doing much this week
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cliff, and roma, lovely images! i have some more to come, also--we had several very photogenic days, all loaded to picasa, just need to resize some of the best for here..
kristl--actually snowed in! i never have been--it could easily happen with drifts, but i guess usually there are enough obstacles around the houses to break up the flow, so i've never seen it happen..
mark--you are having a bad spell for sure! hope you get some melting soon! we are supposed to be up near the freezing mark next week, though hopefully we wont get much melting here, probably not that warm outside of towns, better if it waits..
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kristl--actually snowed in! i never have been--it could easily happen with drifts, but i guess usually there are enough obstacles around the houses to break up the flow, so i've never seen it happen..
yes, Cohan. i really am. i am still finding it funny and cozy to be stuck. a great time to fill seed orders and nest. i don't need to get out until 5:00pm tomorrow, when the post office closes. so am making that my goal to try and figure something out. i think i can get through the window opening, if necessary.
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My pics are not as artistic as those in this thread, but here in Northumberland the weather is just as wintery....
first, my very own snow dog, actually he's sniffing because there was suspicious yellow snow there at our driveway corner....
And the winter flowering jasmine, skimmia and hamamelis
And my chilly cold frame pots...
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Oh, you poor dear souls, every one of you. I do hope the weather improves soon and you see the sun again. Kristl I'm sure you have a good heating system and plenty food in the house, but do take good care of yourself. Are phone lines down and similar events? In which case, keep the cell phone batteries well charged (unless the power lines are down too!) Are we not all at the mercy of outside factors when the weather turns against us?
Keep smiling everyone.
:)
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( Keep smiling everyone)
My husband and I went out today with our camera to take some snowy pictures. Went to a place called Aboyne, it was so beautiful all the trees were covered in snow, it was like a fairytale, well it never lasted long , our new landrover came to a sudden halt in the middle of the road leaving the fairytale village and of course on a nasty bend. AA said they would be with us in 40 minutes after 1hr 30min got a call saying they would be sending someone out soon when my husband asked when do you think you will be with us the reply was 40minutes, I wont say what he said, it was -3 and getting dark and we were getting cold , thank god we had some blankets in the car, oh I forgot to mention a police car stopped behind us, thinking he was going to come and see if we ok but no he overtook our car and carried on with his journey, so much for seeing if we were safe. Anyway we managed to get a tow truck that had to come from Huntly to come and take us home. All the time we sat on that road which was just over 2 1/2hrs only one person stopped a little old lady asked if she could help, she was so sweet it helped cheer us up a bit.
Never heard again from the AA but tomorrow when I have calmed down I will have a few words to say to the AA. ::) ::)
Now home sitting in front of my fire and eating the rest of my Xmas chocolates.
Angie :)
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Mmm. Nice rockery Cliff.
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We do keep smiling Angie !!
Hope you are warmed up by now... ;)
Kristl, if you are still stuck, I'm sure you will be set free when the postman comes by to deliver some seed from some Forum member... which will be the living proof that the Forum has an answer to just about anything... ;D ;D
We have -7°C this morning, but virtually no snow cover... :-\
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Anyone know when the freeze is going?
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Anyone know when the freeze is going?
August 11th at 9.45am. :D
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Carol, the weather girl on BBC said that there will be no change for at least 10 days. My garden is hovering between -1/+1 degrees C with a minimal thaw by day and refreezing at night. What was originally lying snow is now solid ice. I found my old mountaineering ice-axe in the garage and had a go at clearing the pavement until I discovered that I was also digging up the asphalt - whoops !!
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Our strange winter continues here. After record setting highs for New Year's Day (over+20C) we were between +7 and +9C on Saturday, with rain. This turned to snow overnight and it snowed all of Sunday- ah at last winter! It has been -4C all day and set to fall to -12C overnight - before reaching +12C on Thursday ::)
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Cliff enjoying your pictures and your humor, August Oh no.
Angie :)
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Hi everyone, lovely to be back on line and viewing such beautiful snowy shots, thanks Cliff, Roma and the red moon from Norway, Steven....
Here we had rain and mildish weather over Christmas then on New Year's Eve a clear sky with millions of stars and a one day old New Moon looking amazing - it lit up our party with everyone from the road and villages nearby joining in - a great feeling of optimism and good vibes for 2010 - then the temperature fell to -10 degrees and snow has been falling ever since. Cleaning the 55 steps to our chalet is perfect exercise after the festive fare but I'm still sneaking mince pies with a cup of hot tea to keep me going. ;D
Hope you've recovered from your dreadful ordeal Angie - unbelievable that you were not helped by the AA or police.
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Met Office - "Coldest December in 25 years" and set to continue for another week at least.
On the local news today we were told Scottish road service is very low on road salt
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SRGC Honorary President Bette Ivey tells me that she is "iced in"..... pavements so treacherous she is staying put as a safety measure at there home in Cupar, Fife..... very sensible.... the more so since the Fife Council has run out of salt and grit!
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18 cm of snow today (inches 7.5) and a cloud of birds around feeding dishes ! :o It has been a long time since we had had so much snow... ;)
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Inverness has also run out of gritting salt. Help! Another ten days of freeze forecast with daytime temps at -8 Golly , you should see the icicles all around the house.... most decorative but drippy.
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Gwen, beware the chihuahua kebab! :o :-X
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Anyone know when the freeze is going?
August 11th at 9.45am. :D
similar to what i always say to people here--'don't worry, it should warm up by around june!'
of course, its not that far off, last year we had occasional snow and lingering patches in the shade(interspersed with some very nice warm weather, mid 20's) right through may
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There is plenty of salt in Scotland, Mark, the government says so! Trouble is, it seems to be in the wrong place ???
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Returned home late last night to find fresh snow over a layer of ice so we could not get the car up the hill. Had to change into our boots in the middle of the road and carry all the luggage up the drive. Forecast is for more of the same for the rest of the week which will take us to three weeks with snow on the ground. In previous years the council lorries have spread the grit wide so that it treats the pavement but this year they have only done the road surface (and only major road/bus routes) and no footpaths, even many in the town centre. It is far too slippy for anyone at all unsteady on their feet to leave their houses.
While in town today I saw that the ice rink (from Italy) was still there although it closed on saturday - they can't pack up because the ice won't melt ;D
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My mother has heard OAPs will get £25 for each week of the freeze
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It is snowing in Aberdeen and it looks like the sensible thing to do is pull the plug on tomorrow's SRGC Aberdeen Group meeting....... Roma was to be the Speaker but is beset by snow and ice in Kemnay and it is crazy to try to hold a meeting when at best one or two might make it to the venue!
We won't let her off, though.... we'll be asking Roma to speak another time!!
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More snow fell again tonight, as it was getting dark a little finch was sitting on the snow all fluffed up and looking sad,I waited till it was really dark to see if he flew away but no he was still sitting there, I couldn't leave him out there, don't know if he will survive the night but at least he will die in the warmth of my utility room.
We all think its tuff for us but what must it be like for all those little birds. :(
Robin nice to see you back, was a bit worried when I never saw any posts from you but Maggi told me you were on holiday and not ill.
Angie :)
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Birds are very good at not looking sick when they are. By the time we see them sick they are on the way out.
It's snowing here again
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I believe in survival of the fittest. As I look from the window a great tit is flying around the eaves looking for spiders and sleeping insects. If he survives I know he will pass on this ability to his offspring.
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I believe in survival of the fittest.
So do I, but I also believe a quiet, peaceful death is good thing if a quick one cannot be assured.
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I believe in survival of the fittest. As I look from the window a great tit is flying around the eaves looking for spiders and sleeping insects. If he survives I know he will pass on this ability to his offspring.
A canny great tit would be teaching his offspring about the web! :D
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A "smattering" of snow this morning, our first snow of the winter, but already vanishing from roads. Not, I hasten to add, that it has been banana belt weather here, we have had more frost this year then ever I can remember since we moved down here 22 years ago.
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I'd always heard that hypothermia was a quiet, peaceful way to die.
Look at it this way at least birds don't have teeth to chatter ;)
We were -9C overnight with strong winds that seem to have 'freeze dried' the icy slush from the path. Our resident spuggies are still with us, flying off every morning to who knows where and returning every evening to roost in the barn. Various woodpeckers make merry with the anthills in the garden, digging through to the deeper layers where the ants are hiding before leaving the ants to repair the damage.
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You can willingly have some of ours David. It has been ever present for weeks now and it is still falling (thankfully not windy enough for drifts to form at the moment) - probably seven or eight inches on the greenhouse roof after being cleared on Sunday.
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I'd always heard that hypothermia was a quiet, peaceful way to die.
Look at it this way at least birds don't have teeth to chatter ;)
We were -9C overnight with strong winds that seem to have 'freeze dried' the icy slush from the path. Our resident spuggies are still with us, flying off every morning to who knows where and returning every evening to roost in the barn.
I wonder how many members are typing 'spuggies' into Google at this moment? ;D
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Maggi Chihuahua kebabs? You've got to be kidding. No self respecting chihuahua would be seen dead out in 12-14" of frozen snow except in a centrally heated sedan chair. They do make minor forays up the hard won pathways that the snow shovel makes to keep us in touch with the outside world, but otherwise have to be hand carried and placed with care under deep hedges where a little vegetation remains free of drifts so that they can " Go on the grass" Still snowing and freezing here but we hear that the Central Heating Fuel delivery tanker will make a bold effort to reach us this afternoon. He was ordered a week before Christmas but the priority was to reach folk whose tanks were already empty. We've been running on empty for three days now!
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Not as much as one snowflake here yet and we are starting into the fourth week of the freeze, -5°C or -6°C every night rising to -2°c by day with wall to wall sunshine.
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I'd always heard that hypothermia was a quiet, peaceful way to die.
Very likely, but being grabbed by a cat as you go is not..... and it would be worse for Angie, who would be sitting fretting about the bird. :'(
I wonder how many members are typing 'spuggies' into Google at this moment?
They could also add "spurrdies" and "speugs" ;D
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Except for Bulgaria, I guess Europe is heading for a new Ice Age... ;D 8)
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No alternative to spurry for us other than the name
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That monster storm as they called it is still sitting over the Maritime Provinces and seems to be lodged here. We got about 15cm of snow followed by alot of rain on Jan 2, surprisingly an hour or so of minor wind and now nothing but cloud cover. The one good thing that can be said about it is that is holding the cold weather over the rest of the continent at bay.
johnw - +2c at 7:30 am
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Luc, there was a programme on the Discovery Channel that might agree with you, It was all about the shutting down of the North Atlantic Drift and how coastal N.Europe and the UK in particular would end up with climates rather more like Northern Continental Europe. A map was shown of Europe, indeed the whole of the northern hemisphere, for the changes in average annual temperatures, all was blue showing a cooling trend, except....yup you guessed it, Bulgaria! Bulgaria was the only country in N.Europe that was orange. Not sure how all that warm air will stay out of Romania, Greece, Macedonia, sorry The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, maybe all those plants that grow around Bulgraia but not in it have something to do with it, a grand vegetative conspiracy if you will! Padded cell is calling.........
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Not as much as one snowflake here yet and we are starting into the fourth week of the freeze, -5°C or -6°C every night rising to -2°c by day with wall to wall sunshine.
I keep trotting down to the greenhouse and surveying the scene with most pots thoroughly frozen through and just a bit of "give" in others. I don't have much experience of these kinds of conditions and it is weeks since I have been able to water anything. What do I do? Just wait for a warmer spell and count my losses at re-potting time?
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What do I do? Just wait for a warmer spell and count my losses at re-potting time?
Unless you can move them into somewhere warmer, I think that is the only thing you can do David.. :-\
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It's probably safer that way, David. A turgid plant is more lilely to be damaged by cold, than a flaccid one in my experience.
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It's probably safer that way, David. A turgid plant is more lilely to be damaged by cold, than a flaccid one in my experience.
I agree
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Good job you're not up here in Yorkshire then David. Started snowing at 7:00 this morning and still going strong now at 14:00. I managed to get in to work in Sheffield this morning, but decided to leave at dinner time. Think I would have struggled if I left it later as this lot is due to freeze tonight.
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It's probably safer that way, David. A turgid plant is more lilely to be damaged by cold, than a flaccid one in my experience.
What about a human?
We have had about six inches so our whole area has come to a standstill.I wandered out to clear a space for the birds to feed and it did not seem too cold.
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I'd always heard that hypothermia was a quiet, peaceful way to die.
Very likely, but being grabbed by a cat as you go is not..... and it would be worse for Angie, who would be sitting fretting about the bird. :'(
Little bird never made it through the night, still he died in the warmth and I could go to my bed without worrying about him freezing.
My coal has run out and my oil is getting low,no car, husband in dying ,got man flu ::) ( sorry to all you men out there ) and the worst thing of all is I ate all my chocolate. Still I have all you wonderful people out there keeping me happy with all your chat.
David all the nurseries will be busy with orders as I think lots of us will lose plants in this cold.
Keep warm everyone.
Angie :)
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I think that our region is just about snowed in.
The railway and the A96 is blocked to the east.
The A9 is blocked at Blair Atholl (snow gates closed)
Can't get south from Inverness anyway because the railway is closed with a derailment and buses are not running down the A9.
Glad I don't have to go anywhere.
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we have two more cold nights forecast: -26 tonight, -29 tomorrow night, and a couple more cm of snow today, then it should gradually start warming, with highs predicted above freezing by the weekend, that would be weird! (not because its unheard of, just hard to remember...lol)
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A canny great tit would be teaching his offspring about the web! :D
I had a card picturing two spiders each in its own little web. One was saying to the other - you could almost see the pensive look on his face - "I heard a rumour someone had invented a world wide web."
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I'd always heard that hypothermia was a quiet, peaceful way to die.
I believe it is. You just quietly go to sleep and don't wake up again but the getting to that stage of cold and exhaustion must be pretty horrendous.
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we have two more cold nights forecast: -26 tonight, -29 tomorrow night, and a couple more cm of snow today, then it should gradually start warming, with highs predicted above freezing by the weekend, that would be weird! (not because its unheard of, just hard to remember...lol)
You have my sympathy, Cohan. The last time we were that cold the water pipes froze solid for 7 days. It was buckets of snow on the range time. :-\
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I took my car out for the first time in nearly two weeks to take Lucy to her violin lesson this evening. Had to hammer the nearside rear brake drum as the wheel was seized up. Back to 'squeel' tomorrow! :( Lucy's school has burst pipes, but only affecting the hot water supply and not the heating. Many schools around central Scotland are closed due to burst pipes and more (in other authorities) are closed due to the snow.
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we have two more cold nights forecast: -26 tonight, -29 tomorrow night, and a couple more cm of snow today, then it should gradually start warming, with highs predicted above freezing by the weekend, that would be weird! (not because its unheard of, just hard to remember...lol)
You have my sympathy, Cohan. The last time we were that cold the water pipes froze solid for 7 days. It was buckets of snow on the range time. :-\
thanks, but although we grumble about the cold --and more so about the endless snow shovelling--we are really fine here, no traumas like so many other places--this is belwo 'average' but not record setting--in january we could certainly have spells where the daytime is -30 or near -40, and nights below -40, and we arent having that (thats usually when we get things freeze, around the -40 mark, unless some heat system fails); nor is this snow causing any problems with driving--its generally just a few inches at a time, and highways are quite clear around here; in towns it can be messy, and will likely get more messy when it warms up.. but nothing like the road chaos we see on tv in britain, eastern north america, seoul korea, etc etc!
so, while our weather sounds unbelievable to many elsewhere, its well within what we are set up for, so its no big deal :)
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We had 14" of snow last night here, and it's still snowing....
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The warm winds arrived last night raising our daytime temperature of -2C to +2C around midnight. By 8am the 10cm of snow we had in the garden had completely vanished. It is now +12C and set to rise over the next few days.
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One day of sun yesterday - really enjoyed a magical snow walk in the forest - today no sun and icy cold, no fun at all....but at least we are not snowed in at home or on the road like some unfortunate people.
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My container grown heucheras have 17" snow caps and despite bright sun and cloudless skies it was registering -6C at noon Still ,have to be grateful that the Fuel Tanker got through and delivered 1,000 litres... we've been running on empty this last week and the dip stick was barely wet at its end. Our longest house icicle is now 34". That's a serious weapon.
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Glad to hear your fuel tanker got to you at least if you are warm and dry things dont seem to be as bad. Ordered my oil today, mine is still showing 4 but the way our weather is going it wont take long to show empty. Watch that icicle :o
Angie :)
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About two inches of snow overnight here which, according to the local TV news caused absolute chaos throughout Devon and Cornwall, hundreds of schools to be closed and the closure of both Exeter and Plymouth airports. WHY!!!!!
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The temperature is currently -40C inland of where I live here in Norway. Not a record though, that's -50.3C!
Here, it's tropical in comparison at a mere -20C..... Had to resort to some heat in the bedroom as it had reached -1C :)
However, it's forecast that the effects of that storm off East Coast Canada will reach us at the weekend and it will rise above freezing (for the first time in 3 weeks or so)
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The temperature is currently -40C inland of where I live here in Norway. Not a record though, that's -50.3C!
Here, it's tropical in comparison at a mere -20C..... Had to resort to some heat in the bedroom as it had reached -1C :)
Good God!
We saw some scary pictures on TV news last night, mostly in Scotland and Poland. Seems the end isn't yet. We definitely feel for you and hope things improve very soon.
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However, it's forecast that the effects of that storm off East Coast Canada will reach us at the weekend and it will rise above freezing (for the first time in 3 weeks or so)
Last night I heard it was sitting over Labrador City and they were enjoying some very unusual mild winter weather.
johnw
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We are promised -20oC on Friday. Looks set for the Bonspiel on the Lake of Menteith this weekend when upwards of 4000 people will take part in the 'Grand Match'. First in 30 years!
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We are promised -20oC on Friday. Looks set for the Bonspiel on the Lake of Menteith this weekend when upwards of 4000 people will take part in the 'Grand Match'. First in 30 years!
I remember that, I had some curling friends who took part. I was a student in Edinburgh at the time. The first time since, eh? I remember Edinburgh as a cold place! So, it was pretty cold then when I was there and there was little house insulation which wouldn't have helped.
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Last night I heard it was sitting over Labrador City and they were enjoying some very unusual mild winter weather.
johnw
It's forecast to head for Greenland and this will give south westerlies across to the northern parts of Norway, but not the UK I'm afraid...
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Stephen - Good to at least hear someone will have some relief. I guess it will soon by our turn for another round - which will be #3 since Dec 1st.
johnw
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As I sit typing, I'm listening to RAIN on the roof; proper, solid, steady rain, the first in months. It's a wonderful sound and has been going for a couple of hours so far, not looking like stopping yet. :)
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One day of sun yesterday - really enjoyed a magical snow walk in the forest - today no sun and icy cold, no fun at all....but at least we are not snowed in at home or on the road like some unfortunate people.
And no photographic report!
Paddy
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I feel for all who are experiencing such cold conditions - says she who will experience a couple of forecast days of 41C at the end of the week. I used to say that I would rather the cold than heat but not so sure now.
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We've had a good fall of snow, which because of the low temperature has remained dry and powdery. It's lovely to walk in - although someone passed on our street on skis! We also had a snowplough through the village. This is the first I've ever seen.
Here are some snowy photos of my garden. The rock garden looks very alpine! (first photo)
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You've not been out for a seat with a cup of tea, then, Anne? ;)
Very beautiful photos, your garden looks as gorgeous as ever.(Yes, I know I've never been there, but I've seen enough pix to know I like it a lot!)
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fog again! this morning it was clear and sunny at home--diamonds sparkling in the trees from the frost; as we drove east to go to town (and then the small cit nearest) we drove into the fog, which seemed to hang on into the afternoon east of here..
white frosty trees and 'mist'ical landscapes...
still cold today and tonight before starting to get warmer
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We've had a good fall of snow, which because of the low temperature has remained dry and powdery. It's lovely to walk in - although someone passed on our street on skis!
It will be someone from the Yorshire Dales Cross Country skiing club :)
http://www.ydccsc.org.uk/ (http://www.ydccsc.org.uk/)
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We've had a good fall of snow, which because of the low temperature has remained dry and powdery. It's lovely to walk in
Anne, powder snow is simply the best and I love your photos of your snowscape garden, especially the snow chairs waiting for snowmen?
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One day of sun yesterday - really enjoyed a magical snow walk in the forest - today no sun and icy cold, no fun at all....but at least we are not snowed in at home or on the road like some unfortunate people.
And no photographic report!
Paddy
Paddy the photos are in the pipeline - frozen and waiting for another sunny spell!!!!
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I'm wondering if anyone knows when the cold will abate in the UK. I have to send some Nerine seeds to forum members and don't want them freezing in transit. As you may know the seeds are like tender little bulbs and often send roots out while in the mail. It is mild enough here in Halifax but our transatlantic mail goes to Toronto first and it's cold there.
I had planned to send them with a friend returning home to Denmark at Xmas time and have them mail them from Copenhagen. But they had an emergency and had to go to Scotland where it was even colder than Toronto. Another friend leaves for Edinburgh on the 11th so I wondered if it might be safe to mail them from there next week.
These Nerine seeds which ripen in January are a big problem in Canada.
johnw
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Did a little experiment today. Cleared a patch of snow from my outside beds. The temperature has regularly been -10c and as low as -14c rarely getting above freezing since 15th Dec. The soil was only frozen for 1in under the snow. In large polystyrene fishboxes outside covered with snow I couldn't get a knife in, the same as the boxes inside the shelter with no snow. The boxes look as if they are a disadvantage to planting in the open ground. I use them mainly to keep different colours/ forms etc. of bulbs apart.
Susan
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John, at the moment the 'experts' are saying the cold will last for another week, minimum. Two weeks is more likely and even this is open-ended :'(
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I think David is right to be gloomy about the weather prospects, John. It is snowing again here and no prospect of a change at all. Given likely hold ups in postal services because of the weather I would be very doubtful about sending the seed.... though, if it is going to germinate and be wasted anyway, it might be worth the risk... :-\ ???
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-6C here today with freezing fog, very miserable, starting to get cabin fever.
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Anne I see some great Christmas cards in your photos
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Just heard on TV the lowest temperature last night was in Scotland -22.3! :o
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We've been snowed in for days now. Can't get the car out as the hill outside the drive is an ice rink. And we've only a third of a mile from the town centre. That's the problem with living surrounded by hills when we get heavy snow - that and the total lack of any pre-snow salting and post-snow gritting. Haven't even seen a gritter round here.
Starting to get fed up with sledging with the kids after slipping on ice on the way home yesterday, spraining my wrist and bruising my bum!
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Time to sit down (even on a bruised bum) for a new book Martin... ;D ;D
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A book on how the UK can't cope with snow.
-8.2C in my north facing back yard. Not much compared to the low temperatures in Russia, Canada and USA
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That's a good idea, Luc.... we could send him a big cushion..... :D
We've been lucky in Aberdeen, only -9 C last night and -4 when I checked about half an hour ago... lovely bright day at the minute.
Edit at 13.18 hrs.... it's minus 5 degrees C right now.
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Have anyone seen this? NASA photo of snow covered UK
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2010007-0107/GreatBritain.A2010007.1150.500m.jpg (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2010007-0107/GreatBritain.A2010007.1150.500m.jpg)
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A larger image
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2010007-0107/GreatBritain.A2010007.1150.250m.jpg (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2010007-0107/GreatBritain.A2010007.1150.250m.jpg)
I saw another image that included all of Ireland. No snow in the south west. I think I could just make out Paddy and Michael waving
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Lovely and sunny here today, was out in my greenhouse, everthing is ok, polytunnel some casualties :'(, will need to find some new plants to replace my casualties.
Martin hope its only your bum that is bruised and not your pride ::).
Mark you must be a whizz kid with computers , you find some out some amazing things. It takes me ages to find my way around computers
Angie :)
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-14.4 minimum on my thermometer last night and my neighbour across the road said his read -17! I have a gas heater in the greenhouse to keep it just frost free but the min. last night was -4. Cyclamen graecum look OK, some C. mirabile and cyprium are wilting ,but I think that is lack of water. Cheilanthes species are looking very unhappy. It is too early to say what is going to survive.
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Being near the west coast has protected us from the worst of it so far but I'm getting fed up too. Tonights minimum forecast to be -7 which would be the coldest so far. Main roads are OK. Pavements and residential streets are ice rinks like Martin's. The Lake District hills look nice though, from a distance and from inside a warm room anyway. Been buying drawing pins today so I can double-up the greenhouse insulation this evening.
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Darren never thought about doubling up the bubblewrap think I will pop out and do that right now. I hope all your plants are ok.
Roma it was -11 here last night but it already feeling if its getting cold real fast here again. Derek said it was reading -16 this morning at Kintore. Hope all your plants will be ok. Sorry the weather put a stop to your talk, but it is better being safe than sorry, hope you can fit it in soon.
Angie :)
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..we had an official low of -18C at our local RAF base, and the last freedom moped left this village 3 days ago.....
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I was out for a walk today in the local park. The thrush family are in a bad way hardly moving out of the way from walkers. Saw a woodcock flying high over woodland. I've never really though about how they come back down again. Easy - it closed it's wings and dropped like a stone through the canopy
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Anyone see the BBC news at lunch time? They freeze isnt affecting just us but right around the northern hemisphere. Fingers are freezing temperatures are dipping down in to lots of countries. Where it is normally cold is much colder. Freezing wind is coming from the east
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we're heading for a welcome warm-up- -1 today, then above freezing daytimesfor the next week at least (if things live up to the forecasts) with a couple of day +7! i dont even remember what that means!
i see lori is already +8, (still -10 here), with warmer nights forecast than me, we will still be well below freezing most nights (-2 to -16)
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We have had down to -24.5°C two nights ago. The day temperatures this week hover between -10° and -18°
It will be very exciting to see what will come up in the spring.
In the meantime a couple of pictures:
Cheers
Göte
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+10C outside with a howling gale signalling an incoming weather system- I'd take snow any day over this!
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Anne I see some great Christmas cards in your photos
I hadn't thought of that...
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Gote, I like the Reindeer / dog, ummm?
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I see they've cancelled the bonspiel! PC brigade have their heads so far up their arses they can't get the latter in gear!
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Some lads were killed today falling through iced pond..I caught tail end of news report...depending on the timing, I expect the organisers might have felt it was insensitive to be encouraging hundreds of people onto ice when the police are trying so hard to keep kids off frozen ponds etc. :-\
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Bonspiel?
In my local park there are two canal ponds. They are covered in foot prints despite signs up saying thin ice. On Lough Fea guys on quads were driving on the ice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqE8b5qdYPE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqE8b5qdYPE) Is 10cm of ice safe?
Cyclists on the lake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj02_vX-2iE&NR=1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj02_vX-2iE&NR=1)
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Another video shows a car that fell through the ice.
We dont all speak with a country accent over here.
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-12C here this morning with freezing fog. I can't get into the greenhouses to check the heaters,doors iced up and frozen solid. Mains water supply also frozen solid. ???
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Some lads were killed today falling through iced pond..I caught tail end of news report...depending on thetiming, I expect the organisers might have felt it was insensitive to be encouraging hundreds of peopl onto ice when the police are trying so hard to keep kids off frozen ponds etc. :-\
It's not the thickness of the ice, which is well over the 7" deemed necessary, its the access roads to Scotland's only lake. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/08/bonspiel-scotland-curling-match-cancelled
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I have just watched CNN World Weather- apart from the fact that is was fascinating to see drivers in Tennessee having trouble driving in an inch of snow- we were stumped to hear that if you want to escape the snow in Europe you need to head to the southern hemisphere. I suppose the 'small part' of Europe, which is always behind the presenters back isn't really Europe after all! Currently 14C and sunny with gale force winds. :-\
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We dont all speak with a country accent over here.
And what harm if you did ;)
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The official curling Bonspiel on the Lake of Menteith in Central Scotland may have been cancelled, but my neighbour who is a curling addict tells me that the local clubs are all out there curling away and having their own informal matches anyway !
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Ashley referring to the terrible accent of the people at Lough Fea. But I dont think people outside of Ireland can tell one accent from the other
Maggi, it was 4 brothers who fell through ice. I missed the tail end just now. I think only one was saved
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Gote, I like the Reindeer / dog, ummm?
It is buck (Male goat) actually.
For some reasons Christmas presents were handed out by bucks in Sweden 150 years ago.
However since goats became rare on the farms, the local gnome called 'Tomte' had to take over.
He was a small man in a gray suit and a red cap; living under the barn. A reindeer was as foreign to him as a zebra would be.
He was definitely not fat. nor did he say Ho ho ho nor did he drink Coca Cola.
Since there was one for every farm there were no logistical problems in handing out the presents.
He was very helpful to nice farmers but could be nasty to lazy grooms.
Cheers
Göte
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The official curling Bonspiel on the Lake of Menteith in Central Scotland may have been cancelled, but my neighbour who is a curling addict tells me that the local clubs are all out there curling away and having their own informal matches anyway !
Exactly. We've seen TV footage of the curlers on the Lake of Menteith so their's no problem with the ice. It's just the travelling to and from that's the perceived problem. A balmy -1oC here today. Here's a pic of Freddo, a 9' tall snowman in a garden at the start of our street. He is 2 weeks old today.
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Fredo is a great character Anthony, is he in your garden? Looks like he might well come to life
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Gote, I particularly like your photo of your summer house :D
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The rock faces here are covered in icicles all different sculptural shapes and sizes and dripping over the ledges high above...sometimes they fall :o
Icicles-04 has two different coloured mineral drips as it thaws in the rising temperature 8)
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Just noticed that last year 2009 we had 2175mm of rain in this area. I might change from alpine plants to Aquatics. :)
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Nice curtains, Robin,
Paddy
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Just noticed that last year 2009 we had 2175mm of rain in this area. I might change from alpine plants to Aquatics. :)
Good Lord Michael that's over 7 feet in old money. Do you have webbed feet ??? ;D
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Anthony you snowmen are well turned out in your street.
Angie :)
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Do you have webbed feet Huh Grin
David, have some trouble putting on the boots lately alright,maybe evolution is starting to work. ;D Must have another look at Darwin. :)
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A few more snow pictures if you are not too bored with them. They were all taken between 11.45 and 12.10 on Thursday when we had some bright sunshine before more snow around 2pm.
First , snow which slides off the greenhouse roof as it warms up during the day has accumulated to quite a depth.
Next two pictures of the road outside my house. Looking east you can see the snow clouds over Aberdeen heading my way, but looking west it is clear blue sky. The next two are at the far side of the ponies' pasture.
The others are of the local 'wildlife'. They were still getting water on Thursday but the ice was too thick for them to break yesterday.
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Roma, fabulous shots of your ponies in the snow - their winter coats look wonderfully warm :)
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-5 degrees at 6pm and dropping rapidly but the hoar frost in the dark is so pretty like sparkling diamonds hanging on the trees
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Gote, I like the Reindeer / dog, ummm?
It is buck (Male goat) actually.
Well that was clever of me because I thought it was a Billy Goat Gruff. He who lived under a bridge. :D
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Re deer eating ivy and rhodos, I was going to say that a small herd of fallow deer nearby are eating the ragwort at one end of their paddock, which they have never done before. But of course it's not winter food shortages that have made them do so as it's mid summer so why, I wonder?
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Roma & Robin lovely pictures. I moan about the snow and ice but it doesn't half make wonderful pictures.
Angie :)
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Glad you liked the frozen effects Paddy and Angie - winter does have a drama that is unique even though it's stark!
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I have just watched CNN World Weather- apart from the fact that is was fascinating to see drivers in Tennessee having trouble driving in an inch of snow- we were stumped to hear that if you want to escape the snow in Europe you need to head to the southern hemisphere. I suppose the 'small part' of Europe, which is always behind the presenters back isn't really Europe after all! Currently 14C and sunny with gale force winds. :-\
Well you may as well be in the SH Simon. It's only 12C here today, sunny and with gale force winds. :-\
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Lesley, I have always been told by horse-keeping friends that Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) was very highly toxic either dead or alive. It is usually not eaten by aminals whilst living due to a noxious smell and taste, but this goes when it is dried out in hay and it is then palatable but still very poisonous, and therefore much more dangerous. Perhaps someone can confirm?
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Hi Everybody,
Snow, snow, snow...the same in France as in the UK but it is a bit more regular here. Temperatures in Lyon are between -6°C and 1°C by now so I feel a little more lucky than many of you. I couldn't take my car and I won't go for running tomorrow!!! I've probably lost some plants but put extra protection on the most important ones.
Snowy weather is sometimes fine when we're on holidays, snowy landscapes are often "magic" . But is this global warming ???
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Fredo is a great character Anthony, is he in your garden? Looks like he might well come to life
Not my garden - 17 doors along from us.
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Richard I've always believed it was poisonous too but in that particular paddock, sheep have kept it down to ground level in previous years when the deer wouldn't touch it. No sheep there this summer but even when it's been available before the deer haven't touched it. We've had a damp and generally miserable summer so there's no shortage of feed about. Greener than for years, at this time of year.
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roma--almost looks like here!
robin--lovely shots--like the night shots especially...
we should be above freezing daytimes all of this week at least; still above freezing now, and it feels odd outside with snow piled from knee to waist height around paths, and 'warm' air...
we were into the small city today, and roads were very sloppy there, but still just looks like snow out here...
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Ragwort is poisonous to horses and cattle. It is a build up poison so you don't see horses keeling over, it gradually affects their kidneys. Sheep however seem to manage to tolerate it. I am using sheep to clear my hill, when they were first put in they chose it over the grass :-\
Don't know how it affects the humans who eat the lamb. I have not accepted any offer of a lamb from my hill. ;)
Susan
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Jean-Patrick,
Yes, this is global warming, at least it is looking like the probable effect on the Northen Hemisphere will be a cooling effect. Increased temperatures melt polar ice caps releasing fresh water, decreased salinity appears to be slowing down the movement of the North Atlantic Drift ( warm water from the tropics ), this in turn cools down the Northern hemisphere.
If it shuts down the UK and many other parts of Europe end up with a climate similar to Moscow / Newfoundland.
I suspect it's time we all drop the idea from the mid 1980's that global warming means nice summers and mild winters.
It more likely means more extreme and unpredictable weather as the human race plays 'Brainiac' with it's only home!
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yes, chris-
it seems the term 'climate change' gives a better impression, and the best advice seems to be 'expect extremes'
they tell us canada has had mostly 'warmer than normal' winters for a number of years, taken as a whole, but that doesn't mean we haven't had some splendid winter storms! so, on the ground, we don't always feel the overall warming trend, we remember the extra snowfalls, and the week of -40...lol
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Well you may as well be in the SH Simon. It's only 12C here today, sunny and with gale force winds. :-\
I will accept your invitation and put forward the notion that Eastern Europe divorces itself from Western Europe to become part of the SH! Warm and wet here with out first thunderstorm of the year after a very windy night!
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That Newfoundland storm has now reached Northern Norway and it's currently raining and about +5C at 70 deg. N! Incidentally temperatures haven't been extremely low this winter in the North. Here it's very steadily getting warmer, now up to -13C from the low of -20C (there's no day-night variation at this time of year due as there's little sunlight (only a couple of weeks before it reappears :) )
It's now warm enough to go out for a cross-country ski...
Don't think that any of these is related to climate change one way or the other, just a natural strong cycle as explained in the link below (Bulgaria is mentioned!). I also read that temperatures in Siberia are also much warmer than average...
http://sites.google.com/site/whythe2009winterissocold/ (http://sites.google.com/site/whythe2009winterissocold/)
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Snow is normally quite rare here in the Vienne with usually a light scattering which is gone within a few hours but this winter we have had snowfall on three separate occasions and it has hung about, the last fall is still with us after a week and likely to remain a little longer yet. The temperature rises in the afternoons bringing a slight thaw but this freezes again in the night when temperatures this year have fallen to our knowledge to -10 Celsius: this makes the local, back roads rather unpleasant to drive upon though the main roads are generally clear.
The narcissi which were open in the garden seem to have stuck their heads up through the snow but those in the plunge, open on three sides to the weather, are looking very sad and sorry for themselves and I fear for their survival.
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Lesley may have had 12oC, but we had 39oC today. On top of a couple of 37oC days. My poor Liliums! (see moan moan moan thread)
Unfortunately your wonderful pictures aren't working. I don't feel any cooler. Anthony, I love the neighbours 2 week old snowman.... I'd challenge it to last more than a couple of hours here at present. ;D Robin, that frozen waterfall of icicles is amazing! Roma, the horses certainly stand out from the snow, don't they?
38oC forecast the next 2 days, and given that today was only forecast for 37oC that doesn't bode well for us. May hit 40oC if we're unlucky. :-\ So different from you lot freezing. ::)
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38oC forecast the next 2 days, and given that today was only forecast for 37oC that doesn't bode well for us. May hit 40oC if we're unlucky. :-\ So different from you lot freezing. ::)
Our coldest has "only" been -8oC so far, and we "only" had about 5" of snow, so I suppose we've not had it too bad, compared with some areas. It feels a tiny bit warmer here today, but they have forecast more snow later. We will see ....
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Thanks for that link Stephen, very interesting.
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You will notice that you don't even need to leave Scotland to find a snow-free area. Just look at the Mull of Galloway in the Nasa photograph. http://twitpic.com/x3jus
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Are you referring to the area around Stranaer?
Diane when I close my louvres they wind rattles them and they fall out. Yours look fine. What have I done wrong?
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Has anyone heard what the lowest temperature was at Inverewe in the recent blast of cold? There are no weather reports to be found for it. The closest spots which report are Ullapool and Achnasheeen - and their greater metropolitan areas. ;)
johnw
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we had another thaw today - in my area anyway. More grass than snow now, no snow/ice on cars, paths clearing :D Ground still rock hard
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Don't think that any of these is related to climate change one way or the other, just a natural strong cycle as explained in the link below (Bulgaria is mentioned!). I also read that temperatures in Siberia are also much warmer than average...
http://sites.google.com/site/whythe2009winterissocold/ (http://sites.google.com/site/whythe2009winterissocold/)
interesting page, stephen, and a good reminder that normal has a much broader range than some folks seem to remember--when i see people say that a particular season or storm is outside 'normal' of 8 or 10 years (even 20!) i wonder how they can imagine that 10 years is even a relevant time period on the scale of climate? expecting weather to continue in a certain pattern because its been so for a few years is like expecting that there will never be darkness again because the sun has been up for several hours!
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Snow is normally quite rare here in the Vienne with usually a light scattering which is gone within a few hours but this winter we have had snowfall on three separate occasions and it has hung about, the last fall is still with us after a week and likely to remain a little longer yet. The temperature rises in the afternoons bringing a slight thaw but this freezes again in the night when temperatures this year have fallen to our knowledge to -10 Celsius: this makes the local, back roads rather unpleasant to drive upon though the main roads are generally clear.
The narcissi which were open in the garden seem to have stuck their heads up through the snow but those in the plunge, open on three sides to the weather, are looking very sad and sorry for themselves and I fear for their survival.
I'm posting these photos for Jim.....who says:
Meanwhile a couple of pictures for we too have snow. The cedar is one of a
group of five just across the Green from the house and neighbour to our
lovely old church which is packed to the gunwales every Sunday and Feast
Day.
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Maggi, what type of cedar is that?
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A blue with the cold cedar?
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Maggi, what type of cedar is that?
author Mark: A blue with the cold cedar?
Mark, Very likely! Helen, I don't know.... we'll need Jim to tell us..... good shape isn't it?
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Beautiful cedar. Here's one for Paul T, if he's watching. Sorry about the quality, it was taken on a mobile phone.
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The cedar, especially Cedrus deodara, must be the most beautiful of Christmas trees and covered with snow, even better than usual. Not sure what this one is, but not atlantica or libanotica I think. ( :-\)
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Is that Paul's Kippax Anne? I don't delieve it. ???
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Thawing here for the last 24hrs despite sleet/snow on and off today. Rain now. The bone is coming out of the ground but it'll be a while before the deep freeze is over. Did manage to get another outing with the sledges though ... wheeeee ;D
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So where is Kippax, Anne? Kippax here is actually a shopping centre (Kippax Fair) and my post office box is located there, hence my mailing address. There is no actual suburb of that name here in Canberra. I have no idea of the origins of the name, so it is interesting to see that it is a town of suburb near you? And so much cooler than here. ;D ;D
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We had between 30 to 50cm of snow in only 2 days here ( 15 to 20" ). A kind of new record. It"s been years since we had so much snow!!! Fortunately we don't expect any more next week...
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Diane when I close my louvres they wind rattles them and they fall out. Yours look fine. What have I done wrong?
Can't imagine, Mark ??? Do you mean the glass or the whole fitting falls out? Mine are held in postion by a sort of spring fitting, there's no way they could fall out.
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We have always believed the cedar to be the Lebanese cedar. In the village there are eight altogether, the group of five opposite the house, two in a neighbouring garden and one standing free but also in the centre of the village. I will ask of one of my wife's old French ladies when they were planted - I suspect at the end of WW2 when a number of alterations were made to the centre of Blanzay: our "Green", for example, which stands before the church used to be the cemetery. One of the cedars is very much larger than the others and had its top blown out by strong winds three/four years ago but thanks to the tree surgeons is still a vast and lovely shape.
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So where is Kippax, Anne? Kippax here is actually a shopping centre (Kippax Fair) and my post office box is located there, hence my mailing address. There is no actual suburb of that name here in Canberra. I have no idea of the origins of the name, so it is interesting to see that it is a town of suburb near you? And so much cooler than here. ;D ;D
Hi Paul,maybe named after the late and former Test cricketer Alan Kippax.bye Ray
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Diane when I close my louvres they wind rattles them and they fall out. Yours look fine. What have I done wrong?
Can't imagine, Mark ??? Do you mean the glass or the whole fitting falls out? Mine are held in postion by a sort of spring fitting, there's no way they could fall out.
Mine are very secure too. I bought cheap generic ones, but Robinson greenhouses are not standard, so I took the glass to a friend who has a fish tank building business (BOSS Aquariums). One of the chaps was going to cut the glass to size, but it had been around for so long that firstly, the binding tape wouldn't easily come off, and secondly the glass was too old to cut. He quickly cut me new glass and charged me nothing. ;D
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So where is Kippax, Anne? Kippax here is actually a shopping centre (Kippax Fair) and my post office box is located there, hence my mailing address. There is no actual suburb of that name here in Canberra. I have no idea of the origins of the name, so it is interesting to see that it is a town of suburb near you? And so much cooler than here. ;D ;D
For Paul,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kippax,_West_Yorkshire
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Ah, you saved me the effort, David! We went to a neighbouring village yesterday to do some shopping, so did a quick detour to take the photo. It was flippin' cold!
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You could look on Google Earth if you have it too.
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Cool. Thanks All.
Ray, I didn't know there was a cricketer called 'Kippax'. I didn't even know that it was a surname. I had no idea of any of the origins of the word (not that I'd been looking, mind you).
Thanks again. 8)
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Couldn't resist the chance to get in on the 2010 weather theme.
Basically, we don't get much weather in Frodsham! But 2010! :o
Temperatures to -5C, precious little gritting and the top of the milk frozen. >:(
Something MUST be done!
My minigarden only needed a flake to become a 99!
Still, it keeps the camera busy.
Back garden
Even the Callicarpa berries turned blue with the cold!
Berberis with icicles
Skimmia lolly
Minigarden
Berberis before the fieldfares arrived
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If you try BT online for phone numbers for Kippax in Lancashire there are more than three pages of them.
J.
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Couldn't resist the chance to get in on the 2010 weather theme.
Minigarden
Love the mini garden, JohnnyD, could start a new trend on the show-bench (or should it be snow-bench) ;)
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Johnny lovely pictures , our snow if finally melting after four weeks , nice to see but even nicer to see it go.
Angie :)
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JohnnyD, you are such a skinflint.... a 99 that size needs more than ONE flake.... :o.
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And one for you Maggi. :P
J
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And one for you Maggi. :P
J
Actually, I recently developed quite a taste for dark chocolate coated ginger..... much nicer than a Flake!! ;)
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Cool. Thanks All.
Ray, I didn't know there was a cricketer called 'Kippax'. I didn't even know that it was a surname. I had no idea of any of the origins of the word (not that I'd been looking, mind you).
Thanks again. 8)
Paul, just to bore your socks off! The "Kipp" part of Kippax comes from an Old English personal name Cippa or Cyppa and the "C" sound later became a "K" sound as a result of Scandanavian influences. The "ax" part comes from the Old English word "oesc" meaning "ash as in tree" which later became "askr" again as a result of Scandavian influences in the language. The Domesday Book shows the settlement as "Chipesch" The Vikings settled the area having sailed up the River Humber and it's tributaries and eventually "merged" with the previous Anglo Saxon settlers. You can yawn now!!
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Ah! You can't see from the photo, but under the name Kippax, I think it said Chipesch.
This afternoon we had a snowplough along our street! It has cleared all the snow off the road :D and deposited it all on the pavement >:(
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Blue sky today and sunny ;D
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Heavy snow for us tomorrow seemingly.
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I was away some days. I travelled 12 hours through the icy broken Moravian railways. Fortunately I am luckily back without frozen behind. Rock garden is
nicely protected under snow polsters. See my photo from this day.
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No marten prints, ZZ?
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mix of sun and cloud this week--sunny now-with today and tomorrow the warmest at +9, +8, wed coldest at -5(normal daytime is -6)most days above or near freezing! what a contrast to december! dripping everywhere, and big sheets of ice sliding off the metal roof..still lots of snow on the ground though, hopefully it doesnt go, as there will be more cold to come ....
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No marten prints, ZZ?
Mark, I am not good in tracing animals in this kind of weather. This beast still have heaven under my roof, dancing foxtrot after midnight. I do not like some animals including the human ones. ZZ
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Some pics taken yesterday and today in the Aberdeen area.
[attachthumb=1]
River Dee covered in pack ice
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]
Birds on an ice floe
[attachthumb=4]
Falls of Feugh (a tributary of the Dee 18 miles upstream at Banchory)
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That is a magical picture of the falls, Brian.
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The children went sledging yesterday afternoon with the Cathedral Youth Group in the Laighhills (Dunblane's golf course before 1923 and where the Dunblane Highland Games used to be until the meeting was abandoned in the 1980s as it always rained). On the way home James and Lucy (and Heidi) had some fun on the Hydro lawn.
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Not bored at all, David. I have always thought a kip was a siesta style bit of a lie down, not a cup of tea. As in "I'll have a bit of a kip this afternoon" meaning a short nap?
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Well, you'd need a cuppa when you woke up, wouldn't you?
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The fleeces are off ;D ;D ;D. It seems that we might have a mild thaw, for a few days at least, so I removed the fleeces this morning to give the plants some light and air.
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Just heard today the river in my town and quite far out from the shores of Lough Neagh froze.
We continue to have above freezing temperatures with a biting east wind. The ground is rock hard and the troughs
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Big thaw here in south east Ireland and now we have floods. Barely got home about an hour ago.
Here's an article from today's Irish Times:
Two men escaped uninjured when the car they were driving along a frozen canal in Scotland plunged through the ice, it was revealed today.
Police said the men, aged 22 and 24, were driving on the Union Canal near Winchburgh, West Lothian, yesterday afternoon when the ice gave way beneath them.
They managed to escape from the Peugeot, which was discovered shortly afterwards by the emergency services.
Lothian and Borders Police said the men were later arrested and charged with reckless conduct. They will appear at Livingston Sheriff Court at a later date.
A police spokesman said the men had a lucky escape.
“While it goes without saying that the vast majority of people have the good sense not to take their vehicles on to frozen waterways, this incident serves as an example of the type of stupidity that the emergency services occasionally have to deal with,” he said.
“There is no doubt that these two individuals had a lucky escape, and had the canal been deeper there could very well have been a different outcome.”
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Just heard on the weather forecast that 1000 people are homeless after floods in Albania. The rain is heading our way, but should be turning to snow by Thursday. Meanwhle the first Crocus biflorus adamii are flowering here in the wild. ;D
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The weather is mild enough here that the first flowers are opening on Eranthis hyemalis, both the type and the "aurantiaca" form. But it's wet: I've had standing water off and on in my lowest spot for the last couple of weeks. Though the ground is saturated, more rain would be welcome because it will eventually work its way into the earth and replenish the water table.
I'm not going to boast about this, however, because our period of coldest weather tends to be from mid January to mid February. Touch wood, this year we'll continue to have mild weather. I always look forward to Valentine's Day; by then, if we haven't had seriously cold weather, the chance of it rapidly diminishes. For me, spring starts on February 14.
For those curious about "aurantiaca", I posted a photo last spring:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3477.msg90172#msg90172
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You pagan, Rodger. Valentine's Day here is the day the grapevines are pruned, and presumably in the dim and distant pagan 'celebrations' were 'performed' to rejuvenate the earth.
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Heavy snow for us tomorrow seemingly.
Seems to have been right too. About 4" (10cm) since lunchtime and still falling
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We weren't sure whether the TV weather map was indicating rain or snow for us ( new glasses arriving soon!) but she meant "rain"... then it was right!
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You pagan, Rodger.
Does this mean I get to wear antlers, paint myself blue, and jump over bonfires naked on Midsummer's Eve?
Or are Bulgarian customs different?
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You pagan, Rodger.
Does this mean I get to wear antlers, paint myself blue, and jump over bonfires naked on Midsummer's Eve?
Or are Bulgarian customs different?
I'd like to see a pic of that!!!! :o :o :o :o
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I don't think I would. :-\
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That sounds a bot more northern European, Rodger. I think down here it was more about Mother Nature and Earth Goddesses ;)
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You pagan, Rodger. Valentine's Day here is the day the grapevines are pruned, and presumably in the dim and distant pagan 'celebrations' were 'performed' to rejuvenate the earth.
any pagan celebrations here in mid february will best be performed snugly indoors and out of reach of the earth, which is generally deeply frozen at that time!
all of these seasonal timeposts invented in warmer climates are so misplaced in this climate as to be meaningless--winter beginning in late december? thats a laugh! the days can be seen to be getting longer by valentine's day for sure, but the only visible effect on plants will be those indoors!
the northern alberta orchid society used to(likely still does) have its annual show and sale near valentine's day--i have memories of orchids in double heavy paper bags and anyone with the slightest sense warming the car and bringing it right to the door of the conservatory before taking any plants out...
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That sounds a bot more northern European, Rodger. I think down here it was more about Mother Nature and Earth Goddesses ;)
ah, but i believe the stag (and certainly the ram) are animals of the goddess, whatever later patriarchal cultures may wish us to believe ;)
perhaps your southern rites, once agriculture was established, would have involved rams...
there is a popular brand of pick-up truck here, the Dodge Ram, certain models of which have lovely ram's heads in various places, such as the tailgate handel, or on special ones, as a lovely metal overlay on rear lights! quite nicely designed, and i always call them 'goddess trucks' :)
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Snowed in again here this morning by the latest falls and drifts. This is getting boring. >:(
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Erm, I think the celebrations may have involved laying down and it is unlikely to be a coincidence that St. Valentines day is associated with 'love' ;)
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Martin, be thankful you don't live in the Balkans- land of snowdrops though it may be, a more normal winter here can be 80 to 100 days with snow cover. When you compare that to Canada- well winter there doesn't even bear thinking out. :o
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For those who asked, the cedar in my photograph which Maggi posted for me, is my wife tells me, and she is the real gardener here, cedar deodara. There is also a huge c. libani just some fifty yards down the road from the house which is much loved by the resident jackdaws as an alternative to the church and the local red squirrels.
The snow has finally given way to rain which has begun the job of washing away the snow and ice and temperatures are again showing positive values.
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We are having the worst day of the winter for travelling today, just as we thought things were beginning to get better. There was rain in the night which has frozen on the ground which still has 5-10cm snow, causing black ice everywhere as only a few roads are now being gritted. Buses are suspended, schools are closed. Walking is difficult especially as there are few level surfaces in Huddersfield.
Many vehicles have been unable to stop at the bottom of hills; cars have crashed into two houses and a taxi fell 5m onto the roof of a factory (you probably need to be familiar with the steep towns of west yorkshire to be able to work that last one out!).
The local paper has reported that the local council has had 12 claims made against it in the previous two winters from people injured on icy pavements. 4 claims have been thrown out but the rest are still ongoing. A lawyer states that local authorities have greater protection from prosecution for these claims than business owners or householders would. In current weather conditions in this hilly area I find it much easier walking on the snow than the 'cleared' icy pavements.
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I've never seen Huddersfield wih snow, but it must be great for sledging ;)
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When it first fell a few weeks ago it was good for sledging but after the temperature drop it turned powdery. Today it is too difficult to get out to try it - I have just seen a news report on TV about the taxi accident and it said that it was so slippery that people had to crawl on the ice - it is impossible to stay upright.
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I've never seen Huddersfield with snow, but it must be great for sledging ;)
It was when I was there in 1962/63. I went to Spring Grove Primary school that year. Went sledging in Greenhead Park. I remember Saturday mornings best going to the ABC minors after my piano lesson and paying 9d upstairs. ;D
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in this hilly area I find it much easier walking on the snow than the 'cleared' icy pavements.
A basic fact known by anyone in snowy climates!
So sorry to hear about your unusual conditions this winter. At least we expect it here.
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The council round here are clearing the footpaths then transporting the snow 5 miles back to town to dump :-\
Remember we live in the country where the roads often have large bankings and verges, we also have a 3 acre village green. No shortage of places to dump the snow.
By the way this council encourages recycling and 'green initiatives'
I fear this weather has made everyone crazy. Does no-one realise snow is just water :-\
Susan
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Clearing here too but I've made two failed attempts in the evenings to get to the greenhouse by torchlight to open it up again. From about halfway down the slope the path is lethal with black ice. Too dark to safely do anything about it so it will now have to wait until weekend or a slightly higher temperature - and both look like happening at the same time. Thankfully the cloud will be stopping the greenhouse from getting too warm during the day but many more days without it being ventilated worries me more. Definitely preferred the snow!
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I remember(?) in Huddersfield in 1963 the council took the snow to the local tip. It was still thawing in June!
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Lol, I suppose back in 1963 much of the rubbish trapped in the snow would have been nonplastic at the very least. These days you can't blame them for not wanting to dump it on the village green- it'll look like a rubbish skip exploded when it melts!
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The local paper has reported that the local council has had 12 claims made against it in the previous two winters from people injured on icy pavements. 4 claims have been thrown out but the rest are still ongoing. A lawyer states that local authorities have greater protection from prosecution for these claims than business owners or householders would. In current weather conditions in this hilly area I find it much easier walking on the snow than the 'cleared' icy pavements.
As we now have laws that cover nearly every aspect of life why don't the Goverment just pass yet another one this time that says you cannot sue if you fall on a piece of cleared road or pavement. It would have more relevance than most they think up.
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Four gritting lorries have slid off the roads round here today, which prompts the question - don't they spread grit in front of them as well?
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I've never seen Huddersfield with snow, but it must be great for sledging ;)
It was when I was there in 1962/63. I went to Spring Grove Primary school that year. Went sledging in Greenhead Park. I remember Saturday mornings best going to the ABC minors after my piano lesson and paying 9d upstairs. ;D
Think it was still called "The Ritz" then Anthony. I saw the Beatles and the Stones there that same year. Greenhead Park was a bit flat for my liking but Outlane Golf Course provided the sledging thrills. As I got older it was a good place for other thrills too :o ;D
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I love walking in snow. It's not dangerous (unless you're 3,000' up in the Lakes!), but the added effort makes for a really nice glow. The ice we have now is treacherous though. At least the roads are mostly clear until they freeze later tonight. Oh wait, snowing again :)
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As I got older it was a good place for other thrills too
What on earth do you mean David,? ;D ;D ;D
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Michael, when a young man's fancy turns................. ;D
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David, I don't remember those times anymore. ;D
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Michael, I have only the vaguest recollection ???
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As you say Susan, snow is just water, i.e. 2 of hydrogen and 1 of oxygen, so why, will someone please tell me, are plants supposed to get a nitrogen boost from snow. It seems to be an accepted fact but when ever or whoever I ask about it, I get blank stares.
("Little John is dead and gone, his face we'll see no more,
For what he thought was H2O was H2SO4")
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Lesley, I remember watching a nature programme where they mentioned how the bodies of dead insects in the snow release amongst other things nitrogen as the snow melts and they begin to decay. The said that there were more insects than you would expect as they are carried on updraughts from lower altitudes. I usually put dilute feed in my first snowmelt water to mimic this.
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Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere. Sulphur and carbon are also important gasses. I understand that snow absorbs these gasses and that they are released when the snow melts. Certainly as the snow melts the pH of watercourses goes down (becomes more acidic). I remember an incident at one Speyside salmon hatchery where all the fish were killed after a sudden thaw because the water became so acidic.
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Does this have a bearing on the fact that the snow melts faster around plants? I noticed big circles around my trees, shrubs and even perennials as it all began melting. It looked as if the plants were giving off heat, but maybe it has more to do with nitrogen ???
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Erm, I think the celebrations may have involved laying down and it is unlikely to be a coincidence that St. Valentines day is associated with 'love' ;)
yes, and if you lay down outdoors here in february, you may end up fertilising the soil with your flesh as well as more traditional, err, traces....
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interesting thoughts about snow--hadnt heard about the nitrogen thing, and i was wondering about the acidity; melted snow is what my indoor plants get watered with for half the year, it seems, and acidic water is supposed to be preferable for potted plants (many using well/tap water are adding vinegar to acidify)..
unless you get it immediately after snowing, when it looks quite clean, the melted snow is full of debris-and i dont mean the car exhaust and garbage left behind in the city (black sludge in toronto :-X )--out here there is a lot of organic matter, and especially spruce needles, i usually run it through a strainer before watering cacti and succulents ..
as for snow melting faster near trees, there is usually less snow hitting the ground below trees here, apart from effects of drifting, and some very open deciduous stands, such that there are now large bare areas in the woods after some warm days, even though the snow is still deep in the open; obviously dense conifers keep even more snow off the ground...
further, anything darker than the snow that protrudes, draws more heat to the spot, speeding melting-so stems, trunks, rocks etc, all melt out faster than surrounding unbroken snow..
ian, walking in snow is fine if you are just pleasantly strolling, but adds a huge amount of effort to even basic work--the last few weeks getting firewood in the bush was a terrific effort--i'd be huffing and puffing by the time i got to where i was going to saw, never mind hauling the pieces of logs out by hand, through shin to knee deep powdery slippy snow...lol
today was much easier, as the depth of snow has gone down in most spots, and being wet now it doesnt slide around as much
on the other hand, our packed down footpaths around the houses,esp in shadier spots where they havent melted heavily, have just become smoother, and bear a strong resemblance to bobsleigh runs!
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There was something in an ancient AGS Bulletin about a study someone had done to find out why soldanella flowers were able to come up through quite deep snow. I don't remember the details but as I recall, it was concluded that the soldanella did actually give off minute quantities of heat, enough to allow the flowers to force their way through. Many photos over the years, have been shown of soldanellas and other alpines and small plants, especially bulbs, flowering through snow, the stem having a hollowed area around it where the snow has melted. I've seen them on the Forum from time to time.
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There was something in an ancient AGS Bulletin about a study someone had done to find out why soldanella flowers were able to come up through quite deep snow. I don't remember the details but as I recall, it was concluded that the soldanella did actually give off minute quantities of heat, enough to allow the flowers to force their way through. Many photos over the years, have been shown of soldanellas and other alpines and small plants, especially bulbs, flowering through snow, the stem having a hollowed area around it where the snow has melted. I've seen them on the Forum from time to time.
i've seen a lot of those images too; here, it could only happen if it was a late snowfall (common) which fell after the winter snow had melted and the ground thawed, since before the initial snow melt, the ground is frozen solid very deep, nothing could grow..
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SOLDANELLA THROUGH THE SNOW
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Isn't that lovely 8).
Angie :)
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Wow! 8)
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Great to see colour Cliff, your Soldanella shrug off the snow 8)
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Does this have a bearing on the fact that the snow melts faster around plants? I noticed big circles around my trees, shrubs and even perennials as it all began melting. It looked as if the plants were giving off heat, but maybe it has more to do with nitrogen ???
Since plant metabolism is not 100% efficient waste energy is emitted, partly/mainly as heat. Also dark objects absorb light then re-emit the energy as longer wavelength heat that tends to melt the surrounding snow.
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Thanks all for the explanations. Its been a puzzle to me for a long time about the patches that appear around plants. So for a soldanella to do that is just amazing. Thanks for the pic, its lovely.
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To expand the question a little, why does it just seem to be Soldanella that push up through the snow? This picture was taken on the Kitsteinhorn in Austria in mid-June last year. It was the only plant pushing up through the snow yet there were scores of other flowers just beyond the snow line.
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Hi David,
Tussilago farfara (Coltsfoot) often exhibits the same ability.
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To expand the question a little, why does it just seem to be Soldanella that push up through the snow? This picture was taken on the Kitsteinhorn in Austria in mid-June last year. It was the only plant pushing up through the snow yet there were scores of other flowers just beyond the snow line.
There are a great number of plants referred to as "snow-melt" species.... those which burst into flower as the snow recedes . Quite a few are capable of emerging right through the actual snow, as shown in the preceding very charming soldanella photos.
The flowers which are seen just outwith the snow's edge were likely doing just what the soldanellas are doing, only a few days earlier. Others may appear to be doing the same thing a few days later, higher up the slope.
This characteristic of such fragile looking flowers appearing in such harsh conditions is surely one of the reasons that alpine plants are so captivating, don't you think?
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I've got to admit Maggie that whilst I have seen many species that can be referred to as 'snow-melt' plants i.e. flowering at the time of or in the vicinity of melting snow, I have only ever seen soldanellas and the coltsfoot actually making their own hole through the snow. I have any number of images of plants in flower surrounded by snow but only these two species in distinct indentations. It's a very interesting subject.
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We've had others pictured around the Forum over the years, Cliff.... most notably Crocus.
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Since plant metabolism is not 100% efficient waste energy is emitted, partly/mainly as heat. Also dark objects absorb light then re-emit the energy as longer wavelength heat that tends to melt the surrounding snow.
I have heard it said that some of these snow-melt plants actually start photosynthesizing under the snow, which given that this process needs light, they can only do when they are just under the surface and the snow cover allows through a little light. The process of photosynthesis gives off waste energy, which is partly the source of the heat which then melts the snow and helps the flower to emerge.
... I have only ever seen soldanellas and the coltsfoot actually making their own hole through the snow.
here's a couple of others coming through the snow
(sorry, I should make it clear that these pictures were not taken this year - everything still under snow here, although dripping has started)
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I suppose that's why soldanellas are called "snow bells".
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Thanks for those images Diane ... I have many pictures of crocus and other plants/bulbs protruding through the snow like that, but I still cannot remember many other species actually creating their own exit holes? I'm sure a number of North American species will display these characteristics - any contributions from our friends over there?
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Here is another which has made its own hole to flower through. This was one of the deepest snowfalls ever, in my garden, back in 1996 I think.
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I don't know why that should be so wide. It's only 121KB. It was a print which was scanned onto a floppy disk at the beginning of my computer days.
Edit by maggi: I've resized it for you, Lesley. Pixel size does not necessarily equate to kb size.... or vice versa... if you get my drift. I don't know how to explain it properly :-\ :D
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Thanks for those images Diane ... I have many pictures of crocus and other plants/bulbs protruding through the snow like that, but I still cannot remember many other species actually creating their own exit holes? I'm sure a number of North American species will display these characteristics - any contributions from our friends over there?
i can't help with what any of the alpine species do, only reiterate that where i am, i am sure it would have to be secondary snowfall; if there is a plant which can emerge from the rock hard frozen ground i'd be impressed indeed ;)
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I agree, Cohan. In the mountains here we see plants emerging from fresh soft snow- but the hardened drifts of old snow that have been there all winter have to melt completely before the Crocus flower. Similarly we have seen the Soldanella emerging from shallow snow in open mountain woodland, but not in higher gullies where they flower ony after the snow has disappeared.
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The soldanella that I picture were growing on open slopes through crystalline snow. My feet made little impression on the snow and, on steeper parts, I had to kick in with my boots for security. We saw this in several locations, all similar, at an elevation of about 2,000m. We have seen soldanella growing in similar situations in the mountains on several previous occasions.
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The soldanella that I picture were growing on open slopes through crystalline snow. My feet made little impression on the snow and, on steeper parts, I had to kick in with my boots for security. We saw this in several locations, all similar, at an elevation of about 2,000m. We have seen soldanella growing in similar situations in the mountains on several previous occasions.
very interesting, i wonder how on earth they do it? surely the ground cannot be frozen? do they make a bud at surface level in the fall?
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Not forgotten, the Soldanella flowers only in June - July. The plants have much time to grow. The earth did not freeze under the snow!
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wow how warm was it today!? 12oC this afternoon and right now 10oC
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Positively tropical, it crawled up to +4 here in Derby
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wow how warm was it today!? 12oC this afternoon and right now 10oC
Positively tropical, it crawled up to +4 here in Derby
Luxury, bl**dy luxury........ :P
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wow how warm was it today!? 12oC this afternoon and right now 10oC
Positively tropical, it crawled up to +4 here in Derby
Luxury, bl**dy luxury........ :P
tell me about it! after snow and deep freeze for almost all of december, we have been above (and often well above) freezing daytime for all of january so far, and no end in sight yet!
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Well, I guess that means we will have it back soon then! 0C all day yesterday and -7C overnight with a hard frost this morning and no sun - so I guess the Crocus will be having a day off :(
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+5c here yesterday and it felt positively balmy. The sun has beeen promised today.
johnw
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Did everyone hear the wind last night? Across the road a trampoline lifted, flew on to the neighbours car, lifted again and smashed the living room window
More of my louvre panes fell out last night. How are they kept in place?
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Very windy here last night with heavy rain. The snow has melted fast though there is still ice in places and snow where it has been piled up at the side of the road. The down side? - My cold frame is flooded again. I thought yesterday that the bulbs might need watering but the decision has been made for me.
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It's now a month since the temperature was last above freezing point.
It maybe looks like the fjord is freezing in this picture taken from the house, but it's not. We had a high tide which washed ice away from the shoreline.
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The rain fell last Sunday instead of the promised snow and in three days the roads and fields were free of ice and snow but for a few small patches that linger on in ditches and ploughed fields. Walking this morning there was blue sky, a light opaque layer of mist hanging over every field and the temperature was positively balmy. In an hour's walking the only life seen, accepting birds, was a deer browsing on oil seed rape and three cars- pretty damn wonderful. It may be the packets of seeds arriving through the post, and saying it offers up a hostage to fortune, but this morning here in The Vienne there was a feel of Spring on the air
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Snow for parts of the UK on Wednesday because the cold air that was pushed to the east is on it's way back again.
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Oh Mark stop trying to cheer us all up. ::)
Angie :)
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Anybody checked to see what will be happening in the east at the same time? :o
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More of my louvre panes fell out last night. How are they kept in place?
Picture needed of your louvres Mark!
Here's mine, there's lots of different designs, mine are held in place by aluminium pieces which hold them quite tightly. There's no way mine could fall out (is that tempting fate ::) )
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Maybe this will cheer you up:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/RSXX0063?from=_topnav_business (http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/RSXX0063?from=_topnav_business)
and
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/UPXX0016?from=today_topnav_BusinessTravel (http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/UPXX0016?from=today_topnav_BusinessTravel)
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Today was awful, - a wet horrible thaw and then late afternoon the clouds came in low along the mountain frost line and salt lorries were out on the roads (no gritters here, just salt) lucky we all have winter snow tyres ;)
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I concur you Robin, awful rain, rain, rain :(
A good link to see europeanwide temperature distribution...
http://www.wetter.de/europa (http://www.wetter.de/europa)
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More of my louvre panes fell out last night. How are they kept in place?
Are you sure you haven't fitted the frame upside down? You seem to be the only one with the problem. It's worth having a look at another greenhouse near to your home.
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Full sun for most of the day and temp. rising to +8°C here !
Quite a nice day !! ;)
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Luc,
very doom here. >:( A day to forget.
Just now melting snow avalanches running noisy down my house roof.
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Now, David, that is a good suggestion, one that I had not thought about - just too obvious!. Easily done, Mark.
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Quite warm in Russia and Ukraine!
My louvres could be upsidedown but from memory the lower end just tapers in slightly. I'll go out for a look
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Maybe this will cheer you up:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/RSXX0063?from=_topnav_business (http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/RSXX0063?from=_topnav_business)
and
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/UPXX0016?from=today_topnav_BusinessTravel (http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/UPXX0016?from=today_topnav_BusinessTravel)
wow! that's crazy! we've been above normal all month, but not that far above! and certainly still below freezing nights.. we have some days coming up around or just below normal (daytime normal for now is -6)but its still nothing, january here could easily see daytimes of -20(common enough) to -40 (rare days), so this is still super mild for us...
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Interetsing to here about conditions world-wide. Here the warm break has gone, the snow has returned, with our blessings, as temperatures are set to drop to below -10 over the next week. We were hearing -17 earlier this week and all this without snow on the ground, you gotta have your white thermal blanket eh?
Good luck to us all with January / February 2010!
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More of my louvre panes fell out last night. How are they kept in place?
Are you sure you haven't fitted the frame upside down? You seem to be the only one with the problem. It's worth having a look at another greenhouse near to your home.
They are supposed to open in-the-way, aren't they? ???
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It has been snowing now for 38hours nonstop. Hopefully we'll be able to get out tomorrow to take some snow pics ;D
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Louvres
Mine hinge along the central axis. The bottom edge opens outwards an the top edge inwards so that rain falling on them runs off to the outside.
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It has been snowing now for 38hours nonstop. Hopefully we'll be able to get out tomorrow to take some snow pics ;D
Looking forward to that Simon, very cold here but at midday almost Springlike in the sunshine - buds opening on the pussy willow :o
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Still snowing here- 44hours nonstop- and this is real snow. ;)
Forecast highs of minus 8C for tomorrow. Strange to think that this time last week we were out taking pics of wild Crocus!
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Still snowing here- 44hours nonstop- and this is real snow. ;)
Forecast highs of minus 8C for tomorrow. Strange to think that this time last week we were out taking pics of wild Crocus!
wow--i was starting to think you werent going to have winter at all!
we have -2 to -9 daytimes for the next week (-10 to -15nights) so all the snow that got soft while it was above 0 has now solidified into sheets of ice, and most of our shoveled paths seem to be ready for luge or bobsleigh (without the slope, thank goodness...)
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I seem to keep on saying I'm stupid. My louvres are upside down :-[:-[ ::)
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Yes, I am glad it has finally arrived here, Cohan. With lows of -17C expected over the weekend it is good to have the ground covered and the plants protected. The flowers last week were an unexpected bonus and we know they will still be there to great us in 2weeks time. ;)
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I seem to keep on saying I'm stupid. My louvres are upside down :-[:-[ ::)
but it takes a big heart to admit a mistake, Mark and that's more important than making the odd clanger!
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I absolutely agree with Maggi, Mark, admitting mistakes is just as important as the successes then we can all learn from them..... Your successes are phenomenal and have helped so many people on this Forum who make less stupid mistakes because of your advice (I'm talking personally ;)
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For RR, snow pics from 5 minutes ago. been snowing now for 64 hours non-stop, light snow builds up, we now have about 25cm!
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Wow- I haven't seen snow like since... oh hang on :-[
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For RR, snow pics from 5 minutes ago. been snowing now for 64 hours non-stop, light snow builds up, we now have about 25cm!
Great photos, Hristo, love the wintery effect of the sun through the mist and the stark tree - thanks for posting these images for me and for Simon - obviously indoors ;D
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For RR, snow pics from 5 minutes ago. been snowing now for 64 hours non-stop, light snow builds up, we now have about 25cm!
well, 25 cm is still manageable ( so far) i was worried with such a long snowfall you'd really be snowed in..that's what our long snowfalls are usually like-light snow over a long period..
we havent had any snow all month, but that may change in a few days...
lovely shots, and good insulation and moisture for your garden :)
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No problems with the depth of snow, Cohan. It really is proper powdery snow - the tiny flakes of which take along time to build up to a great depth- well as long as the wind doesn't rearrange it. We were lucky it came down from the northeast not from the sea. Last year it took maybe a month of this to lay down 80cm!
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I seem to keep on saying I'm stupid. My louvres are upside down :-[:-[ ::)
Told you!! :P
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Thanks Maggi, Robin and David.
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Large flakes falling here too tonight and powder snow building up which is a relief as it got so icy in the freezing cold and difficult to walk - crampons on my boots a must - the really deep snow is yet to come but I'm glad alpines popping out in the sun are once again under a white blanket :)
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Here's a better photo of the UK and Ireland covered in snow. The west and south west got off very lightly
http://twitpic.com/x3ygi (http://twitpic.com/x3ygi)
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we havent had any snow all month, but that may change in a few days...
Same here, no snow this year, but the opposite temperature-wise - we're clearly interconnected by the large scale circulation which is pretty stable, although the UK fell off the edge of the anticyclone - still no above zero temperature here , getting on for 5 weeks now like this...
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well we have snow forecast for 5 of the next 7 days, though only one of those sounds like anything noticeable so far...
i was noticing a lot of pyrolas etc exposed in the bush when i was out yesterday (they tend to be in the mixed/coniferous forest where the snow is rarely deep and melts first), though in other spots the old snow is still a foot or so deep
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Looks as though a lot of Scotland is in for a large quantity of snow tonight.
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Looks as though a lot of Scotland is in for a large quantity of snow tonight.
Gee, spread the joy, why dont't you!
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You get the snow, I get the rain-seems fair to me ;D
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You won't see it in Scotland as some fellow just told me you're in for a lot of the white fluffy stuff tonight, but last night there was an unusually strong aurora much further south than normal (and we're heading into a good period for the northern lights it seems). Here's a Norwegian report (use Google translate or just look at the pictures):
http://www.yr.no/nyheter/1.6956217
Yes, it is Weather, solar weather...
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Magic, on my list of things to see before I die
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Not leaving us shortly are you Martin? ;D
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Lucky you, Stephen, how far south can you see them from?
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On the link I gave it says that in very exceptional circumstances they have been seen in Italy. The sightings yesterday were well south of here, which made me think they were probably visible in Scotland. The light show has been rather poor over the last year or so due to the sun having a rest...
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Magic, on my list of things to see before I die
You could have carried Joanna Lumley's suitcase Martin. Could have been spinoff advantages too, over and above viewing the northern lights. ;D
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We have seen some wonderful things in the sky here - the sky is so clear and enormous and known locally as the 'mille etoile' - last year a night of shooting stars, quite spectacular :)
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We can offer some rain to others if you want some
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used to see the northern lights quite often in edmonton... i think they may be visible sometimes here, but i rarely have a reason to be outside at night in the country...lol--and from home can only see the sky overhead, everything else is trees ;)
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Lots of rain last night took most of the remaining snow away.
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Hope for a clear night tonight as it's a while since I've seen the Northern Lights.
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We haven't seen the sun here for a week now. It is still snowing and -8C and heading for possible overnight lows of -17C. The Siberian Cold -Сибирски Студ- is on its way. Still if it only goes as low as
-17C it will have been a warmer winter than the last two ;)
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The Siberian Cold -Сибирски Студ- is on its way
Hope your wood burning stove keeps you cosy - it's extraordinary how weather can turn around in such a short space of time - will try to send you some Springlike sunshine from here. Good luck to all your plants under the snow.
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We are just considering ourselves quite lucky that the snow came before the cold. The temps are on the rise again from next Wednesday- but not yet sure for how long. Hopefully some warmth will be on the way- "there's Crocus and Colchicum in tham theair hills!!"
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The fluctuation of temperatures this month is extreme here too and the poor alpines in the rockery are either being baked, where the snow has melted round them, or frozen before the next snowfall but I suppose the temperature at root level is more or less the same - will be interesting to see what survives come the spring - bulbs up since the Autumn seem to be unaffected....
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Sunshine today !
Off to Holland (Utrecht) tomorrow for a Malcolm Mc Gregor lecture !
Have had worse prospects... :D
(should have posted this in het I'm so happy thread I guess...
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Sunshine today !
Off to Holland (Utrecht) tomorrow for a Malcolm Mc Gregor lecture !
Have had worse prospects... :D
(should have posted this in het I'm so happy thread I guess...
Now was that deliberate, Luc, because you are off to Holland?
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Sunshine today !
Off to Holland (Utrecht) tomorrow for a Malcolm Mc Gregor lecture !
Have had worse prospects... :D
(should have posted this in het I'm so happy thread I guess...
Luc, please pass on our good wishes to Malcolm on his appointment as new Editor for NARGS..... I'd like to send him a big hug, too, please, if you don't mind.... ;D
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Believe it or not, it was a genuine type Simon... :-[ ;D
I'll pass Mr Mc Gregor your wishes Maggi - as to the hug... :-\
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Our weather report on BTV always provides information anout temperature highs or lows. The lowest temperature today was reported at a location in the northeast where it was -23.2C this morning.
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more ice fog here, which stayed all day yesterday, and i think is still there! so the (bare) trees are so thickly coated now, its as if they have white foliage1
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That doesn't sound too good, Cohan. Is it a low pressure system trapped over your area?
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That doesn't sound too good, Cohan. Is it a low pressure system trapped over your area?
i havent seen the tv weather for any real description in the last few days, but apparently this fog was over much of the province, which as you know is a very large area! it isnt really any problem here--we did have a tiny bit of slipperiness on some roads apparently (didnt actually run into it ourselves) and out in the open, willows and small poplars have branches bending (contrary to what i said in another thread...lol--though i still think breakage is improbable, so far), the white stuff is so thick--very beautiful actually!
in my yard, the trees on all sides reduce the amount of fog that comes in, usually, so its frosty but not as heavy in here..
tonight maybe a couple cm of snow, supposed to be windy in the morning, which might get rid of a lot of the frost build up..
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We still have very fine snow falling here to a depth of about 30cm. The fine, snow is easy to move and I have just been out to sweep last night's accumulation from the path. The temperature is -11C and the pipes are frozen- so it is buckets of snow on the stove time ;)
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The temperature is -11C and the pipes are frozen- so it is buckets of snow on the stove time
:o :o :o How may buckets to make a cup of tea??
We had problems annually with a frozen pipe and used a hair drier to unfreeze it - last year we injected the wall with foam and this winter everything OK so far - hope you resolve the problem soon.
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We are not really ever sure where the problem is, as the mains pipe is exposed in lots of places where holes have been dug to repair it. We have bottled water for drinking, but use the melted snow for kitchen and bathroom water. ;)
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We are not really ever sure where the problem is, as the mains pipe is exposed in lots of places where holes have been dug to repair it. We have bottled water for drinking, but use the melted snow for kitchen and bathroom water. ;)
what a pain :( snow here rapidly becomes full of spruce needles and other forest debris. so unless you get the freshest only and immediately, it would require some straining even for washing..
we have two water freezing issues: for some reason, the hot water pipe to the kitchen freezes (only somewhere below -20 or -30) so the cupboard below the sink is left open, and on cold nights or when we go to work, we live it dripping, then its fine; when its near/below -30 i run the furnace for a few minutes once or, in really extreme weather twice a day, which blows air below the house, to keep those pipes thawed; otherwise its only the wood heater..
the second occasional problem is the shed with the actual electric pump; it has two heat lamps running all winter, but occasionally one burns out, or there is a cold wind from the wrong side when its -20 to -40, and then it freezes--this usually requires a few minutes with an electric heater to melt it and then we are good again..this happens a couple of times a winter, it seems...
i guess most of the pipes, such as those running from the pump to the houses are buried very deeply, as we have no problems with those, even at -40; both houses have heat tape (which senses temps near freezing in the pipes and runs then) on the first few feet of pipes where they leave the house (still covered with sawdust etc, and semi below ground), these are plugged in over winter.... so we dont have too much trouble with freezing pipes, but naturally there is a lot of prep involved in this climate....
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Yikes, freezing pipes, what a pain indeed! Reminds me of my mom's house when I was a kid & teenager. The oldest part of the house was built in 1900 (mostly from railroad ties stolen from the railroad nearby by a previous owner, or so the story goes!) - no insulation in the walls, and the water pipes close to the foundation (such as it was) would freeze, and we'd have to crawl around in the dirt basement to thaw them out with hairdryers and heaters. My uncle used to bring in bails of straw from the farm to put along the foundation on the north side, which helped some I imagine. Anyway, the house has long since been renovated, thank heavens!
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at least there was electricity for the hair dryers ;D
my earliest childhood home had electricity, but no running water--we brought it in in buckets from a hand pump..interestingly, i dont recall those ever freezing solid (could be i just dont remember, as it wouldnt have been my problem...) though i'm sure there was thin ice in the upper parts broken by manual pumping..
i do really envy that handpump anytime there is a power outage--water is the one thing we cant get now without electricity! my heat is wood, cook stove is propane, and there are always candles and kerosene lamps...
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Our biggest problem is that older houses here were never intended to have water inside them- they are all build with a standpipe outside. Water pipes were installed later into the house and as these are somewhat exposed we insulated around them outside. I am not sure if the problem this year is there- or where the main pipe is exposed further up the hill. It most have broken 4 or 5 times last summer- everytime it rained and the ground moved- and so was never covered over again. Not much chance of taking a hairdryer 500m up the hill to sort that one out :-\
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I wasn't sure where to put these pics but there's snow in them so I suppose 'Weather' will do. They were taken on January 11th and show the seeds and?scales which came off the Betula utilis after a windy night.
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Interesting what can be seen in different weathers Roma - the snow is a great foil for picking up tiny details and the amount of seed is incredible - would any of it grow on in to seedling Betula utilis given the chance?
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Probably most of it Robin. ::)
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Interesting what can be seen in different weathers Roma - the snow is a great foil for picking up tiny details and the amount of seed is incredible - would any of it grow on in to seedling Betula utilis given the chance?
I did find about half a dozen seedlings last year. I potted up two and must get the rest dug up and potted before I have a forest. The parent trees are getting too big and make the garden very dry and shady in the summer but they were grown from seed collected in East Nepal by Ron McBeath in 1981 so I am reluctant to have them chopped.
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I wasn't sure where to put these pics but there's snow in them so I suppose 'Weather' will do. They were taken on January 11th and show the seeds and?scales which came off the Betula utilis after a windy night.
if we get windy spells, our snow looks like this too--debris from native birches, and spruce--esp since the birds feed on the cones high in the spruces, raining down the leftovers!
sounds like your trees have an interesting provenance :)
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A clear day leading into night temps of -17c or lower.
Some pics of the local snowscapes;
House
Abandoned local house
Pretty View
Kamenari ( Our village )
Bulb Beds
Workshop
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Hristo, these are really interesting snowscapes around where you live with the plains in the background, very pretty. Is the local village very active or has the population dwindled?
Your bulb beds look magnificently snug under their thick blankets against the -17c nights 8)
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A clear day leading into night temps of -17c or lower.
Some pics of the local snowscapes;
House
Abandoned local house
Pretty View
Kamenari ( Our village )
Bulb Beds
Workshop
very interesting to see these views; like robin, i'm esp curious about the village-how near is it? are you in the village? are there any services?
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Hi RR, Cohan,
The village centre is about 1km away from us. Our house is in what is now part of Kamenari, but used to be a hamlet called Tochatli. The village is well populated for a rural settlement in Bulgaria, 75% of the population are ethnic Gypsy. 24% Muslim Turks/Bulgarians, 1% Christian Bulgarians. Services are;
1 village shop, 1 bar, 1 restaurant/bar, 2 holiday villa complexes, Mayors office, Pre-school & Primary School,
Doctors surgery ( under construction ) and one Bulb/alpine nursery.
RR, yes the snow is essential, these beds now hold the bulk of our bulb collection, or at least the part of it that is not planted in the garden, last nights temps were down to -22c. We don't heat these beds at all, they rely on stored heat and the thermal insulation from the snow sat on them! Worked well for the last 3 years, and we have had temps down to -25c!
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Wow, sounds an interesting community and well served too - to be constructing (Doctors surgery) as opposed to closing facilities in rural places is wonderful, congratulations to you and Simon for adding a key aspect to the village being 'put on the map'.... 8)
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I wasn't sure where to put these pics but there's snow in them so I suppose 'Weather' will do. They were taken on January 11th and show the seeds and?scales which came off the Betula utilis after a windy night.
Even less weather related (and definitely not January weather) is the following shot which your picture reminded me of. Actually it is weather related as it reminds me that it can actually get warm enough to sit outside for breakfast. I was sat under a birch tree in the garden with my porridge, sour cream (not snow!) and orange raspberries and birch seeds were falling from the tree...gave a nutty flavour to breakfast that day ;). You can see it's early morning from the long shadows of the birch seeds...
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It looks delicious fair weather food, Stephen, I wonder what the birch seeds thought of their new growing medium ::) - not that they had time to think about it ;D
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The effects of the weather are now coming to light. I have countless old and, for many years, frost resistant pots (large and venerable pots from Sankeys and other proven manufacturers) that have finally succumbed to the -12 degrees we have suffered this winter. Very expensive and sometimes impossible to locate these large containers will now have to be replaced by (Shush, don't say it too loud, equally expensive plastic monstrosities).
This particular pot holds my largest and oldest Ranunculus lyallii ... the top dressing has dropped a centimetre or two simply due to the bursting of the pot.
Many other examples are coming to light as the weather allows me to investigate more fully.
The second image was captured on the moors near our home a couple of weeks ago and amended on the computer.
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Cliff, what a terrible shame, old terracotta pots have so much character in their own right - there is a product, a sort of terracotta paste, you can use to repair old favourites but I suppose they would still be a risk in winter....must have been the freeze/thaw/freeze that did it.
Love the sun dome photo - the sun can play such tricks on our imagination ;)
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Old pots can be mended quite well. Firstly clean the breaks and make sure the pot is thoroughly dry. The adhesive to use is old fashioned overnight Araldite (not the rapid stuff). Apply the premixed adhesive to both parts of the breaks. Use elastic bands or anything else the hold the parts together. Warming (gently) the pot with a heat gun helps to keep the joint thin and leave to dry in a warm dry place (overnight does). Surplus glue on the exterior can be removed with a sharp knife, scraper and emery paper. If you fitted the bits properly the joins will not be easily spotter. If the broken pot is still hanging together put the adhesive on the inside of the pot along the break and gently warm the outside. Araldite flows under these conditions and will penetrate the crack particularly if you gently open it up a little by hand (no tools). I find several cycles of opening and closing the crack will often result in the adhesive penetrating right through. When satisfied elastic bands etc again will help to keep the crack closed while setting occurs. No need to clean up the interior. Good luck, I have often used these techniques unless the pot is completely smashed into many pieces by dropping
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I lost my terracotta pots with Ranunculus lyalli, R.crithmifolius and R.insignis in a sudden cold spell we had in Northumberland in the winter of 2001. We were away from home at the time for the Christmas holidays so not much to be done about it. If I'd had a garden I would have had them planted out- the pots were replaceable but the plants weren't.
The lowest temperaturein Bulgaria this morning was reported as -29C on the Danubian Plains in the northeast. Tomorrow is forecast as the coldest morning of the whole winter- so we shall see if we can 'beat' our own record here in Kamerari ::)
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good luck with broken pots and broken records!
--its getting gradually colder again here, but nothing record breaking-- wed night is forecast at -26, but we havent seen a -30 or -40 all month, so its still nothing, as far as i'm concerned :)
i have seen various kinds of planters that are supposed to last in severe cold, and not all plastic!-some clayey and concretey fancy things... i havent looked that closely at them since they are not cheap, and anyway, unless the pot is impossibly large, it seems few if any plants will survive in them above ground here anyway!
another option is the 'whiskey barrel' tub-some real wood, some other things; those with actual slats/staves should have enough give to withstand frosts...
i forgot to add--nice shot, cliff--i took a few yesterday of the sun 'spraying' up in a wide beam above clouds at sunset...havent seen them yet..
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As the weather forecast was for wall-to-wall sunshine on the west coast, we headed up the Clyde. This was the weather we got !! A temperature of between 1c at higher levels and 4c on the coast. Looking north into Argyll, the snow is still evident at about the 2,000 foot ( 600 metre ) level.
However, we had an enjoyable time watching about 16 porpoises " displaying " just off-shore. They were indulging in synchronised diving in pairs. I presume that this is some form of mating ritual. At our local peregrine site. the male (tiercel) was flying about carrying a twig. Our Eider flock of about 300 birds are also into their courting display which also consists of the birds diving "en masse" simultaneously.
Regardless of the weather, Spring must be on its way.
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Ah Tom, that's cruel. You've made me homesick :'(
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Ah Tom, that's cruel. You've made me homesick :'(
Aw, bless you, Martin.... was it the scenery or the Cal-Mac Ferry that did it? ;)
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Both!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Memories of the Arran ferry on a Friday night, in the bar, guitars, mandolins, singing, beer....followed by a weekend in the hills...a long time ago :P
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Memories of the Arran ferry on a Friday night, in the bar, guitars, mandolins, singing, beer....followed by a weekend in the hills...a long time ago :P
Last century, I venture to suggest....... ::)
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Indeed 8)
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Martin
Nothing has changed except the fares!! In Summer they now have two ferries operating a shuttle service. The Caledonian Isle must have been in for a refit as she was sailing by the Cloch lighthouse when I took the picture. We caught up with her later down the coast sailing by Bute on her way to Brodick just before sunset - if we could have seen the sun.
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Ian (and assorted Forumists, of course) off to Birmingam tomorrow for the AGS Birmingham World of Bulbs conference.....been snowing here tonight so hope this is not widespread and a hindrance to others going to the event.....hope you all travel safely and have a good time!
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We are hitting the heady heights of -2C here with sunshine. Will today be the day our mains waterpipes defrost? Seems like forever since we last flushed the toilet :o
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Eeeeuuuwww! Simon, too much information! :P
About 12-15cms of snow here in sunny Aberdeen ..... it's around 2 degrees C now and in the last few days we've gone down to minus 6 and all the way up to 9 !
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We have more snow on the way too starting tomorrow with expected lows of -12C, but this is certainly progress compared to last week ;)
PS as of 4:30pm we have our water back - toilet duly flushed ;)
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simon, congrats on getting water back--thats a long time to go without!
our forecast highs for the next 7 days range from -3 to -11, and lows from -13 to -20--all basically normal for this time of year- -5/-19 is the 'normal'..
a couple more cm sometime today/tomorrow...
days rapidly getting longer--we are already nearly 9hours of daylight, up from whatever the dismal low was--7.5?
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Sounds like here, Cohan. We will actually be above zero tomorrow with the possiblity of rain, then back down to possible -12 to -15C with snow for a week. It really will have been a strange January with all these thaws.
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Hello friends. Well everything is under a 5 inch blanket again. It snowed Thursday night through
Friday. Just cleared the path to my pickup.
John B arilnut
snow1
snow2
snow3
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Just to cheer everyone up a little light entertainment on how to deal with snow :D
Follow the link to what I recorded today in the Alps......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBnLcmmCad4
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Lovely Robin :) and groovy music!
You could make a career in wildlife films from the mountains ;D
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Glad you enjoyed it Tony - 18cm of snow fell overnight and no hold ups in the quest to find food :)
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Robin,
excellent movie. Lovely birds in snow with music 8)
What is the title and interpret of the song?
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Armin, the song is called 'Shetland' and is part of iMovie free sound files which I used to edit the shots to - the birds were moving so quickly in the snow in their search for food so I tried out my camera's video setting for the first time and I'm pleased you enjoyed the result :) - Can you tell me about the Finch in the end shot - it has only appeared this time in the snowy weather and was very shy?
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I think the last finch was a female Hawfinch, Robin.... they are very shy. Was it quite chunky in size compared to say, the greenfinchs?
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Robin,
thanks for the title. Yes I enjoyed your movie. :)
In the last sequence it is a Hawfinch (german Kernbeißer) (Coccothraustes coccothraustes).
A lovely bird with a powerful bill, hidden living in the tops of old deciduous trees, rarely seen but not endangered, much larger then any other European finch specis.
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I think the last finch was a female Hawfinch, Robin.... they are very shy. Was it quite chunky in size compared to say, the greenfinchs?
Yes Maggi, chunky and at least double or triple the size of Siskins here I'd say, it was quite stunning sitting in the lower branches of the tree - taken on the end of zoom and I didn't dare breathe :P
Thanks for your ID - interesting what how the weather brings out all sorts not normally seen.
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Robin,
thanks for the title. Yes I enjoyed your movie. :)
In the last sequence it is a Hawfinch (german Kernbeißer) (Coccothraustes coccothraustes).
A lovely bird with a powerful bill, hidden living in the tops of old deciduous trees, rarely seen but not endangered, much larger then any other European finch specis.
Armin thanks for your Hawfinch ID - I'm trying to pronounce it in German :o - I hope it comes again so I can be prepared next time, do they come into your garden when the weather is tough?
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Robin,
regrettable no Hawfinch visited my feeding station. I suppose it is too far away from woodside.
Regular visitors are sparrows, tree sparrows, robins, black birds, greenfinches, chaffinches, blue tits, great tits, sparrow hawk, magpies, and jays.
Rarely visitors are dunnocks, bramblings, marsh tits, long tailed tits, lesser spotted woodpecker, greater spotted woodpecker and grey-faced woodpecker.
This year I'm missing bullfinches and goldfinches. Don't know why. ???
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Armin in the UK the goldfinch population is up 600+%. The greenfinch is in steep decline. Bullies are OK
Anyone in the UK getting greenies?
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They seem to be doing well in NZ. I had the occasional sighting a few years ago but recently there have been a dozen or so about my garden.
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It does seem odd that people would want to introduce bird species to New Zealand given it has such a unique selection of native species hanging on ::)
Snow again here- another 10cm after the brief thaw we had over the weekend.
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It does seem odd that people would want to introduce bird species to New Zealand given it has such a unique selection of native species hanging on ::)
Snow again here- another 10cm after the brief thaw we had over the weekend.
There was a society dedicated to the process of naturalising alien species into New Zealand! They even introduced foxes so the unspeakable could pursue the inedible in the primitive passtime of fox hunting.
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I believe many early settlers brought European species with them, or caused them to be introduced later either for sentimental reasons or as food sources. These included gorse and that other much beloved species, the rabbit. (Teddy loves them anyway ;D). Since we have no native land animals with the exception of a couple of rare bats and a few frogs and lizards, probably not much thought (or importance) was given to what was here already. Most native birds either live or feed on the ground so introduced animals are devastating to native populations. The stoat, weasel and feral cats are particularly dangerous. If foxes were introduced, it was one that didn't make it. Australia has foxes but we don't.
But I at least, am very happy to have introduced birds and if birds, then plants too, obviously. (My) life without frits, irises, saxes, primulas and hundreds or thousands of others, is unthinkable, let alone roses and all the other stuff people grow. There is a quite strong movement in NZ to get rid of all which is not native. Logically, that would also include all non-Maori people (though they too, were immigrants). It would also have to include wheat, apples, cabbages and kiwifruit and the hundreds of other food crops we grow. Fortunately, for now, common sense prevails.
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Mark,
what are the reasons for the goldfinch population explosion?
All continental ones flew to UK? ::)
Lesley,
likely all (including us and our behaviour) is part of natures evolution. Even human mankind influences / destroy our todays environment - nature will find a way to survive with or without us in a longer term. The time slot we live is just a millisecond in earth life. The evolution of life is millions of years old changing always...
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Maybe there will be a movement to go back to native foodsources- the Maori must have had crops which weren't based on European imports. Such a shame there will never be Moa ever again- they'd win hands down over finches for me everytime ;)
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Mark,
what are the reasons for the goldfinch population explosion?
All continental ones flew to UK? ::)
Armin, I think you're right! Whilst in the UK the Goldfinches, normally not evident in such numbers, were all over the feeders with special seed for them and they were a fantastic sight in the bare winter branches in late November - here in the Alps not one!
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The Maori ate the previous peoples in NZ when they arrived !!
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Maybe there will be a movement to go back to native foodsources- the Maori must have had crops which weren't based on European imports. Such a shame there will never be Moa ever again- they'd win hands down over finches for me everytime ;)
Are they not trying to clone a moa using moa DNA and ostrich eggs?
The Maori ate the previous peoples in NZ when they arrived !!
Food for thought?
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The Maori ate the previous peoples in NZ when they arrived !!
Yes, partly true. The Mori-ori who preceeded the Maori were peaceful; hunting, gathering and getting on with their low key lives when the Maori arrived, very tribal and warlike and eventually finishing off the lot. A few descendants of the Moriori still live in the Chatham Island off east NZ.
Of course the Maori also ate some of the later immigrants too, Europeans.
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If many of our originally native birds, including the moa, are now extinct it is because they were hunted relentlessly by the Maori, likewise the beautiful huia, not so much as food but for its feathers for ceremonial cloaks.
Of course there is the rarely seen moa that still lives in the bush on the west coast. Some guy has definitely seen it (he says) and even produced some (blurry) photographs to prove it. Every year or two a group sets off to find it and settle the story once and for all but we're still waiting. I suppose it's a bit like the Loch Ness monster. It could be proved that it DOES exist but not that is doesn't. ;D
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The Maori ate the previous peoples in NZ when they arrived !!
Of course the Maori also ate some of the later immigrants too, Europeans.
You seem to have some friendly neighbours Lesley... ::) ;D ;)
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There are some very sad stories about extinctions in New Zealand, but the one that really caps it is the fate of the flightless Stephens Island Wren (Traversia (Xenicus) lyalli). It was reduced to one population on Stephens Island, but in 1894 that population was hunted to exctinction by the lighthouse keeper's cat!
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It was reduced to one population on Stephens Island, but in 1894 that population was hunted to exctinction by the lighthouse keeper's cat!
Is that where we get the term; 'Gone in a flash'? :D
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The Maori ate the previous peoples in NZ when they arrived !!
Of course the Maori also ate some of the later immigrants too, Europeans.
You seem to have some friendly neighbours Lesley... ::) ;D ;)
We do Luc. Not only cannibalistic Maori but even AUSTRALIANS! ;D
Perhaps I'd better clarify that. The Australians are friendly neighbours, not cannibalistic. That could change next week as we meet them on the cricket pitch, in Australia.
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OMG...... ;D ;D
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Robin,
.......
Rarely visitors are dunnocks.......
Armin, another bird visited today after it snowed all night, I think it's a Dunnock? Against the white of the snow the wonderful tiers of brown feathers show up beautifully don't you think?
Photos of Brambling not Dunnock see posts above
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Dunnock? Bunting of some sort.
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Armin, another bird visited today after it snowed all night, I think it's a Dunnock? Against the white of the snow the wonderful tiers of brown feathers show up beautifully don't you think?
Not a dunnock, Robin. White rump looks like a female Brambling
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Very pretty images, Robin.
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Yep, brambling (Fringilla montifringilla).
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Thanks Anthony and Diane for your ID's resulting in: brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) it's a really pretty bird - I knew i shouldn't have named the photo!!!!! Better change it.....trouble is the shape of the birds is constantly changing as the puff up their feathers to keep warm ;D
Cliff thanks for your kind words about the images :)
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Robin,
I'm just too late. Agree brambling.
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Armin the only thing I can think of for the goldfinch population explosion is Nyger/niger seeds
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Mark,
that could be possible - Nyger seed seem to be not availabe in Germany - at least I'm not aware.
I got the impression the British are more enthusiastic in bird feeding compared to Germany population.
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Our garden goldfinch population has been increasing over the years and we have never bought Niger seed. In fact, they now survive on a diet of pea nuts - and love them.
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In Aberdeen today it is very dark, dull wet and generally yucky!
Hope those folks out on early garden visits are faring better than this..... :-\
It's the Loogaburrooga (Loughborough) AGS plant sale and non-competitive display today... what a treat that will be in this weather for those lucky enough to attend. :)
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In Aberdeen today it is very dark, dull wet and generally yucky!
Hope those folks out on early garden visits are faring better than this..... :-\
It's the Loogaburrooga AGS plant sale and non-competitive display today...
Thought you'd learned a new Aboriginal word there for a minute Maggi. :D
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In Aberdeen today it is very dark, dull wet and generally yucky!
Hope those folks out on early garden visits are faring better than this..... :-\
It's the Loogaburrooga AGS plant sale and non-competitive display today...
Thought you'd learned a new Aboriginal word there for a minute Maggi. :D
Just an Aboriginal pronunciation Lesley. ;D
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Aboriginal to where though? The Midlands or Scotland?
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Aboriginal to where though? The Midlands or Scotland?
Loogaburrooga is how NZers and Australians have been heard to pronounce Loughborough, Simon!
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You mean they don't have several Loughboroughs in NZ or Aus? Well if I was from Loughborough, I'd actually be upset!
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Aboriginal to where though? The Midlands or Scotland?
When spelled with a capital 'A' it means native Australian.
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Oh sorry silly me ::) Though one supposes at some point it must have been used as "aboriginal Australian"- such a shame no one bothered to ask how they referred to themselves.
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I'm not aware of any Loughborough in NZ at least, so have not heard anyone pronounce the word any way at all. Nothing would surprise me though, given how sloppy NZers are with their speech generally.I want to delete thios one but can't.
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Loogaburrooga is how NZers and Australians have been heard to pronounce Loughborough, Simon!
I'm not aware of any Loughborough in NZ at least so have not heard it pronounced any way at all here. Nothing would surprise me though, given how sloppy NZers are generally, with their speech.
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I was actually born and "dragged up' in Loughborough . for those who do not know just north of Leicester.
Brian