It usually takes only a dusting of snow to bring London to a halt, so four inches overnight has paralysed the city. My children and I watched the snow fall last night and only marvelled at how pretty it was. This is the worst snow for six years, and the worst winter for a long time in London, so it's rather sweet to see what a novelty it is for two otherwise fairly blasé urban teenagers. There's more snow to come this afternoon and tonight.
I was looking forward to photographing the garden in the snow (with my new camera!) but there seems to be so much snow, it has blurred all the outlines completely. I love the "cushions" on the steamer chairs though (see top picture) and the thick white tablecloth (above). I've tried to throw some birdfood out but it has already disappeared into the whiteness. I'll try to take some more pictures later, before I attempt the journey to work and before the next blizzard sweeps in from northern Russia.
My daughter is talking about taking the sledge out to Wandsworth Common, which is a couple of streets away. In an idea world, however, I would be watching the snow from indoors. It's a bit like being inside a giant snowdome.
There are no buses running at all in London today. Gatwick is open but there is no Gatwick Express train service into London. London City Airport, in Docklands, is shut. Two of Heathrow's runways are shut. Most important of all (says my daughter), most of the schools are shut, including hers.
So here is the scene at Victoria's Backyard at 7.45am this morning. I had to cheat and shake the snow off the bamboo because it bends over and blocks the view completely. Bamboo seems to shrug off extremes of weather, but the snow weighs it right down. Last year, I gave the golden bamboo at the front an enthusiastic whack with a broom handle and two huge canes immediately broke in half. A gentle shake (if you can reach) is much more effective, and the canes spring up like a security guard roused from an illicit nap.
I was looking forward to photographing the garden in the snow (with my new camera!) but there seems to be so much snow, it has blurred all the outlines completely. I love the "cushions" on the steamer chairs though (see top picture) and the thick white tablecloth (above). I've tried to throw some birdfood out but it has already disappeared into the whiteness. I'll try to take some more pictures later, before I attempt the journey to work and before the next blizzard sweeps in from northern Russia.
My daughter is talking about taking the sledge out to Wandsworth Common, which is a couple of streets away. In an idea world, however, I would be watching the snow from indoors. It's a bit like being inside a giant snowdome.
21 comments:
It's so unusual to see snow in London Victoria - the heat island effect's been well and truly breached this time!
It only started snowing here this morning - it's a novelty for our cats too, but unlike your children they're giving it a distinct paws down and have returned to central heating duty ;)
I do think that I ever saw snow in London when I lived there (waaay back in the day).
It looks as if you and your camera are getting along just fine, lovely pictures
K
It's very pretty. All the more so because it is so unusual where you are.
Take heart, even here where we are used to some snow in the wintertime, occasionally, we get "shut down", too.
I too can't understand why everything has to close down.
Lovely to see real snow though - and children with sledges going up and down the road outside.
It's also a good excuse to get the camera out!
We only have a dusting much to my son's disappointment as it means his school is open. He was hoping to go tubogooning (cant spell that0 on the common up the road from us. Enjoy it while you can
I do love the photo of the steamer chairs.
But they don't exactly look like a good place to sit and sun with all that snow on them. ;-)
Ooh, you've added a snowy slideshow too :)
I'm expecting a snowman to appear on here by the end of today ;)
beautiful photos--the children's reaction (is it ok to call teens children?) make them even more special. yes, snow rounds & blurs outlines. it takes ice to sharpen up the outlines (& bring down phone lines & telephone poles, etc).
Everyone: Thanks for the lovely comments. It has taken me two and a half hours to get to work (a journey of 10 miles). And there is worse to come, so patientgardener, your son's wish may come true tomorrow. I'm sitting here in the office seriously wondering if I'll get home tonight.
You photos are beautiful, wonder what all those plants are going to look like once the snow is gone!
Victoria, what lovely pictures. You have had a lot more snow than us but for some reason the traffic on the main road had ground to a halt this morning. This is in a very rural area! After about and hour and 5 miles I gave up and came home! Luckily I can work from home and my boss doesn't mind too much. We keep having flurries of snow but tomorrow is unknown - depends on which forecast you watch! Hope you get home safely, a lot more snow forecast for you tonight.
Best wishes Sylvia
Welcome to my world! What you've got now is pretty much what it's like here all winter. There is something about a fresh snowfall that brings out the child in everyone (everyone who doesn't have to drive in it, that is). Enjoy the beauty of it, I'm sure it won't last long.
Pictures of snow always look so beautiful. Loved all the photos and the slideshow too.
I'm really enjoying the blog posts about the snow in London; your photos are especially cool juxtaposed with your header picture.
Beautiful photos. Western Oregon is like this too. If it snows even an inch, everything paralyzes. It's beautiful as long as you don't have to go somewhere.
This has been quite a winter for all of us--lots of extremes, even down under where they've had record high temps.
Stay warm!
It looks wet and heavy and thick! More like Scotland, wouldn't you say? Of course, I grew up in Minnesota, up north, (where we once had 30" in one day) and so 4" is nothing--but not so in London. I bet you don't even have snow plows, do you?
Hi, everyone else: Thanks for visiting and glad you enjoyed the pictures and the slideshow. I got home safely last night - in fact the trickiest bit was our road, which is quite quiet and thus still very snowy.
Benjamin: The snow is very powdery and crunchy underfoot - even more unusual for Britain, where show is usually wet and soggy. It would be lovely to go and play and it, but unfortunately I have to go to work again. (Newspapers never say: "Oh, don't bother coming in" They say: "We've got early deadlines and no staff, so get in here as fast as you can")
We don't really have snow ploughs here. We have gritters, which spread grit on the road surface. It works quite well, but in smaller roads like mine, there isn't room for a gritter (or a snow plough) to drive along.
I keep looking back at the photo second from the bottom.
Esther Montgomery
ESTHER IN THE GARDEN
This is why I love to blog; I learn new things daily. I never pictured London in snow! How pretty!
Hi Victoria, your snow even made our newscast here in TN! I love the blue cast to your photos and hope you and the kids had fun outdoors. It looks like you did!
Frances
Hi Victoria – ages ago, you let me know, or I found out, about your blog. I think you made a comment about some TV program I was on.
I have been following your blog for some months now and always enjoy your delightful ramblings. It has inspired me to create my own blog, but, being technically phobic, I have taken ages to actually get it on line – well at least I think I have?
It is called ‘Will’s Exotic Garden’ - I hope you can find it!
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