Brrrrr!

We have been deluged by snow! Nothing like as bad as some of my blogging friends in the States, but still, for this usually balmy corner of Southern England, it's quite startling to see great gusts and sweeps of snow fly past the window, and bank up against the doors

Wol is huddled in his cage looking disconsolate - for a creature who started his life in Zimbabwe it must be rather chilling

The well with its varied guardians is gradually getting humpier and humpier

 there are ripply icicles developing as the fine snow streams past

 and snow patterns cling to the bricks as the catkins shiver in the wind

the courtyard pink is looking rather lovely against all the white, and I'm hoping all the plants will at least benefit from the soft blanket around their necks as the temperature drops to  -2 degrees

though the little daffs in their pots are struggling to hold their heads up

The birds are very glad we provide them with extra food. I was amused by this blackbird, politely queuing while the starling, gobbles up the fat. However starlings don't really understand politeness or queuing; the hoodies of the avian world, they fight and squabble and peck and shout at each other, so poor blackbird flew off to another food source in the end, patience all used up.

I am very glad we provide them with food as well - it is a never ending pleasure to watch them come and go, all a flutter and busily bobbing about even in the snow, a privilege that I treasure