Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem. ~ William Hamilton Gibson

We woke to find that a dusting of snow had covered our world during the night. By the time I looked out and noticed the snow it was almost 7am and the morning traffic had already reclaimed the road which had a slushy grey appearance in contrast with the white pavements and gardens. The parked cars were still swathed in blankets of white, the snow gave the street a gentler magical appearance but it would not last. Soon the world would be awake and the unspoilt snow would be crushed underfoot and reality would chase away the magic. 

I thought about my daughter who was just leaving the house to drive to her teaching placement in Corby I hoped that she would have a safe journey. My other daughter did not have very far to drive so I was less worried about her and thankfully Robbie was working at home today so I could keep an eye on him and hopefully make sure that he stayed safe. He fell over in the snow just before Christmas when he was working in Darlington and he hurt himself quite badly so I can't help worrying about him.

At about 11am snow began falling again, at first it was not very much but before long it was snowing heavily and it looked as if it had come to stay. I had an earlier start at work than usual,so I had to get all my errands done despite the snow. The roads were a bit slippery but not too bad and I managed to get everything done. The snow seemed to give Robbie a wanderlust and he asked if I could drop him at the station on my way to work. He said he wanted to mix business with pleasure and spend a few hours 'out and about' on the railways. I couldn't say no, I just hoped that he would stay safe and not fall over. He returned safe and sound with some lovely photos.

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event.  You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?  
                                                        J.B. Priestley

White Rabbits

Photo by Fish

When I was a child I was always told that on the first of the month the very first thing I should say was 'white rabbits'. It never really made any sense to me, but apparently this ritual somehow brought good luck. I guess I have never been superstitious, I couldn't imagine how a white rabbit could bring good luck. We had pet rabbits when I was young, mine was black and white female with attitude (all the women in our family are a force to be reckoned with) and my brothers was a big placid white rabbit called Skippy. He was a big softy, he was gentle and he liked to be petted there was just one problem, he didn't like my grandma. Their cages were mounted on the wall one above the other with Skippy on top. My grandma was not very tall (under 5ft) so she had to reach up to Skippy's cage  when she went out to feed the rabbits. Skippy would do a turn jump and urinate on her head every time he saw her. That particular white rabbit certainly didn't bring my grandma much luck and he made life miserable for us too because my grandma had plenty to say about it - we never heard the last of it!


When I began this entry it was my intention to write about a different white rabbit. The rabbit in question appeared in our garden a few days ago much to my son's amusement. He thinks I have some sort of Dr Dolittle thing going on, after all most people don't have white rabbits turning up at their back door uninvited. We still have our feline lodger, she turned up and just moved in and of course Dave turned up as a stray a few years ago. According to the vet 'the lodger' is a probably a long term stray, we haven't been able to find her original owners so we are trying to find a new home for her. Fortunately the white rabbit was easier to deal with, it lived in the road behind us, but it had decided to make a tour of local gardens. Thanks to my son it was caught and returned to the safety of it's own garden. Robbie wasn't at home when the rabbit turned up, but when he heard about it he vowed that if one more animal moves in with us he would move out!

Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together - Vista M. Kelly

Saturday afternoon brought snow, not just a flurry that didn't last, this was the determined kind that intended to stay. I'm not fond of snow because it makes all the ordinary but essential things such as going to work and shopping for food more difficult to do. By Sunday morning our world was covered in 4 inches of white and my car was lost under a shroud of snow. It took nearly 15 minutes to clean it off and get ready to drive. It was a bit of a challenge to get off the drive (and a bigger challenge to get back on) the side roads were a bit scary, but once I got on to the main roads it was OK.


I have to admit that a covering of snow makes our world look beautiful, and other members of the family had great fun in the snow.

The future lies before you, like paths of pure white snow. Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show 

(author unknown)