Warming Up...

Time to pack those skates away until next winter perhaps?! It's more obvious in the top picture, but to the left of the bottom picture you can just about see the sheets of broken ice collecting at the side of the boardwalk. This morning was the first time I noticed that the birds are back at the lake in abundance, back from their winter breaks in warmer climes...it's definitely warming up!

I would also like to wish my Grandfather a very happy 90th Birthday today, a very respectable age indeed! I know he will be reading this at some point as he is actually more technically advanced than me! We hope you have a lovely day and sorry we can't be with you. xxx

Slow Sunday...

The most energetic we got today was a leisurely walk across the lake this afternoon. There were plenty of people out and about making the most of the sun and the frozen lake, it made for some great people watching (and scenery appreciating - the skies are just beautiful right now). Then it was back for afternoon tea with a Victoria sponge and some Lady Grey tea from good old Twinings , how very English of us. Please note however, that this is not a regular occurance in our house, although I wish it was. We had been hoping to see Danish friends this afternoon and make them a few traditional English things, but they had to cancel because their children were sick, and this wouldn't fit in the freezer. PS. how beautiful is the tea with tiny little blue cornflower petals in it?

The Ice Rink

The lake looks almost completely frozen now. Apparently it has to be 13cm thick to be safe to skate on and I haven't seen anyone on it yet, but there are a few tentative footprints around the edge. Last year's harsh winter meant that for the first time in around 14 or 15 years it was safe to skate on the lakes here, the police officially announced this just before New Year, when people had already been skating on it for a week or so! The window of opportunity is quite short as further snow creates pits and bumps on the surface making it not so easy to skate on, but it was beautiful to see (we weren't quite brave enough and had no skates last year!), and quite the opportunity for some people who made the most of it and skated across this vast lake instead of taking the half an hour drive or 4 hour walk around it!