Thaw

Not so long ago it was a daytime temperature of -15 and we were muttering how "cold this is" and "when will it end" and "I don't want to live here anymore", etc.
Now with the sun shining and the snow dramatically disappearing into one big puddle (making a right mess of what used to be called a road to our place), it's all smiles again. 
The wildlife is back too, a buzzard or two, an owl heard in a nearby tree, countless animal tracks still visible in the woodland snow.
A walk this morning through the slush and then onto untouched snowy tracks, warmth from the sun (warmth at last!), many picture-taking opportunities and a rather large dog barking us off it's property. More to explore as the season changes. 

Coldplay

The thaw is on. Springtime is approaching and after all the stiff coldness brought everything to a halt, it's now time to put plans for the year into action.
First up for me was to put my carpentry skills into action. A few screws here and there and I have created our first cold frame at Havran, another is in the production line. Having failed miserably at woodwork too many years ago this is quite a feat on a personal level. Self-sufficiency here we come! What I forget to mention is the fact that I put my foot through the first pane of glass I wanted to use..

Chilly II

To catch up..last week was very cold, very very cold. 
The outside WC was visited as in-frequently as possible, ice froze in the dog's water bowl within minutes, our water pipe to the house had to be heat-gunned everyday for us to have any flow of water, plates and cutlery were regularly warmed up in the oven of the stove just so we could even touch them whilst eating (and keeping the food on the plate warm), a half-filled glass juice bottle left in the car froze and cracked overnight, plastic water bottles freezing in the house, our toes suffering despite three pairs of woolly socks... 
When the snow came this week (and there has been a lot more than we have had before) it was a relief. The temperature has risen, birds are singing again, our dogs are more content to roll in the snow. It feels less like Winter suddenly.  

Chilly

It is cold here, like everywhere else. The snow has stayed for the last two weeks but it's the temperature which has made the news here and surrounding countries. 
It is now too cold to even check our thermometer outside (it's still close to freezing in the mornings in our open-plan kitchen construction site). You mustn't touch any metal lock or door handle outside without a glove on (otherwise an un-easy sticking sensation occurs). I am up to wearing three pairs of socks now, a hat on inside the house and occasionally a coat too. It's not easy but we know it can only get easier.