OneGuyFromBarlick

Winter is over so here is a new Spring topic.

The Spring or Vernal Equinox occurs on this day 20th March. On this date all points on Earth have equal day and night. For our antipodean friends, have a nice Autumn.

But it doesn't feel anything like Spring today, its been a very cold day and, there was a bit of snow this morning. Could be more to come overnight Thursday and in to Friday I'm afraid to say. And no better at the weekend.

It has been nothing like Autumn yet, with high temperatures ( had a 40 degree day only last week). Bit of a shock to open the bedroom curtains this morning then to grey skies and strong winds...though we slept without bedclothes all night due to the heat.
It is all very confusing.
The only time I feel it is Autumn is on our evening walks when the sun is getting low in the sky and those long golden tinged shadows that only occur in Autumn, appear. They give a magical glow to everything. And it is getting darker earlier...like about 8pm ( instead of 8.45pm)
Just need the temperatures to drop and for a bit of rain to fall.

Better day today in Melbourne; low 20's but it's raining YEAH! Been a long hot summer with only a couple of rainy days since November. Back to 30's here next week I believe. I feel your pain Marilyn. Hottest extended summer in a long time.

Liz

We're getting big in Melbourne! Welcome Liz tell us all about you and join in, the inhabitants don't bite.
Spring opens with a hard frost! Coldest March ever they reckon. Dry calm and very cold. Glass is still rising and is up at 29.5". A Met Office man was on the radio yesterday saying that the cold spell looks set for about another week.Latest forecast is that the rain in the SW is going to move up country today and as it hits our cold air it will become snow and heavy falls are expected here from later this afternoon all night and into tomorrow. I shall go to the butcher's today!

Heavy snow expected overnight and at times tomorrow, drifting in the gusty easterly winds. 20 cms widely and more on high ground. Take care out there.

Good call yesterday, it's snowing and blowing here in Barlick. Wendy will wake up to winter wonderland. Glass fallen to 29.3" and wind is getting up. Not a nice morning and definitely not Spring!
We got out in good time and had our usual Valley Gardens walk. Face-ache cold, snow has eased off a bit but wind is blowing it and seems to be shifting to the SE which is where all the rain is coming from which we will get as snow. They're forecasting heavy falls still so fireside is favourite. I have this mental picture of Wendy wrapped up like Mother Russia in the fields. Get back inside!

Here's a pic for Melbourne. It's just started snowing again.

Wonderland doesn't seem to be quite the right word Stanley, more like a nightmare this morning! I'm hoping to keep indoors as much as possible. The ponies will be staying in, but I am looking after two more up at Hainslack for a couple of days so I will have to venture up there a couple of times. They live out, and i have been awake half the night listening to the howling wind and worrying about them....and the poor little lambs

You've just reminded me of something Wendy. At Stainton House there used to be a wooded croft on the right hand side of the lane next to the Marton to Gargrave road. It was the site of an old lime kiln and during 1947 most of the sheep and lambs that died in that extraordinary winter on the estate were thrown into it. The bones will still be there..... Be careful going to Hainslack, preferably don't go alone. I once narrowly escaped death in heavy snow at Queensbury and I was actually on the road. I'd collapsed from Hypothermia and the way I was found was because a local farmer had sent his daughter out to get the evening paper and she tripped over me. It's easier done than you think so have a care!

Back in the warm now, but I don't think I'll be able to get there again today if it carries on like this. It is horrendous out there and Hainslack is completely exposed to the Easterly wind. Col came with me in the pick-up, it's almost total white out and drifts up to about 4ft in places. Our track has a few blockages but we managed to get out with a bit of off-roading. We have put loads of hay out in the most sheltered places just in case we can't get back. (So glad we have 4 wheel drive at times like this!)

I think the pick-up will get through this......



Did Mother Russia wear a mucky coat?? Our track goes to the left behind me...that's a scarf not a beard.

Wow.
That is amazing.

Feel free to take a bucketful or two of snow Maz.
Col did manage to dig through that drift and get the four wheel drive out. I had given the job up as hopeless and set out to walk up the hill to check on my friend's ponies. I had just started to socialize with two white van men who had been turned back because the snow plough (I hate this spell checker! it wants me to say plow..well I wont) was stuck up by the Black Lane Ends pub, when there was a toot and there was my trusty steed (and hubby too) to the rescue.
Mucky Mother...as pictured..is returning home after the trip. She is just about to lose (unknowingly, and because of her many pocket possibilties,) her mobile phone.

Snowing still in Nelson this evening, not that heavy, but continous and blowing around quite a bit and causing blizzard-like conditions on higher ground. Very cold. Looks like getting better tomorrow !!

I love the photo's. I remember it like that when I lived there.

Short intro; I lived at The Limes, on Skipton Rd 1962 to 1967. I went to Gisburn Rd Primary and Skipton Girls High. Came to Melbourne in June 1967 and have been here ever since. I must say I don't miss the weather there.

We're back to 30 to 35 deg next week in Melbourne, a bit hot for this time of year though and we would dearly love some rain.

Liz

I think these two pics tell you everything about what happened all night. It's still snowing this morning so you won't be going up to Hainslack this morning Wendy. Glad you got there and back safely, this weather is dangerous! As you can see it's still snowing and thank God most people can stay indoors as it's Saturday. Stove cleaned out and stoked. Jack and I will be going no further than is necessary!

Wendyf wrote:Feel free to take a bucketful or two of snow Maz.
Col did manage to dig through that drift and get the four wheel drive out. I had given the job up as hopeless and set out to walk up the hill to check on my friend's ponies. I had just started to socialize with two white van men who had been turned back because the snow plough (I hate this spell checker! it wants me to say plow..well I wont) was stuck up by the Black Lane Ends pub, when there was a toot and there was my trusty steed (and hubby too) to the rescue.
Mucky Mother...as pictured..is returning home after the trip. She is just about to lose (unknowingly, and because of her many pocket possibilties,) her mobile phone.

Am I transcribing this correctly?
You walked off in blizzard conditions saying you were checking on ponies, but ended up at the pub where you were trying to pick up two blokes and hubby came to find you..( just in time by the sounds of it)...though by this stage ( two sheets to the wind?) you had lost your mobile and were astounded at how many pockets you had in your puddle suit? I should think the spell checker is the least of your worries. You have some explaining to do lass...

Funniest post this year. I think you have her in a corner Maz! (I was too much of a gentleman to refer to these matters of course....)
Latest forecast shows snow spreading south. Expect screams of agony from the capital in the near future.....
Jack and I got out early for our walk at 05:45 and we went all the way round Valley Gardens. There's about 6" in a straight fall but lots of drifting which is far deeper. Hard work walking and we were on our own!

The everyday tales of country folk eh? Don't be worrying about my phone, (I'm sure you are...) When I went back to look for it Alfie stuck his paw in the snowdrift and there it was.
It's twice as bad out there this morning. Going to have to dig the hens out..their house is almost covered.

Colin! Colin!...She is off again.
This time it is ( wink wink) the chickens..
Dig that 4 wheel drive out and head her off at the gate before she meets those blokes.
( I think she has gone a bit funny with the weather conditions...one has to admire the dogged determination though)

Can't even see the road this morning...

Digging the hens out.

10 foot snow drifts around Laneshaw Bridge, Foulridge, Lidgett in Colne and Cowling areas. No doubt deep drifts over tops of Nelson too. It has stopped snowing but there is still a gusty bitter easterly wind blowing the snow about. No signs of milder weather.

No extra snow after about mid day yesterday. Very hard frost overnight and conditions underfoot are dreadful. Glass is on 29.5". No improvement in sight next week so it looks like another cold weather payment to match the £25 I got last week. This is very hard weather and this March will be the coldest for at least 50 years. Check on condensate drainage pipes from CH systems, just the right weather to freeze them up and knock your heating out.
Clocks change to BST on March 31st!

O.M.G.
That is miserable looking weather!
I officially feel sorry for you all. I suppose it is no fun trying to get wet stuff dry either...
Do hope the hens were ok.

Maz, the one good thing at the moment is that it's dry cold because nothing has thawed. However, that makes it terrible underfoot. Jack and I have been out and the pavements are shot ice. We trolled round on the Green until he had presented me with two deliveries, bagged and tagged. He will not explode before dinner time! Wind is easterly and bitter, wind chill must be at least -8C and probably down to -10 at times. No respite in sight and I have had the luxury of a blast of CH on top of the stove. Cosy in here at least! Definitely not Spring weather!