WILL WINTER EVER END?

Well yes, it will eventually, of course, and we are only in February. But we have had an incredible amount of snow this year, since December virtually non stop. Sometimes a few centimetres, sometimes a few flakes, but not a week without. Just before Christmas, the weather had been so mild, I had geraniums still in flower on my front terrace, and I have a good picture of red geraniums covered in snow! But the frosts in January soon put paid to that.



Now we have hail at some point almost every day, even when the weather looks quite mild. Yesterday, for instance, the morning looked set to be really lovely, quite mild. I organised a walk on the beach with Ellie and my friend from pottery, Marcelle. On my way to Ste Marine, to the beach, it hailed heavily, quite large stones. And then once at the beach, it was lovely again, the sun quite warm. It was Ellie's first time at the beach (Ellie is my new dachshund puppy, for those who have not been following). She didn't seem to mind the sand at all, was not interested in the water, didn't notice it in fact, but loved picking up long bits of seaweed and running off with them (I forgot my camera!). And driftwood. And shells. So definitely a success, and 40 minutes' walk in the sea air exhausted her for the rest of the day, so I had peace and quiet!


I bought salt to spread on my back terrace, which the night previously had been lethal with frozen rain. I spread the salt at 19h30 and then it started to rain. It rained all evening, washed away the salt and this morning at 6h00 when Ellie felt the urge, the terrace and steps were completely glassy, really dangerous. So I didn't even try to go down to the garden, she had to pee on the terrace, that was dangerous enough. But I've just discovered that there is about a 5°C difference between the back and the front of my house, the front terrace is not frozen at all, nor is the water in my little watering can. So she'll just have to learn to go out there for the moment without putting our lives in danger! This is all fascinating stuff isn't it!