Raven Ramblings

Last week the snow started to melt. On my drive up Hartside I entered what looked like Arthur's Kingdom. There was thick mist in the Eden Valley. When I was half way up the hill the sky became clear blue and I was able to look down onto the enveloping mist with the Lakeland hills just peeping above the horizon. It was very atmospheric and spectacular.

Magical

Drifting and floating

Coming back later that day the hills were covered in a light icing sugar dusting of snow.

Looking into the Eden Valley from Hartside cafe

Another view from Hartside cafe

In places the snow was still very deep especially on the roof of the Spar in Alston.

Don't stand, don't stand too close to me

I had a walk along the Raven in Kirkoswald. This is a very interesting walk at any time of the year.The waterfall at the start of the walk.

Plenty of water from thew snow melt

Looking at the Raven through the trees.

A small weir

The meandering Raven.

Catkins.

Hazel catkins

Snowdrops.

Snowdrops growing in the leaf litter

I tree enveloped in moss.

A tree in a moss cardigan

A tree that looks like an elephant's foot.

Tread carefully

Is this a witch's hand?

Ready to grab you

A prehistoric hen's foot.

A hen footprint

Frozen ice puddles.

A lobster of ice

Look at the movement and flow.

You can see the water below the surface

The morning and evening skies are fleetingly dramatic. Stunning sunrise and sunset.

Golden morning

A peach blushed sky

The owls I made with the Kirkoswald school children are now in  the Ravenbridge Stores window. This is the notice about the display.

An owlclamation

Hello can you see me?

Excuse me, you're cramping my view

There's no need to shout.

Did you hear the one about the owl and the pussycat?

Two clever.

Well what do four and four make?

Busy doing housework.

I only just tidied up yesterday, who's making all this mess?

Stars in their eyes.

The bright lights beckon

High flier.

Branching out

There's Snow Escape

A week last Wednesday we had snow. Since then it has frozen and turned into compacted ice. The Pennine hills and the Lakeland hills look stunning and continue to do so.
Looking towards Blencathra also know as Saddleback.

The Lakeland Alps 

Round topped hills.

Folded hills

Jagged hills.

Snow emphasises shapes and contours

Valleys and peaks

Snow clad fields.

The long view

Deep crunchy snow.

This snow was 20cm deep

At the entrance to Rookin Farm.

The hill shape is like a child's drawing

We saw people sledging and skiing. In Bryson's coffee shop in Keswick there was a snow castle cake.

Cake creations

Snowdrops just peeping through the depth of snow.

Snowdrops struggling to keep cheerful

Crocus like little jets of flame struggling for air.

Two lonely crocus

Snow on the lawn that has turned to ice.

Icescape

Snowdrops in the orchard of the Artful Garden.

A carpet of snowdrops

As the ground was semi frozen I added cow muck to my vegetable beds in preparation for this year's harvest. It is best to do this when the ground is partly frozen as then you do not walk off the plot with boots clarted in mud. A little robin came to investigate for worms.

A opportunist robin

Crazie Maizie is not looking very happy in the cold weather.

 Baby it's cold outside. It's no good when you a frozen to the spot and can't adjust your clothing

This is my latest pottery tile. I have been experimenting with slip trailing.

Daffodil design

Exciting Icicles

My internet has been down for over a week hence no post last week. We have had some wild and cold weather recently.The countryside has a magical quality when everything is softened by snow.

On a trip back from Kendal near Shap quarry there were some incredible ice formations.

A river of ice

An waterfall of ice.

These icicles look like dreadlocks

The snow and ice look as though they have been poured.

Rods of ice

Amazing icicles.

Witches fingernails

The ice looks like an arm and fingernails.

Look at the contrast of the lichen on the rock and the ice

Ice daggers.

These icicles are like birds claws

Looking through the mist towards Shap quarry.

Mysterious Shap quarry

Conifer trees weighed down with snow. 

Winter wonderland

Snow on the Pennine hills emphasises the forests.

All the contours disappear with the snow

A dramatic view of sky, snow and hills.

Looking at the Pennine hills from the road to Melmerby

Spring cleaning I found this old leaflet.

Should every home have one?

On a visit to Hayes Garden Centre there was an oversize chair and spade.

Changing the scale of things always adds a new dimension

It is the time of year for marmalade making and the Seville oranges are only in the shops for a few weeks. You soak the fruit and juice overnight and them cook them the following day. The house has a comforting fruity aroma when marmalade making.

Seville oranges.

Washed oranges

Marmalade pulp.

Finely sliced oranges

Bottled marmalade.

It tastes delicious and has a good texture

I made these bird houses this week.

Birds in a row

Lovely evening skies. This one is a mackerel sky as the clouds look like the scales of a mackerel.

Indigo blue