We've been here before, haven't we?

Fast forward three months in your imagination and pretend this is blossom and not snow!!

We had another 2 or 3 inches overnight and my poor old snowman is looking a bit sad. He's developed a list and lost both eyes and his nose.

I want the snow to go, but do love looking at this glorious tracery of snow covered twigs and branches.

We can't get the car up the slope today and if it freezes tonight will be stuck in again tomorrow. However, we do have this to look at so it could be worse.

This was one of our visitors this morning.

I have never seen woodpeckers in the snow before and had a most enjoyable few minutes watching this one.

He/she shoved her head into the snow and shook it from side to side, clearing a small patch of ground and then probed her beak into the lawn in search of breakfast. You can see the snow being piled up in the above photo. I wish I had learned how to operate the video function on my camera as it would have been lovely to be able to post it.

Here she/he is at the start of another clearing session.

If that beak can make holes in a tree trunk, I imagine a frozen lawn is not going to pose any problems. I can't say whether any breakfast was found but I do hope so. It is such a handsome bird.
.

I did get to our group meeting yesterday, and a good time was had by all. Only two of the group were unable to get there which was amazing considering the conditions. My husband drove us (we gave a lift to a friend and fellow member), parked on the slope outside our hostess's house and very sensibly put the car in reverse and turned the wheels to the kerb. I got out and went to help my friend out of the back of the car, when I realised it was still moving! Fortunately it didn't move far but it just goes to show how slippery the road surfaces can be. It's a good thing the meeting was yesterday as we wouldn't have got there today. It sounds as if we have been foolhardy to attempt the journey, but it is only the side roads which are so slippery. All the main roads are quite clear.
.

I must commend our milkman, postman/lady and the refuse and recycling collectors, all of whom have managed somehow to keep delivering and collecting throughout, even if their schedules have been disrupted.