Pretty snow in the UK

[yakalskovich]

(As to have one Urquhart-free post today:)

While The Island is groaning (rightfully so!) about Greenland having stolen the gulf stream (What does it want with it, thaw out all its Eskimo mummies like the ones from Qilakitsoq*??), the effect that all this has on the landscape is very pretty.

**ducks from all the snowballs the Brits start hurling at this unfeeling blasphemy**

*No clicky linky if you don't want to see m-things right away!! Wikipedia, as I have often remarked, likes to have gory pictures jump right at you and disturb you deeply when you look something up, and you can't ask them to take them away, because of neutrality and accuracy...

Comments

[anghara13.livejournal.com]

No snowballs from here, although I will gripe about the panic buying, the sudden desperate urge to hibernate (ie not turn up for work) and the immediate propensity for schools to close at ten minutes notice.

It's like, two inches of white stuff (and we only have about an inch here right now) and the entire country just, grinds to a slow, powdery, icy and slushy halt. Like, forever! Oh and there are the morons who think it's funny to accelerate or brake sharply on iced roads and cause seven car pile ups that leave me sitting in traffic jams while they wait to be rescued from their own stupidity..... but probably the least said about them the better.

But I have to agree, the landscape looks beautiful, truly gorgeous, so long as you're inside, with a roaring fire, a blanket, and hot chocolate!

[yakalskovich]

Yes -- but in this case, I didn't want to mock the British because it's bad enough to make international news. Of course, it's all nothing compared to Finland every winter for four to six months, but then, the Finns are used to it, their entire material culture is adapted to it (all pipes and houses well insulated, car lights wired to 'on', etc.), and they have saunas in almost every house. The Brits, on the other hand, usually don't have to deal with that sort of weather, and have no coping mechanisms in place.

[anghara13.livejournal.com]

The question is, as always, why are we so unprepared? The forecasters tell us it will happen, and yet, when it does? We're not ready! I had grit, and sand, and rock salt ready for a snowfall, I'm doing fine since my path and the pavement outside my house are done, but the council are not doing minor roads, because they are "short of supplies of grit and road salt". Why? Did they not hear the forecasts? We were warned some months ago that the weather patterns indicated a long cold winter. People should have been more aware, more prepared, and that would have stopped all this whining about it.

I am enjoying everything except the persistent need to leave work and sort things out because schools and childcare facilities are closed. My poor mother can't take much more of my son!!

[yakalskovich]

I think people don't really believe in weather forecasts all that much; and the Brits assume they never get snow, and there are no long hard winters, as a sort of principle.

The river Thames freezing over belongs in stories of the olden times, just like wolves in Scotland.-

[anghara13.livejournal.com]

Believe or not believe, at least prepare if there are warnings? I know I get frustrated when they say lovely sunny days and you plan for a barbecue that gets rained off, but, snow and ice need grit and salt and sand and it's easier to get these things in and keep them handy in case, they don't go off for a start! The shops were appalling this morning everyone cramming tins of beans and powdered milk etc. in their trolleys, I bought those before Christmas! I have bread in the freezer, and flour and yeast in case, and I know it sounds daft, but being prepared for the worst I'm having an easy time of it!

As for the Thames? Well, maybe not this year, but it could freeze again if we get a long enough spell of cold weather. Oh, and they are talking about re-introducing wolves to Scotland for ecological benefit. Soon hopefully they will stop talking and start doing!

[yakalskovich]

Then you'll get those legendary times back? Well, not everybody will cheer, but I personally might go on a guided wolf-watching tour in Scotland the year after I retire, or something... **grins**

Skating on the Thames, I'll leave to my Little Lady.

[cracicotus.livejournal.com]

These are nice, especially the snow mohawk on the car!

[yakalskovich]

Yep -- such a nice idea! I found that especially striking, too.