the Wight Stuff

Snow does not settle very often in Southampton, due to our proximity to the coast and possibly the extra geothermal energy that is used to generate heat for some parts of the city. However, the storm dubbed the Beast from the East did its best, closing many schools and roads. This left children free to sledge down the steepest hills and fill each others clothes with the freezing white stuff. Lovely!

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that most children will be fascinated by dinosaurs and fossils. My son has always been interested in gem stones and geodes. We visited the Isle of Wight, on a wet and windy March day, to try our hands at some amateur palaeontology. We had the added advantage of a brilliant guide from the Island Gems company.

Felicity, our guide, informed us about the unique geology of this part of the coast and then told us what we should look out for. The weather did not dampen out enjoyment one jot, and or the next two hours we wandered the beach, collecting interesting finds and checking them with Felicity. 
We found fossilised wood embedded with glittering Fool's Gold, dinosaur bones, shells, fish bones, sponges and even a piece of turtle shell (all fossilised). The highlight of the tour was probably the gigantic Iguanadon foot casts that littered the beach, but we could not take these home, unlike our personal hoards of fossils and geodes.

A couple of years ago we visited the Oceanography open day last year, where we met some friends of the forager, who had visited the Agglestone after reading about it here and they kindly directed us to a beach on the Island that is known for these sparkling gems. We did not have time to reach it this time, we had to visit a model village, but we will be returning with tents and hammers later this year.

Spring Snow Storms

I know very little about the distance between stars, or the motives of Pepys, but I can always smell the Summertime at the latest by early Spring. 

We are currently bracing ourselves for a big snow-storm, this morning it was -8 when I got on my bike to commute to work. There will be plenty of cold and frost yet to come but the signs are all there, among the flora and fauna.

Plum blossom is beginning to bloom on the branches and this is always my personal first sign of the approaching Spring.

This Winter I have been enjoying the occasional medicinal glass of last year's  Elderberry Port or Vin de Noix to stave of  any colds or other ills. 

The Cider is going down well too, although the Perry still needs a month or so more to age. The Mulberry Gin seems to be vanishing into the ether, evaporating my wife might suggest!

The Pear and Walnut Chutney, a huge personal favourite is still making a regular appearance in the fridge. It goes so well with cheese and perks up my lunchtime sandwiches a treat.

We still have bucket-loads of Hazelnuts and Walnuts left, despite my best efforts to nibble through our hoard during the chilly, dark evenings. So, I think we need to spend some time shelling a whole big load, and then make lots of flapjack and chocolate brownies. It shouldn't be too difficult to persuade the kids to help with that job...

Battered Britain

For the last two months the UK has been overcast, extremely windy and very, very wet. It was officially the wettest, warmest December ever. We have hardly glimpsed the sun and yet it has still been unseasonably warm (the last time I said that we had snow the following week). The North and West has undoubtedly had the worst of the weather but floods and damage have been widespread.

However, a wise person once said, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” So, we have still been out exploring, wrapped up in waterproofs and Wellington-boots. I have been even been gathering apples in January (!) I found them on the ground beneath a tree but they were still quite edible.

Charmouth, The Dark Area is the Landslip

We visited Devon during the Xmas break and witnessed some spectacular seas as they battered the South. Fossil hunters were out in force along the Jurassic coast, where storms have been causing massive landslides. A huge section of cliff collapsed across the beach, causing considerable danger but also bringing out new finds for the enthusiasts. I even filmed a miniature landslip in action.

Even sunny Southampton has had more than its share of storms, the wind at times has been ferocious and the rain torrential. Many local rivers have burst their banks and flooded the surrounding areas but thankfully the majority of the residential areas have been spared.

I'm not going to make any predictions about the signs of Spring, we haven't even seen any signs of Winter yet!

Wrap Up Warm

It might not seem like it, as you dig your way out of several fathoms of bone-cold snow, but the wheel of the year is inexorably tuning toward Springtime. Winter though, is always a lovely time to go for a wild walk and picnic, just be sure to wrap up well. So, dig out your boots, woollies and waterproofs. On recent expeditions to the New Forest, we found several ancient apple trees to add to the map and of course some truly splendid oaks.

Just Look at the Girth on That (photo by Kevin Jenkin)

The days are getting longer; we are one third of the way from Mid-Winter to the Vernal Equinox after all. Soon I may not need to turn my bike lights on as I cycle my chilly, wet way to and from work. 

There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather-Only Inappropriate Clothing

Today I noticed the bright jewel-like buds and flowers of crocuses, just beginning to poke their heads above the frosty grass parapets - always a sight to brighten the heart. 

My Mum has daffodils in flower in her garden but I'm sure this is just a freak occurrence. Catkins, the dangling flowers of the Hazel tree are also making an appearance, much to the delight of children everywhere.

A Frozen Shower of Catkins

Snowballs and Sledges

Needless to say, as soon as I mention that snow never settles in Southampton, it snows all night and all day, lays thickly and the city is brought to a standstill by the relentless blizzard!

All the schools were closed and the gleeful yelps and screams of cheerful snow covered children, ambushing each other up and down the streets, could be heard constantly throughout the morning.

By lunchtime all was all quiet on the Western front, the children were all frozen to their bones with soggy socks and frostbitten fingers. It was still snowing hard outside, as the coats and gloves dried out on the radiators and the frigid digits wrapped around cups of hot chocolate gradually thawed.

After some grub and warming of the extremities, everyone was back at it again. Epic snowball fights evolved all along the road. Boys Vs Girls, Kids Vs Adults, Family Vs Family, it didn’t seem to matter much.

Frozen Ducks Dodging Pack Ice

There were occasional tears, when someone got a facefull of snow or a soggy shot straight down the neck, but they were soon revived with a quick towelling and sent back out into the fray until the battle gradually petered out as the light faded.

The forecast said that it would continue all day and probably not abate over the weekend. Obviously, it was time to break out the thick socks and sledges!

The following day a gang of us headed out to Shawford Down, the main roads were thankfully clear, and the journey was safe. The massive hill had been well used by local children the day before and was looking a bit worse for wear but it was still frozen so the sledges were soon flying along.

Spontaneous snowball fights broke out all over the place and zooming sledges made textbook targets. The sledgers could neither stop nor dodge the chilly-fingered assassins, as they slid toward their snow-spattered destiny.

A Direct Hit (Tee Hee)!

Amid the chaos on the slopes I spotted a tiny shrew darting about in the snow, doing the best he could to dodge the pandemonium that had descended on his home. I scooped him up in my gloves and deposited him somewhere more peaceful, amongst some grass.

Eventually it was time to get back home to thaw out and have some warm tea. Today it remains cold, there is still snow and ice everywhere and my snowball arm is aching from overuse!

Sledges and Snowballs

That One Just Missed Me

That Warm December and January has now been kicked into history by a sustained cold spell. This gave us hard frosts and very low temperatures for a few weeks. Sometime it was so dry that there was no frost but it was still very cold.

Ready To Run

Then finally the snow came, the children were excited when it began but in Southampton the white stuff often does not settle. I’m never sure whether this is due to our proximity to the sea or the little known fact that the city is partly heated by geothermal energy…

Zooooom (see the video below)...

That’s right, Southampton used to be a spa town in the Victorian age! Now though the hot water is drawn up from a mile or so beneath the surface to heat the city and I’ve always suspected that those hot rocks are what prevent the snow from settling. I can still remember in my youth, seeing a distinct line right across the common with snow to the north and grass to the south.

When I recently ventured to Winchester to see a gig, I noticed snow had settled by the train station while there was none at home. So the next day we drove to Farley Mount with our sledge, fortunately the hill faced away from the sun and the snow was still dry and packed – perfect for sledging and not too busy!

It Will Be Good Hazelnutting Here Later

We had a great day out - the kids were happy and exhausted by the time we left. Farley Mount is a fun place to visit any time but the layer of snow made it even more magical.

A Christmas Card For Next Year Perhaps