Rain and Fog...

this morning... and a 'warm' 5 degrees celcius...





start to an experiment with fabric paint...

Boxing Day

A beautiful boxingday sunrise which I missed by about ten minutes.... Still..a beautiful new, if very frosty day.



Frost on the roads..



and a curious Rafael looking down onto the beach... what is he looking at?



aha.. the seagulls flying up from their morning breakfast on the sands, disturbed by early dog walkers!

Merry Christmas !

Merry Christmas everyone !



I am wishing for all a wonderful and peaceful time.

Blustery icecold winds....

sweeping up the waves....



battering the harbour wall...



and do you see those two people standing there? and that van driving along the wall?



rather them than me!!

Inside the fire is roaring and if I don't have to go out (which I will,on a station pickup...) I will stay in!! Brrrrr....... (no snow though, just windchill. yuk too..)

All good things come to an end...

Time for Maria to leave.. a last look at Ramsgate Harbour..



Last warming hot chocolate at the cafe before leaving on the bus...



Maria's mum Dee has been lobbying for a photo of the two of us... here you are Dolores! (although I don't like having my photo taken! much happier behind the camera:-)



Yum, yum, yum, yum.... (Maria's had marshmallows hidden under all that cream too!!)



I think she was enjoying that... don't you??



Come back soon Maria!

and Sunday.....

Maria accompanied me on my morning walk, which was very nice! Snow was still lying on the ground, lots of ice too and freezing temperatures....



Wintry scenes in the park with dogwalkers look great though.



And Rafael had a ball snuffling in the snow on top of the cliffs!



We walked over the cliffs to Broadstairs..



Maria in front of Viking Bay;



Viking Bay all under the snow still!



We took the path at the bottom of the cliffs to go back home,



Again, Rafael running around happy as Larry!



Icy waters lapping at the foot of the cliffs.. no swimming today! (brrr....)



Someone eloquently informed us of today's conditions.. So if you hadn't got the picture yet.. here is the summary!!

Saturday......

All was well in the morning..... a beautiful sunrise...



and a clear day.



A snowstorm drifted in from the sea, but stayed offshore..



it tried to snow ... but after a few flakes... that was it!!



So... as Maria, who is staying with me at the moment, really wanted to see Dover Castle, off we went to Dover! Where we met an almost empty (but open)castle, with enthousiastic guides everywhere who were glad to see a living soul!!




It was VERY cold however, so wrapping up was the order of the day.... (Maria is in there somewhere!)



The King's bed with real grey squirrel fur, looked very inviting...



Then.... REAL snow started to fall with a vengeance and we hurried home...



"Where's the road gone?" situation a one point...



but we never really were in any danger (do not worry Dee!!) and made it home absolutely fine!