Winter meets Autumn head on

Eight days ago:  lunch outside in thin tee shirts: a garden umbrella protected us from the bright hot sun.

Seven, six, five, four, three, two, days ago.  Rain.  Rain.  More rain.  Heavy, chilly gusts choking the streets and drains with fallen leaves.  More rain.

One day ago.  Snow.  The first snow – and in advance of the first winter frost too.  Not a lot, but enough to rest heavily on fading garden plants, weighing down leaves and bowing stems.

This morning, we knew we’d need to get out early to beat the rain, which was threatening yet again.  I didn’t take my camera because I thought the mountains would be shrouded in foggy mist.  They weren’t.  The lower peaks, and even the much lower hills of the Plantaurel peeked through a thin layer of snow that dusted trees and painted the rocky and grassy slopes a severe white.  I dashed back for my camera.  Five minutes? Ten?  Long enough for the misty clouds to drop down and dump themselves on the snowy hilltops like squashy berets, hiding them from view.

And then, straight away, the rain again.  That’s what we’ve had all day, streaming along the gutters, making splashy garden puddles, dripping incessantly from the trees and down our necks as we walk underneath.  I continued my early morning walk regardless though, and caught what may be the last few days of Autumn colour, though little enough of the snow, which is there somewhere, under those bonnets of mist and cloud.

Snow on the Plantaurel behind Laroque.
A wet cow: a local cow, a Gascon. They’re used to it.
Mist over the Plantaurel
A neapolitan slice of snow, evergreens, autumnal trees and grass
A soggy walk along the Voie Verte
And the view from the path
Back on the road: Laroque
The mist hits ground level
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Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

20 thoughts on “Winter meets Autumn head on”

  2. Wow, and I thought Yorkshire weather was changeable!
    Do you try and get out for a walk every day, whatever the weather?

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  3. I love the ‘squashy bonnets’ phrase! Like you we’ve had a very mild autumn, the leaves have hardly dropped and the geraniums are sill in full throttle. But the forecast for next week… so yesterday the winter duvet got swapped in, plants now sheltered, winter walking coats washed and re-waterproofed and the fruit is in soak for the Christmas cake. Winter is officially here at Nelson House!

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    1. You mean you haven’t DONE your Christmas cake? Did ours 3 weeks ago, with a French friend, and thanks for reminding me, it needs ‘feeding’ today. And our geraniums are still out too. But not for very much longer. Too wet to garden today though.

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      1. Ok ok I know it’s late – it’s been a very hectic and a tad fraught few weeks here (as you can tell by lack of blogging) and set to continue until early next year.

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  5. ………….love grey, rainy days, laze around in a worn out old pijama – but go for a long walk as you do – you must miss England …..? AnnAxxx

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  7. ……….well that’s the point = here on the coast – rainy grey days have to be looked out for………..xxx

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  8. Poor little wet Gascon!
    We’ve had a bit of rain these past couple of days. Not sure what’s coming. I never pay attention to weather reports!

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    1. You do right. Three weather reports will report three different sets of conditions round these parts. And that poor Gascon will never be dry again, methinks

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