It was -3 degrees in the night. It was still -3 degrees, at nearly nine o’clock in the morning. But I started my walk anyway. Right here in the garden, next to this hellebore.
Here were the pleasures of scrunching through crisp, frosty grass. Through small puddles, frozen solid. Watching long shadows extend the trunks of trees across the width of a field. Sheep doing their best to scratch a breakfast from the hoary grass. Bracken with delicately rimed edges. A car on the roadside, blinded by Jack Frost’s artwork.
The sun rose and despite the cold, quickly burnt off the chilly white from the fields. The newborn lambs, which I’d hoped to spot in West Tanfield had been kept indoors – I could hear their plaintive bleating in barn. Instead – winter blossom, catkins, and a sky-blue sky.
This is my contribution to Ragtag Daily Prompt: Frosted. And though I walked on a Wednesday, posted on a Saturday, to Jo’s Monday Walk.
As ever, to view any image full size, simply click on it.
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
Ahhhh. I’m feeling suitably chilled out now.
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Chilled out? Or chilly 😉 ?
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The first, but working on the second, Margaret. 🙂
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Beautiful!
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Thank you. Itt was a lovely morning.
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Oh, so pretty, in chilly sort of way! I do love those frosty conditions, for picture taking, if nothing else. The bottom row of b&w photos really appeal to me–love the tire marks!
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I rather liked the tyres too, and the frosted car window. Neither were scenes from the natural world. Ah well….
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What a contrast in the weather you documented, particularly enjoyed your final photograph.
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That was almost the end of the walk. It was sunny, bright, and quite made me forget the cold.
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That’s a lovely hellebore – almost primrose yellow. I accidentally killed my favourite two last year by going away and leaving them – one of them was a similar colour. It’s funny how often they seem to be looking at one another.
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I never knew a hellebore could die of loneliness! Seriously, I thought they were quite tough, though the flowers almost seem to converse together.
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They do! It was the mix of loneliness and drought that proved lethal. I had left them in large pots, anticipating some rain would fall, but it was too dry.
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So long as we’re alive to celebrate it, Margaret 🙂 🙂 I think I need a hot chocolate with Baileys. Many thanks!
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Lovely collection of frosty photos – they really do convey the chilliness. Brr.
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It was frosty. But a lovely bright day too. Perfect. Just as winter should be.
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Beautiful! I, like others, like the tyre tracks. At first glance, I thought it was a reflection in a mirror – so symmetrical. I miss that cold winter weather – it’s stickily warm where I am and forecast to get downright hot.
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We’re not getting much’proper’winter which is why I was keen to get out there. On foot. The car tracks aren’t mine!
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Beautiful!
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It was. Thanks.
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The frost certainly lifts the hellebore to a new height, such beautiful blooms captured so charmingly.
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They are rather photogenic, aren’t they?
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The frosted hellebores are fantastic – my car when I was in a hurry, less so!
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Ah, chilly mornings, chilly cars. Not a winning combination.
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I haven’t yet seen any signs of new growth here, everything is keeping heads down. I did however see a red squirrel out in the snow looking for a buried hoard.
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Ah, lucky you! We just have grey bovva boys.
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