BELOW 0C

 I should have kept my mouth shut about the mild damp November we have had - it did not last and now hard frost and ice on then pond. We have winter sunrises, hungry cold birds and it is time for hibernation - myself included - but no chance.

Having moaned it is clear and sharp and beautiful out there, just cold.

But there are surprises - a flower on the philadelphus, hips on the dog rose in the wood, some leaves still not fallen and the glory of the beech hedge.

Then there is yet the glory of the liquidambar - American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum,

There is ice in the bird bath and on the pond. And it must be chilly in the little skate house my late brother in law Roy made for us. Fortunately my lady gardener has been at work tidying the flower beds.

Elsewhere it is good to see the sun again if with a finger numbing cold.

So, now I am listening to The Byrds singing My Back Pages and about to look up how to get tea stains out of a carpet - taking R up a mug of tea when fell going up the stairs. I apologised but I think she was more worries about the stain than if I was hurt.