It's been a tough job keeping up with the weather changes lately.
This was Thursday last week. I was only able to get out for a very short "breather" around noon, as in the afternoon I had to start preparing for my hospital appointment the next day (involving keeping very close to the bathroom...)
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| Evidence of "Mr Hare" having visited during the night/morning... |
More snow fell during the night to Friday, but as mentioned in a previous post, I had pre-booked a taxi, which took me smoothly (and on time) to the hospital in the morning.
Afterwards (around noon), I felt well enough to take the bus back home. There is one that runs all the way between the hospital to my neighbourhood - a "sightseeing detour", but no change of bus. And by now I felt I could do with a bit of "air" as well, including walking the last 4-500 m back home from the bus stop.
Looking back towards the bus stop where I got off the bus.
Looking in the direction I was headed. The pavement neither ploughed nor sanded. They've had a hard time catching up with such "details" here this winter...
Walking on towards the pedestrian crossing by that white building. (Not a day to try and cross the road anywhere else!)
And then
back a bit on the other side of the road, to this little shop...
... where I was able to buy some fresh fruit and vegs to tide me over the weekend.
On Saturday I woke up to more snow again. A lot more snow! After ploughs had been round, I ventured out in the afternoon, bringing my Sony camera for a change - it hasn't got much exercise since I got the new phone last spring. It really was a day of "White Magic". I took lots of photos, but alas I had somehow managed to get some dirt on the lens, which I did not realise until uploading the photos to the computer at home... The speck of dirt was to one side, though, so it was possible to cut it out from most photos - but it meant a lot of editing! These below are a selection - I snapped a lot of very similar photos.
On Sunday, time for a change towards milder weather again... Strong winds blowing, most of the snow on the trees fell to the ground early on, and it started thawing on the ground as well.
Yesterday morning this was the rather depressing view from my windows:
Just thankful I did not need to go out at all! (From what I saw of other people attempting it, walking was very far from "safe" that day...)
It continued raining through the night, and this morning there was almost a hint of spring in the air... But still quite a bit of random slush and ice left on the streets. I was happy to have a load of groceries delivered to my door (around noon)...
In the afternoon I ventured out for about half an hour, though. I'd not been to the recycling station for a couple of weeks, so made that the goal of my walk - as there's quite a big risk of the weather turning once again, and throwing more snow down upon us.
Alas I found the recycling place a sorry sight at the moment. I really don't understand my fellow human beings sometimes...! (I snapped the photo below for an online report - which is what that sign to the right tells us to do, when needed.)
I think my favorite of all the photos are the hare footprints! Also the beautiful photos right after you mention the camera lens smudge. Hard to believe they cannot keep up with treating the streets, since this kind of weather is common there in the winter.
ReplyDeleteGinny, the main roads always get priority; and as for sidewalks, many are the responsibility of the private house owners along them rather than "the town", which means it can vary a lot...
Deleteyour city is hardly recognizable in these photos. I can tell on some of them, others it is like a different place. More proof how beautiful sunshine makes everything. Glad you were safe and got all your food stuff. i bet the first meal was really enjoyed after those few days you went through. what are people thinking about trash like that. makes no sense and that problem is world wide
ReplyDeleteYou're right Sandra - snow really does transform how one perceives a place - whether in town or in the countryside.
DeleteThe trees and their branches and the snow, what beautiful scenes you share. The hospital procedure you mentioned, here in the US you are required to have someone you know drive you home. Which I think is not necessary.
ReplyDeleteThanks Terra. Here we're not allowed to drive ourselves afterwards (as one is usually given a kind of sedative). As I have no car, driving was not an option for me anyway - but I for one would strongly advise against driving oneself TO the hospital as well. (I felt a lot more "wobbly" and weak and anxious before, than I did afterwards.) Considering the weather, taxi seemed a better option for me than trying to arrange something with a friend. As for how to get home, I waited until I was back down in the hospital foyer to decide (bus or taxi). I felt quite all right though, and the sun was shining, so it just felt good to get out for a bit. (Had I felt too tired, I would have called a taxi again.)
DeleteI love the birdhouse on the snow-covered tree! You chose a perfect winter's day for your "camera walk", and timed it right.
ReplyDeleteWe've had pretty much similar ups and downs here, too, only with a lot less snow.
The city of Ludwigsburg has stopped years ago salting/clearing roads such as where I live, and they have never been responsible for pavements; it's up to the residents to keep that clear of snow and ice. One year when the roads were covered in snow and ice, the rubbish collection trucks could not make it into the narrower residential streets such as where my sister lives, and their rubbish was not collected for WEEKS.
It's all down to lack of funds and staff.
Besides, as long as it is not icy underneath, walking on a layer of snow is often a lot better grip-wise than on a pavement that has been scraped clean more or less thoroughly.
Meike, here too pavements are usually the responsibility of the owners of the properties along them. But some properties also belong to the city; and there are also combined walkways and cycle paths which I'm pretty sure are also the city's responsibility... So no always easy to know!!
DeleteWhat a beautiful blog you have. I love Mr Hare's paw prints and all the snowy photos, especially the set with your camera. I'm also trying to take my camera out more often
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and commenting, Mandy!
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