Notes from Nick!

Snow Fall

In our small corner of this high tech, high definition modern world I woke to find the cold grey light of dawn creeping into our bedroom through a crack in the curtain. This thief in the night appeared to have stolen the very modernity of our world.

As I stood drinking my steaming cup of coffee I watched and listened to the constant complaining of Blackbirds trying to find perches not covered by the deep snow. I opened the chicken run. A single bird popped its head out of the door and must have decided that snow was not good weather for chickens. There was no further interest.

I drove to work through a transformed landscape. All the vibrant colours had been stolen in the night and replaced with a monochromatic vision which would have been recognisable by past generations. Many of man's footprints temporarily erased. Roads, tracks, old railway lines, farm machinery and derelict buildings all hidden away under a deep blanket of snow.

I past a Buzzard perched on his telegraph pole; sulking, head buried deep in his inflated plumage, scowling at the steadily falling snow. The fields populated with nonchalant Herdwicks oblivious to the snow caught in their thick winter fleeces; their backs to wind, busily foraging for their next meal. I passed Yew Tree tarn and the ducks contemplating a days ice-skating.

I had no time to stop and play with other road users in what appeared to be a game of Snakes and Ladders with cars. They rushed up hills seemingly making progress only minutes later to slip and slide all the way back to their start point.

I dropped down through Colwith where the road turned into an amazing tunnel. The straining boughs of snow-laden trees dropping down to meet the snow covered walls and road below. Nothing seemed to be stirring in this stunningly beautiful landscape. I felt I must have some how stepped briefly into Narnia.

I was met at Langdale by a customer concerned by the lateness of his newspaper. He seemed oblivious to the world around him. I felt a little sorry for him. Why would you want to break the magic of that morning? I felt that it was an unseemly haste to rediscover our high tech, high definition world.

Regards,

Nick