Saturday, December 31, 2011

A Frosty Walk to the Post Office

There are two ways to the post office from where we live. The shortest and most direct route is to go straight down Main Street, past several blocks of houses and businesses, with constant traffic for company.

Then there is the road less travelled - a circuitous route which winds through the neighbourhood and out into open country, finishing up on a quiet back lane which eventually leads to the post office.

Guess which route I prefer?

Having a birthday card to post, a head fuzzy with fatigue, and some tens of thousands of Christmas calories to work off, I set out with card and camera this morning to combine virtue with economy, and get a bit of fresh air and exercise. Snow fell yesterday, and today's sky is grey with clouds and damp.

The twigs and grasses are all furred with frost. Some look like velvet:


And some like lace.


The chains under this parked semi remind me of corsets.


Frosted grapes hang from a chain-link fence...


 ...and their wild vine loops and curls along the wire.


The trees look blurred and softened in the moistness of the air.



Even the plainest weeds on the verge are glorified by their coating of frost.



Champagne-coloured grasses stand out against a misty backdrop of bare branches...


...and glimmer with dainty fairy-like beauty before this bright blue-sided house.



A weed hanging out over the curb has a stylized, elegant line.


This small tree stands naked and dignified in the snow...


...in the lacy shadow of its larger brothers...


...while dappled leaves lie around their feet.


Back in the neighbourhood, oaks rustle leathery brown leaves which will hang on until spring.


This snowy stepping-stone leads seemingly nowhere.


Snow on the side of the water tower (which I always thought was white) looks like Chantilly lace over pale blue velvet.


Since the sidewalks are icy and I forgot my Yaktrax, I stay on the grass until I get home.


Full of fresh air, I'm awake and ready to tackle the housework. I could have put the card in the mailbox for the carrier to pick up - but this was much more fun.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

14 comments:

  1. Oh, yes, much more fun! Thank you for this beautiful walk. We had a gray day but above freezing, so no beautiful frosty designs. Your prose is so lovely, and the observation about the truck chains made me laugh. All they need is some fishnet stockings to complete the outfit.

    I wish you happiness and health in the new year, Sue! xxoo

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  2. What a lovely wintry walk. I am so envious that you have cold weather! We have just had the second mildest December ever and I crave cold, biting cold and frost and snow. I just don't do heat and normally winter sets me up for summer. So far most day's temps have been in double figures centigrade and we are out and about without coats, when it isn't raining that is. And talking of out and about I have whippets to walk and I think I can see a gap in the clouds.

    Happy New Year Sue, and may 2012 bring peace, health and prosperity to you and all you hold dear x

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  3. Happy New Year - from Hungary!!!

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  4. Brr, it looks cold where you are and some it's coming our way, they say. Great pictures but I'm cold now, time for more coffee.

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  5. What a lovely walk, great images too. No snow or frost here but I am grateful for that.

    Happy New Year to you and yours.

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  6. Ah yes, the difference making road less traveled. :-)

    Love the chain photo.

    HNY!

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  7. What a lovely trip. I do wish we'd get some proper winter weather before it is over - it would be a shame not to have any snowy walks like yours. All the best for a wonderful 2012. Juliex

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  8. Beautiful pictures and I particularly like your lovely descriptions! No snow for us ... yet. We live in hope, but so far rain, rain and more rain. Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing your snow!

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  9. What a lovely winter picture....The snow fog on the stems are giving velvetty look to the plants.

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  10. Brrrr, it looks cold. I like picture #6 best. It sounds a pleasant way to post a letter.

    Happy New Year!

    Anne.

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  11. I tried to download this at home over the weekend, but my slow dial-up robbed me of several photos, and I knew, I just knew, I didn't want to miss a single one. I was right! I think the grapes are my favorite, but I do love them all. I love to discover things in winter and wish I had more time and more daylight so I could capture them as you have!

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  12. I've just found your blog (from a Snowcatcher comment, I think), and do hope to make yours a regular visit from now on. Your photo lace, especially the Chantilly lace in blue and white, makes me wonder where my knitted lace has gotten to. Thank you for a lovely walk!

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  13. I love a chilly walk - bundled up of course!

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