Saturday 19 January 2013

"50 Shades of White"


After spending 15 minutes in the garden yesterday, I returned to the house feeling chilled to the bone. Today dawned without any snow falling so H and I, wrapped up warmly, and decided to venture further afield.
Not much sign of life as we set off to the woods

70 comments:

  1. Dear Rosemary,
    These are very nice photographs. I don't know about you but the snow, in making the general scenery one of white and grey tones allows other colours that we might overlook, come into their own. I was struck by this yesterday with the traffic lights on my way home from school and then as I looked at your photograph and saw the person in pink who was also out for a walk.
    It is bitingly cold here at present All this week our tops are going to be minus. At present it is -4. TIme for a cup of tea!
    Kirk

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    1. Dear Kirk - this weather does require a nice hot cup of tea, and later a nourishing meal. I am about to pop our chicken in the oven for a roast dinner tonight.
      I didn't really notice that child in pink until I put the photo on the computer. It was so cold out walking that I just pointed the camera and shot still wearing my gloves.
      I am loving this monochrome world at the moment but If it goes on for too long then I shall start wishing it away.

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    2. Jinx! As we would say as children - we are having roast chicken as well this evening.
      After looking at your photographs I looked out of the window at our similarly monochrome world and decided that I agree with you - we have had it for a week already and I am 'over' it.

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    3. Snap from me - yes, I think that if it is still here in a weeks time then I will be wlll and truly 'over' it too.

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  2. Love the title to your post :-) And fabulous photos, Rosemary... snow can be a tricky subject but you have captured it beautifully!

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    1. Thanks Nat - it is jolly cold though. If the sun came our and the skies became blue it would feel much warmer.

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  3. Hello Rosemary:
    These are indeed a wonderful collection, and collage, of winter images. How very beautiful the countryside looks so well dressed in snow. Here it is much the same throughout Hungary but, sadly, rather less in Budapest. Still, we remain in hope!

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    1. Hello Jane and Lance - The countryside does look pretty dressed in snow, it takes on a whole new appearance which is very exciting at first. However, hope it doesn't linger too long. If it does I will send it over to you in Budapest!!!

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  4. Gorgeous captures! The landscape is always beautiful in whichever color :)

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    1. Yes, I agree, the contrasts in the landscape throughout the year are a feast for the eye - just think, not too long and the blossom will appear again.

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  5. I love the way the puritan mother Nature carefully placed a snow bra on the statue! Really funny!

    I love your pictures, as usual. The last one on yesterday's post is specially nice (I commented using AOL and it didn't appear!)

    I am enjoying the snow, too and I've been going out (also driving) in it. The countryside looks like a beautiful, glamorous lady, wearing her best jewels. Quite wonderful, really!

    I love it while it's clean. When it starts getting slushy and brown I wish it away, too.

    We are very cosy in the warmth and I can smell my Italian apple cake cooking in the oven!

    HAPPY WEEKEND!

    ANNA

    xxx

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    1. Dear Anna - that is very amusing, and I hadn't noticed the snow bra - normally she is nude, but must be respectable for blogger!!!
      We have just eaten our roast chicken meal, and very welcome it was to - enjoy your apple cake.
      When the snow is pristine it is gorgeous, but I agree not at all pleasant when it turns slushy and dirty.
      Take care Ann, oh! and wouldn't it be lovely if you manage to meet up with Val?
      Caio

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  6. Gorgeous pictures of snow landscapes. Love it!

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    1. Thanks Pamela so pleased that you enjoyed them.

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  7. A winter wonderland garden.
    It really does look lovely. I can imagine that you were so cold..
    Very brave to venture out today.
    The trees around, look eerie in the winter time.
    Its as though, everything is suspended in time.. "winter"
    lovely collage of photos Rosemary.
    val

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    1. Thanks Val - H and I dressed up very warm, and after making our way through the snow returned tired but very warm, that is apart from my hands, but they soon heated up after a hot cup of tea. I had to keep my gloves on the take the photos which was a bit of a handicap.

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  8. There's still a lot of snow around here too, it makes everything look black and white. Your photos are beautiful.

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    1. Thank you Paula - we are very high up, but it was reasonably warm amongst the trees. Unfortunately the distant vistas were not too good.

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  9. Splendid photographs, Rosemary, beautifully capturing a changed landscape. I love the splash of russet from the beech leaves and the way almost every twig is outlined in white. A feast for the eyes.

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    1. Nature is wonderful - and just to think that it will not be all that long before I can capture the trees again, but next time cloaked in a fresh limey green gown for spring.

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  10. We got an extra layer of fresh snow last night as well over here. And yes, it is very cold but so beautiful. Although the scenery where you live is far much more beautiful than here, I have to admit, I still love a white winter world, even here.
    Gorgeous photography! With really white snow, my camera always makes the snow look blue/greyish, or is it just me thinking that...???
    Bye,
    Marian

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    1. Your snow pictures always look superb Marian and beautifully captured - I don't think that they look blue/greyish at all. Sometimes if you use the brightness button very slightly it helps to whiten a bit. The great thing with snow is that you can photograph it on one tree branch, a garden urn or just some footprints - anything, and it looks good.

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  11. Lovely photographs, Rosemary — I like that one touch of magenta in the next-to-last photo . . .

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    1. Thank you Mark - both you and Kirk spotted that girl sledging in the forest.

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  12. Oh , my dearest Rosemary thank you so ...so much !! It is a fairy land !! The pics at autumn were gorgeous but this !!!! I wish I could be there and I would wear a red jacket to make the contrast .You had a lovely walk ! I hope that you did not cool ! Keep warm inside and enjoy from your home these fairy days !

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    1. Dear Olympia - you asked for the woods in winter, and I am glad you thought it looked like fairyland. We didn't get cold, we were well wrapped up. Most people were walking, there were very few cars on the road and most of them were 4 x 4 vehicles.
      We have just finished our evening meal and feel glowing from our walk in the snow.

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  13. Very pretty! I love how freshly fallen snow makes everything look so lovely. We are having a snowy, blustery day here, but it's too cold to venture outside for photos. The next few days are going to be worse. Keep warm!

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    1. Yesterday was impossible to stay out for more than 15 mins, but today there was no snow falling. We walked vigorously and kept warm. My hands got very cold and I had to take the photos wearing gloves, not the most satisfactory way of doing them.
      Perhaps you will get some snowy photos in a few days. No sun here, so no lovely blue shadows like you had.

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  14. so beautiful+peaceful white walk, thanks for taking me on it with u! here the snow is not that fresha nd we wait for the canals+lakes to freeze so we can ice-skate outdoor:-))

    thanks for your comment today: how lovely that you love seashells too!

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    1. Lovely - I shall hope to see some of your photos from the ice-skating on the canals. I shall be showing my Grandmother's shell on a forthcoming post that I have done.

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  15. What a beautiful walk you made Rosemary. It looks magical! I especially like the photo were you can see the hills in the distance through the branches.

    We are having snow in Holland too and ice, so it won't be long before we can go skating!

    Happy weekend!

    Madelief x

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    1. Hope you will be able to share some photos of the skating Madelief - the hills you can see are some of the those surrounding the 5 valleys where I live.

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  16. I do like your lovely "50 Shades of White". (Anything less pure & pristine would not do at all!)

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    1. I quite agree Nilly, - grey would definitely be less than perfect!!! but glad you liked my white shades.

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  17. Love your title - made me laugh! Beautiful photographs.

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    1. Thank you on both counts - it would have been nice to have had some blue sky to compliment all of the white but at least we managed to get out.

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  18. I'd enjoy a little snow - it would brighten the dark landscape. Still none of the promised sunshine today, but at least it's not raining. Your photos are lovely.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the photos - snow has to be better than rain, although if it hangs around for too long I shall want to be sending it on it's way. It is beautiful when it has just fallen.

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  19. What magical and beautiful photos Rosemary. Your walk must have been so delightful. I am fascinated by the effect of the snow on the garden furniture, especially table and chairs - so perfectly placed. It makes new works of art from what is there. Wonderful! Love the title...

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    1. Dear Patricia - I love the effect that it creates on the garden furniture and objects too. The table ended up, as you can see, with a perfect white disc on top of it about 6 inches (15 cms) deep, so I guess that is about how much snow we had. The title just arrived as I was out walking.

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  20. So beautiful! So pristine!! You are a gifted photographer, Rosemary. Thank you for sharing these lovely wintery photos.

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    1. That is very kind of you to say Loi - you have made my day.

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  21. Wonderful - thank you. Decades since I was in snow.

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    1. Dear Susan - so pleased that this brought back memories for you.

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  22. Fresh, pristine, virgin snow--how beautiful! Must be enchanting going for a walk like this! Enjoy!

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    1. The snow was lovely to walk in, squeaky clean and fresh under foot. It is impossible to get our car out of our drive so we are well stocked up with food to keep us going.

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  23. Great title for this post Rosemary, and so true! Like a fresh coat of paint, snow lets us see everything anew. Love all your lusciously white photos, especially the first one.

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    1. Dear Rosemary - I love all of the different seasons and the way they reveal the landscape in her many different guises. Soon this forest will become a limey green with her first new leaves.

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  24. Hi Rosemary, your photos of the snow are so beautiful, I really enjoyed looking at them, especially since I never get to see snow in Southern California where I live. Thanks for sharing them on your blog!
    Christina

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    1. Dear Christina - so pleased that you enjoyed having a spot of snow sent to Southern California by way of the computer. You really get a feel for other parts of the world when looking at different blogs - thanks for your comment.

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    1. I think that this is a bit of a contrast to what you are experiencing in the southern hemisphere!!!

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  26. The snow turns the landscape in to a fairytail. Beautiful photo's Rosemary. Have a wonderful sunday.

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    1. Dear Marijke - it is like a fairytale, as if lots of little fairies and pixies came out with their pots of white paint and changed the landscape overnight.

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  27. Dear Rosemary, Those silent forests speak to me. What lovely photographs of your beautiful countryside. Thanks for sharing your walk with us. ox, Gina

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    1. Dear Gina - what a lovely thought to think that next time I visit the forest she will be dressed in her new spring greens.

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  28. Your photos are magical. John and I are just about to brave the elements. It's falling like sprinkled talcum powder at the moment but settling all the same.
    Patricia x

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    1. Dear Patricia - I am pleased that the snow has finally arrived with you. Hopefully, I can look forward to seeing your snowy walk photos.

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  29. Dear Rosemary,your pictures are amazing!Full of beauty!I saw in TV News,about the snow you have in UK!I always enjoy waching your gorgeous pictures!Thank you for sharing this wonderful walk!Wishing you a lovely evening!
    Dimi..

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    1. Thank you Dimi - the snow has painted the landscape beautifully - glad you enjoyed the photos.

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  30. Your photos are superb, rosemary. Almost monochromatic world... like Indian ink paintings! How I’d love to walk on the snow bundled in the coat! It snows rarely in Nara even when we are chilled to the bone probably due to geographical reason. A week ago, there was a heavy snowfall in Tokyo but none in Nara. Stay warm.

    Yoko

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    1. I was fine whilst walking Yoko apart from my hands. I had to keep my gloves on whilst taking the photos so I am surprised that they turned out as well as they did. It is certainly chilly here but the house is nice and warm. Thanks for your visit and lovely comment.

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  31. Truly a winter wonderland! Love that spot of purple in the next to the last image.

    Thank you for your kind comment on my blog, leaving a path to come and meet you over here!
    Greetings from snowy Vienna,
    Merisi

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    1. Dear Merisi - thank you for your visit - the winter across Europe seems to be white in many locations this year. The weather patterns really do seem to be changing.

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  32. Super collage and even the second picture has something erotic. 50 white shades. hm creative title.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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    1. Thanks Filip - someone suggested that mother nature had given her a snow bra!!!

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  33. Hello Rosemary, I think that my favorite of this current set is the one with the green vine twining up the tree, a reminder that although the landscape looks bleak and dead, it really is alive, and even the earlier stages of winter hold the promise of spring.
    --Road to Parnassus

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    1. Dear Jim - that is interesting - H said it was his least favourite one, but I decided to leave it in anyway. My favourite is the third from the end which shows the residue on the trunk of an ivy that has died!!!
      Next time I show the forest it will be clad in spring green - what a lovely thought.

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  34. Dear Rosemary,
    Thank you for sharing these stunning photos! I always say, if it's going to be cold outside, it may as well be snowy and beautiful... Our snow has melted, and so we're left with gray, brown and a very dull olive... Lucky you to have those lovely views!
    Warm regards,
    Erika

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    1. Dear Erika - the snow certainly makes a beautiful job of painting the landscape, but the grey, brown and dull olive will be with us once the melt arrives. It is pristine and fresh now, but in a few days time I know I will have had enough of it. At the moment we cannot get our car out of the drive, and our road is compacted and icy. Fortunately H is a very good walker. He is happy to trek through the snow and down the hills into the valley to replenish our stores if necessary.

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