Walk along in the snow

As a studio artist I'm used to spending long days (and sometimes nights!) in my studio and I enjoy the solitude and in fact need it to make my art.

But even I am now suffering a bad case of cabin fever where I feel the outside world has virtually disappeared from sight. I haven't been anywhere outside our little lane since the 18th December last year. So to counteract the effects of all this confinement Rueben, the dog, and I went for a very long walk today. I left the greyhound at home as all this snow simply doesn't agree with her, whereas Rueben loves it. And John needed to cut more wood for the stove so he stayed at home too.

There is not much choice, routewise. I can either turn right (usual way) or left (todays choice) out of our gate along the lane. Only there can you walk (everywhere else the snow is too deep) and I do have gripping irons on my boots as it's very icy even on the lane. I'm sharing some of the many, many pictures I took. I also spotted an enormous hare but was unable to take a picture as Rueben took off after it, with me in tow and by the time I regained control, the hare had of course long disappeared from view!

The landscape took my breath away as did the cold but I feel a lot more able to cope with even more snow and ice on the way. Apparently these conditions are due to continue for another fortnight or so!