I suppose that the main topic this week is the weather.  It strikes me as ironic that we should have the most snow I have seen here in the Dales in the past 10 years during the week in which our leaders failed to reach a consensus on tackling climate change.  Mind you, as a climate change sceptic I'm not much exercised by the posturing at Copenhagen.  I accept that I'm classed with flat earthers and other weirdos, but I remain deeply suspicious of scientific research that chases the easy money and scientists who regard challenge to their work as hysteria.

Be that as it may we have some truly spectacular scenery here this morning with the valley blanketed in over a foot of snow and more falling.  The river is a black ribbon winding through a white wilderness.  A robin is sitting on the bird table feasting on the seed I put out a while ago and the cat is playing silly buggers diving into snow drifts and sending the powder snow flying.  It's just come sledging down to the kitchen window and brought a fair sized snow drift into the house.

Coming back from Halifax on Thursday afternoon all was well until we hit Helifield on the A65 then it took a further five hours to get up to Horton.  Since no gritting had been done prior to a snow flurry just as it got dark the road was like the Cresta run with 45 ton lorries replacing toboggans.  Thankfully we had a flask of coffee with us so life was not unpleasant.

I have not been up to the Tarn this weekend, but may take a wander up there this morning to see how the swans are faring in this wild weather.  Water fowl do seem quite impervious to the cold.  My ducks much prefer to stomp about in a blizzard rather than shelter in the warmth of the duck house.  And no, I didn't claim for that on expenses.

A merry Christmas to you all.

Ian