There are no children in the playground on this bright and sunny, but bracing, day.
Perhaps the wind is too cold for them?
Or, more than likely, for their minders?
Children don't feel the cold when they are running around, but adults idly sitting on benches do.
But aconites and snowdrops are willing to brave the sharp winds and stick their heads above ground.
Even the daffodils are fattening and showing colour.
I've never before seen a January like this in the Valley.
I sincerely hope we are not going to have a severe shock to the system. There is plenty of time left for winter to punish us.
These are traditionally the coldest days of winter.
Keep good watchdogs about you these dark nights!!!
 |
| Benno as painted by my friend Jay Diamond, a pet portraitist. |
The watchdog ought to be horrible, fierce, strange and unacquainted with all except his master, so that he be always at daggers-drawing, and ready to fight with all who shall but lay hands on him. For which cause he ought to be instructed from his littering: let him often be provoked by boys; and as he groweth, let some stranger set on him with weapon, with whom let him combat; and then let him tear some piece of the provoker's garment, that so he may depart with the conceit of victory. These dogs ought to be black-coloured, and great mouthed for barking bigly, so that he may terrify the thief both night and day.
Edward Topsell - The History of Four-Footed Beasts - 1607.
Dear me, really? Benno is big and black and he has a loud and full-throated bark, but he's a bit short in the ferocious and bravery departments. But he'd be quite willing to slobber a thief to death, if that's any good?
I look forward to our aconites pushing up through snow during/after a good sufficient winter (you know I love it), but now would be worrisome.
ReplyDeleteReally, that's a painting of Benno? Dear mother of god, what tremendous talent. I didn't know a horrible beast would sit for a portrait that long.
well, he might not scare the thief off, but a face like that? He might convert the thief, inspiring him to fall on his knees and beg God for mercy as he pet that dear Benno for dear life. He is so BEAUTIFUL.
ReplyDeleteTalented artist, that's for sure.
And it just did my heart so much good to see the flowers in January. I hope that the winter continues to be pretty mild, though we need the winter snows to feed the Spring. Spreading it out in six inch storms would be fine.
Have a beautiful January day. It is warm here, too, and when I had to drive out into the dawn for blood tests (nothing wrong), the sun burst through the low clouds, like a miracle.
(Hope you know I'm being facetious . . . I know a dog wouldn't really sit that long. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt does seem a bit wrong to have those flowers coming up already. I'm with you that it doesn't seem quite right. But Benno? He's just the sweetest pooch I've ever seen. Captured perfectly in that portrait.
ReplyDeleteWow!!!! We haven't had our usual nasty winter either . . . yet. I'm predicting snow on Independence Day.
ReplyDelete'Slobber a thief to death.' Almost made me spill my coffee. Love dogs like that. The increase in tornadoes, earthquakes, flooding and milder winters...all the result of global climate change (i.e. global warming) that many find "An Inconvenient Truth."
ReplyDeleteAn elderly friend just reminded me that the dreadful winter of 1947 didn't start until the beginning of February. There's time yet. Super photos, though shame about the deserted playground
ReplyDeleteYes, those aconites, snowdrops, and daffodils are considerably braver than many of our dogs, and, personally, I am grateful for that on both ends of the spectrum. That is an absolutely stunning portrait of Benno. It's rare for an artist to capture what we see in our animals, but that appears to have been accomplished with Benno.
ReplyDeleteInteresting cause of dog, drowning by dog slobber. Beautiful painting.
ReplyDeleteI guess there was a time when such a ferocious dog would be needed for protection, but thank goodness that is no more. Benno looks like such a sweetie - beautiful painting.
ReplyDeleteHello:
ReplyDeleteYes, daffodils everywhere seem to be coming through well before their time. As you say, it is to be hoped that there is not a sudden cold snap since that would surely damage many early flowering plants and shrubs.
The playgrounds in England never seem to be as fully used as they are in Budapest. In all weathers, young children and their minders seem to crowd into them, they are very much a central part of community life.
Benno is absolutely adorable, such a handsome portrait!
The portrait of Benno is so real one feels it possible to touch him! As wonderful as it is to see the daffodils coming and the snowdrops in their glory -- it is a worry with February not so far away...
ReplyDeleteOur iris are already blooming. February is our coldest month so I'm hoping our spring turns out well.
ReplyDeleteLove your dog.
Evil doers rely on the laws of man to do their deadly work. The lulling of the bloodred part of all of us or the fear of lawyers which might be greater than the fear of death.
ReplyDeleteDogs follow the natural law of right and of wrong and the evil doer knowsthis. He cannot rely on supine lawful people to offer up their goods and sometimes their lives.
We should all be dogs.
very temperate winter here too. I fear that everything will spring out and then we will have a killing freeze.
ReplyDeleteI love "barking bigly"!! I can imagine Benno barking bigly only if he were to see someone threatening you, Friko, or your husband.
ReplyDeleteThe portrait of him is wonderful, isn't it? I'm impressed.
K
such beauties in your garden
ReplyDeletebut I'd beware...it's still January
The prtrail of Benno is wonderful
and I would love a dog like that...a slobbering wonderful love
There are worse ways to go than to be slobbered to death. :) Beautiful portrait of a gorgeous critter.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how springlike your January is. It's been a mild winter here, too but nothing at all like that.
I can't WAIT to get a dog. Must wait for retirement so we can spend time with it. We have cats for now, and they're easy and great too, but a dog, well that would be lovely.
ReplyDeleteMy magnolia tree is budding confusedly, looking at it's little pocket calendar and asking if it's got the date wrong.
is there nothing sadder than empty play grounds...wonder if they miss the kids in winter...smiles...nice pic of the pups...
ReplyDeletePlaygrounds here are always busy. The answer is woolly underwear for children and minders.
ReplyDeleteAnna
So often I see playgroudns with no kids in them, even in the summer. I wonder if they play somewehre else, or if they're all inside playing their computer games.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is March type weather. Although I feel the winter of 2009-10 was enough snow to last a few years. I could well do without cold weather!
Your daffodils and snowdrops are about at the same stage as those in Rugby, except for ours, which haven't seen fit to poke through the ground yet. They're lazy and late every year, but so far they've always eventually shown up. Jim
ReplyDeleteA beautiful portrait of Benno.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet face Benno has. Animals are ingenious at reading body language and I'm sure if someone meant to harm you, a great mouthed big tearing beast he would become!
ReplyDeleteHe's just a lovable pooch :-).
ReplyDeleteI worry about the poor confused plants. We have some here in the states doing that, too--thinking it is/was spring.
ReplyDeleteThat is an amazing portrait! I thought it was a photograph at first. What a beautiful face and lovely eyes! :):)
I had a little chihuahua when I was young who would kiss the mailman but chase a labrador down the street to protect her puppies. LOL! ;)
It is an unusual winter here too. I just went to the grocery store with just a shirt – it is 65 degrees (19 C.) The painting of your dog is amazing – so alive.
ReplyDeleteYes, we are having another big melt too. Not happy with this climate change one bit.
ReplyDeleteLovely Benno portrait. I had to laugh at 'slobberin'. My dog is a great watchdog except when things get a bit too close, the snow shoveller, thunder overhead, deliveries. Then she casually jumps up beside me and barks from under my arm. :)
XO
WWW
Lovely photos! The weather is completely bizarre.... I keep expecting it to turn for the worse, but it is getting to be a lot like spring :-)
ReplyDeleteWe're going through a winter without winter too. Unseasonably warm, even for Florida. Scary.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most effective bouncers I ever knew was a gentle and very amiable young man .
ReplyDeleteAny trouble makers would find themselves standing outside the club , being kindly directed to the nearest chippie and bus stop , before they could blink .
I expect Benno would do the same .
That is a very lovely painting of Benno. :)
ReplyDeleteThose flowers shooting out of the ground look so pretty and it's just January! Can't believe that is a painting; it looks like a photo!
ReplyDeleteIt looks cold yet so lovely!
ReplyDeleteAnd what a gorgeous dog!
Attitudes towards dogs sure have changed since 1607. [Mostly.]
ReplyDeleteIf you hadn't captioned that picture of Benno as a painting, I would have thought it was a photo.
Oh my! Talk about animal abuse..that sounds awful for the animal in question. Your Benno is beautiful. What a gorgeous painting!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear he is a slobber-er!! Ha!
Hugs
SueAnn
Actually, attack parrots work quite well and require no training. Dianne
ReplyDeleteWe're worried about our winter, too. It's not nearly cold enough. We need chill hours for the peaches and plums, and enough cold to keep the trees from budding - let alone blooming. The redbuds already are beginning to show late February color - it's really quite frightening.
ReplyDeleteNever thought I'd be longing for cold, rain, and snow for my more northern friends. Some farmers are quite concerned - the lack of moisture will be a problem come spring.
As for Benno - that expression is marvelous. I wonder what the artist could do with Dixie Rose? She has "an expression", too,but it's not nearly so charming.
Benno's eyes are so beautiful...the artist captured that special quality. I thought at first it was a photograph, the detail is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNice to see something green coming up - we are solid white and everything sleeps.
Dear Friko,
ReplyDeleteHere too winter has been remiss in visiting us. No snow. Mostly sunny days. A few harsh and chilling winds, but mostly calm. Is it the calm before the storm?
South of us, in the Southern states, people are becoming homeless because of tornadoes. In January.
I'm wondering what the month of February will be like. Unlike Eliot, I've always felt that February was the cruelest month.
Peace.
Cannot believe your Daffs are up so high - and those Snowdrops! Sometimes Denver gets an early taste of spring and often is buried under a snowstorm in April. Too soon, I agree. Dear Benno looks like a lover not a fighter. (What a great portrait!)
ReplyDeleteExtraordinary colours on all your photos. perhaps the children were all at school. This has been an odd winter, for sure. I preferred the proper cold of last year
ReplyDeleteThat painting of Benno looks like a photograph -- incredible!
ReplyDeleteI hope those delicate, struggling blossoms don't get stung by a returning freeze ...
I can't believe the blooming flowers and the daffodils poking up their heads in January. It does make one wonder when winter will strike, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteBenno, I love. He is amazing. I don't think he would frighten off anything too scary. The portrait is also just amazing.
It's such a delight, always, to see the brave winter blossoms and the first sign of daffodil shoots--though, yes, the weather here, too, has been odd, and one has to wonder.
ReplyDeleteNow as for the magnificent Benno--the painting is splendid, and the very thought of being slobbered to death had me laughing out loud.
We're waiting for winter to strike, too, though it's not usually very harsh in leafy Berkshire.
ReplyDeleteWonderful portrait of Benno - he's a very handsome Labrador.
What a handsome fellow Benno is! And what amazing talent in the artist. I'd almost think about breaking into your house, just for the pleasure of the slobbering I'd get!
ReplyDeleteA fine doggie portrait. But less than scary.
ReplyDeleteI still have a few foolish snapdragons that actually retain some bedraggled blossoms, and this despite temperatures in the teens. I think the reason is that before the temperature dropped it snowed heavily and the snow insulated these plants from the frigid weather. But, as you say, there's a lot of winter left.
Benno is handsome and I have to say when I first saw the picture I thought it was a photo -- it wasn't till you said it was a painting and I could see a bit of the canvas that I was convinced you were right! Your friend is gifted.
ReplyDeleteWe've had a VERY warm January, though nothing is blooming yet and we had a few inches of snow today -- it's snowing now. I love a light winter but I worry -- more than once we've had ice take away the magnolia and apple blossoms.
Your weather is much milder than ours has been: looks like spring has already arrived there by you.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a fantastic portrait of Benno! How fun to read the description of "the watchdog" of 1607. Good thing Benno shares the color, but none of those other traits!
Hi Friko - I know the weather is quite the opposite of last year .. but as you say it has now turned cold - how cold we wait to see .. just glad I'm not in Moscow minus 16 deg C at their tea time?!
ReplyDeleteBenno's portrait is just wonderful .. fantastic - how lovely to have and what clever man Jay Diamond is - I'd love to paint ... brilliant.
Cheers - Hilary