Saturday 11 March 2023

What happened to the Promise of Spring?

Yes, yes, I know, it's only March and I live in the northern hemisphere where March often has a sting in the tail, but, come on, my jonquils are flowering their tiny little hearts out! Or rather, have been.

And this is the scene in my garden now:


The ancient beech in the field over the wall  


the border bed between me and the castle


the view into the village

the Japanese ornamental cherry tree.

I love it when the snow accentuates the perfection of the
tree's bone structure

It's quite sad; for the first time in years (covid years) I had formally invited some ladies to come and join me for lunch. I planned it like in the old days, a proper lunch, with a starter, main course and pudding. Simple fare, but much fancier than my solo lunches. So what happens? First one rings up to say she can't make it out of her front door and the other one rings to say she can't make it down the hill from her house into the village. Actually, they would probably not have made it down my drive from the road either. Even a  delivery man refused to drive his van up to the house, but rang to say the drive had disappeared. I KNOW that, silly man, so I suggested he could just carry the stuff up. "Oh, but I am wearing ordinary shoes," he said, "my feet and trousers will be soaked." I am afraid that I said, "that's not very intelligent, you must have known about the snow on your delivery round." You'd think their depot would encourage them to carry suitable footwear for their rural deliveries, wouldn't you? Apparently not. I stayed heartless. His final feeble excuse was that, yes, he knew it had been snowing for 24 hours, but nothing like this in the town he came from. Pathetic.

So, for the last two days and the next two, I am eating the vegetables I had defrosted for my lunch party, a mediterranean mixture of red and yellow peppers with courgettes, shallots, a carrot, celery sticks, sun dried tomatoes, lots of herbs and spices. I didn't want to risk refreezing the dish. Also, four individual portions of tender chicken thighs remained on the menu. Luckily, I could freeze the smoked salmon starter and the garlic bread to go with the main course. But the chocolate puddings still smile at me every time I open the fridge. And there I was, hoping to scale down my consumption during lent!

Life is hard.


PS: because I am still having problems with commenting on some of your blogs I will try and answer any questions or  remarks that require a reaction under your comments  here in future.



21 comments:

  1. Growing up in the midwest I should be over the shock of snowstorms in March but it still upsets to see winter holding on. I remember an early Easter once happening in a blizzard.

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  2. At least that's snow worth its name. Ours was gone in one day., though I don't envy you being snowbound.
    Shgtrame about your lunch party

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    1. Jellicoe trod on my keyboard before I'd finished! I hope you can organise your lunch party later, when the weather might be more accommodating.
      We have three daffodils and two hyacinths in the garden - pathetic!

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    2. What a disappointment! I am heading out to a party shortly, and one of our number suggested postponing it because of weather and possibly dangerous roads. We have only rain, and not much wind today, so getting there shouldn't be a problem -- unless waterlogged trees uproot and fall across the road in front of me.

      You might freeze the puddings, too, and eat them like ice cream in a few months. :-)

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  3. Thank you for the rather dramatic photos and the narrative with them. I'm sorry your lunch got frozen out, and quite agree with you about the unprepared deliveryman. I'm looking forward to seeing your garden. Gratified that you're making the effort to socialize. Be well friend

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  4. Hopefully you'll be able to have lunch with your friends soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the food! :)

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  5. Yes, life is hard sometimes, but I would also be very annoyed with that deliveryman. What a wimp! Hope you are beginning to see a sign of spring here and there. Love your pretty scenery, even if it's white. :-)

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  6. I love your photos. Snow can be quite beautiful. I can identify with your luncheon being ruined by the weather. I threw a party for my 75th birthday in mid April and be got an ice storm forcing me to cancel. We usually don't get storms like that so late into the spring.

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  7. Winter's last gasp . . . we hope!

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  8. That is a LOT of snow! We have not seen a single flake here for weeks. Hopefully, your garden won‘t suffer too much.
    Sorry about the cancelled lunch. Are you planning for another day?

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  9. Hi Friko - oh dear ... such is life - I"m glad the snow didn't get as far as here - but I can visualise other years with snow like this. It's beautiful - though I know the grey weather is miserable ... it must be stunning looking in the sun and blue sky. At least you have something to eat ... it all sounds delicious ...

    Stupid delivery man ... honestly some people in this day and age ... do not think ...

    I hope this get-together will have another better weather meet up (awful English) with some of this bonny sun that is trying to shine down here - glad to read this - despite the outcome.

    With thoughts - cheers Hilary

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  10. Dear Friko, sorry you had to cancel your lunch with your friends. I think your chocolate puddings are delicious. I don't go for a walk if there is a lot of snow, because it's hard for me to walk. Of course, the snow will not linger in your place, and you will be able to arrange your lunch again.

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  11. Nature had other plans it seems. It snows rarely here and is usually gone by noon. Well, don't let it discourage you from trying again.

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  12. Sometimes people (like your lunch invitees) disappoint.
    disappoint . Perhaps, they"ll show up at another date.
    Great photos of snow cover! We don't have snow here, so I enjoylookinjing at it in pictures.

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  13. Sorry for the typo. I'm not used to blog from my mobile, but at present I've got troble with my PC.

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  14. I love that pic 'the view to the village'. Is this much snow normal for your area? Just remember, Friko, this too will pass... and hopefully soon. Also sorry about your planned luncheon. That is disappointing. Hope you do it again further into the Spring. I'll bet your garden will be gorgeous soon.

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  15. Oh Friko, how disappointing. Your lunch sounds quite wonderful and I know your friends must be terribly sorry to miss it. At least you will be eating well till you are dug out this week. I hope the snow melts quickly and you'll soon be able to "welcome" the delivery man with his groceries. The photos of the snow are fantastic, though -- it really is beautiful, especially that view looking into the village. Just a pity that this didn't happen in February or January instead of now. Hopefully you can reschedule your luncheon when the snow has melted.

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  16. To someone who lives where it never snows, your snow covered world looks so beautiful. What a shame your lunch guests couldn't make it, I hope you can plan it for another time. Meanwhile, you will be eating very well - and enjoying the spoils, I hope. Spoils doesn't sound like the right word there, does it? Love the photo of your jonquils.

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  17. I hope the unexpected, but beautiful, snow is mostly melted by now. It's truly wondrous how snow alters the landscape into something magical. So sorry about your lunch party - all that work along with the mental effort of preparing for company! Hopefully, the little daffs are smiling brightly once again.

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  18. I grew up in Iowa, and the great joke (sometimes amusing, sometimes not) involved the annual Boys' Basketball Tournament blizzard. It was in March, and it always disrupted things -- although Iowans tended to be more prepared than your lunch guests or your delivery man; blizzards were standard operating procedure there. I'm sorry your plans came to naught, but at least the leftover food sounds delicious, and your photos are marvelous. Like you, I always enjoy snow-on-trees, and these are great examples. Perhaps after the snow has gone, you and your friends can have another go at it; it sounds as though it would have been a wonderful time.

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  19. I know you went through several emotions as a result of that snow. Disappointment would have taken me to the sweets eats. Your meal sounded delightful. I hope you can reschedule. Company sounds inviting. I have slacked off hosting a writing group since December, and I am missing having people over. I rescued one hyacinth when the temperature fell to freezing last week, and the kitchen smells delightful. The daffodils have survived. I know it is not far fetched to receive snow in the midwest, but I would be really upset, too. I need sunshine!

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