There was blue sky at lunchtime in Abingdon. The Margaret Brown Gardens are still closed with barriers because of the risk of somebody falling in the fast flowing river.

The water has gone down a little and there is now some grass in front of the Cricket Clubhouse.

Further along Wilsham Road one boat has sunk.

We walked across the green grass of Caldecott Recreation Ground. 

We heard and then saw a thrush as we crossed over the River Ock. The Ock Valley Walk is also still shut with barriers.

There are lots of crocuses in the Albert Park.

I am told that Volunteer Drivers from Abingdon Volunteer Centre are using Malvin’s home number as he cannot get into their usual room to put an answerphone message on. They have three drivers but with the link to other volunteers including Covid volunteer network they are helping people.

Malvin will be helping when the Abingdon Country Market happens on 13th February and 13th March. Subject to health and safety – the markets may be outside.

Daniel has taken more amazing aerial views of Abingdon.

Tim sent me pictures of a lot of the snow people in his street. Some melted before he could get to them. This one appears to be supported by the wheelie bin.

Michael visited the Albert Park and sent one of the more exotic snow people

We woke sometime after 9am to see that the Velux window was covered in snow.  We breakfasted fairly quickly, but not as quickly as a lot of young families. By the time we got out there were lots of other people out and about at St Helen’s Wharf.

The snow had been falling until about 10 am and was still in the branches of trees.

There were quite a few people walking the Ock Valley Walk.

It was like Narnia (a winter wonderland). Beautiful.

Then round to Albert Park where the snow was less virginal. There were nearly as many snowmen as people.

I have tried to blur the faces so not nobody is too recognisable in these days of GDPR but it is a shame not to show a little bit of the fun.

Here are three snowmen with a snow dog. It looked more like a dog than the snowmen looked like people.

It was a chance to bring out those sledges even without the slopes.

Prince Albert who was featured in yesterday’s post would have recognized what was happening.

Walking home by Abingdon School we saw one snow man in the grounds.

Home again now, and the snow is already beginning to melt.

I was returning from work on my bike (having gone a day early by mistake). The sun was rising over the Thames beyond Oday Hill and the sky was overcast and orange.

Rain was beginning to fall, and over the old dog walking field a rainbow formed. Since the start of the year, notices have appeared to say this field is Private Land. Before that there were notices to warn that it was being closed for dog walking.

Soon a full rainbow had grown.

My phone could not get all of it in at once and so here are two pictures – combined. The houses of Masefield Crescent are at the end of the rainbow.