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.
Looking out the back window this morning there was light snow on walls, and roofs.
Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council have sad that ‘Due to the current restrictions in place and the guidelines regarding social distancing we will not be carrying out the Christmas tree recycling event on the Market Place this year.‘
I have seen a few discarded trees. Some looking tatty. Others still look lush and green.
The Vale of White Horse District Council says ‘While our garden waste service – which normally collects real Christmas trees from customers for recycling – is currently suspended, all residents can still drop off real Christmas trees.’ They list some locations but I have not checked whether this is still going ahead given the lockdown. Somebody might know.
The District Council also has a list of support they can give businesses and residents during the lockdown.
The South and Vale Community Hub team will put people in contact with with community groups and volunteers that can provide support. The council also have some practical support available for eligible people facing financial hardship or homelessness. Financial support for business affected by the restrictions continues to become available from the government and is administered locally by the district councils.
Meanwhile the roll out of the vaccines is progressing. I will be taking my mum, who is in her eighties – the second top priority group, to get her first jab tomorrow. She has just been notified. People are being warned that it is free and anybody trying to charge you is likely to be a scam.