Happy winter solstice :)  Shortest day today, longest night tonight - so nice to know that the sun starts its return journey tomorrow :D  Between now and then though, I'm hoping for some serious hoar frost weather.  

Started the day very early to get up and watch England v Denmark.  Great start for the Motherland with an early goal but the Danes scored an equaliser a short time later and the game dissolved in to a rather monotonous, predictable and uninspiring match.  Let's hope they find some inspiration and creativity from somewhere before their next match.  Post game a quick check outside showed there was no frost to talk of so I went back to bed for a couple of hours.

After my second get-up it was time to head to Twizel for one or two bits and pieces including diesel, a new pair of cosy fingerless gloves and a hot water bottle.  Had a light lunch at the salmon farm (yummy!) then onto the real business........scoping out a few locations for when (not if.....the power of positive thinking) a hoar frost arrives.  Today was just over the road to Kellands Pond.  Gorgeous reflections on not-quite-mirrorlike water and the star of the show - for me at least - the amazing colours and textures of the leafless trees.  after an hour or more at the ponds I headed down to Ohau C to see what was happening there and spend another happy hour or more improving my swallow shooting.  Definitely the few adjustments I made to may camera set up helped but I think simply giving myself the time to do it was every bit as important too.  

I'm not sure where tomorrow's reccy will take me though I am much more sure that there will be no hoar frost in the next 4 or 5 days.......rain ahead, which I guess is good as it increases the atmospheric moisture content.  All we need then are some serious sub-zero temperatures.......I can't believe that I'm saying that!!