Surprise!!

This was the most unexpected scene which greeted me as I looked through the bedroom door this morning at 7:20, pre-dawn.

I had no idea it had snowed in the night. It is a once-a-year event Chez Mima to see snow falling, and I have never seen as much as this lying on the property. Even though it was slushy and not what I think of as 'real' snow, it was very pretty.

Bean was less impressed. I opened the door for her to whizz out for her customary first pee of the day. She took one step outside, paused, and quickly turned back to settle into her bed very firmly. It is only the third time she's seen snow, so fair do's. 

Once I was dressed and ready to potter across the lawn to the truck and breakfast, she was easily persuaded to do her ablutions.

Over the last three days we have had 50mm of precipitation. Over the years the average for the whole of July has been 32mm, so it feels as though we are at last replenishing the soil moisture we lost during the summer and autumn drought. It will make spring a lot more productive.

It has been a day of sunshine and sleety snow flurries. I timed a morning walk perfectly, so that only in the final 100m did the huge approaching clouds begin to spit the edges of their contents upon us. 

We both scurried indoors to watch the deluge from the warmth. And we have been there most of the rest of the day. 

Bean is beneath her blankets. Obviously. 

And I've been making salads, crackers and doing some important cheese business while watching a few highlights from the Olympics.

A good day. For winter.

The extra shows hard evidence of something walking along the walkway and under the truck. Bean has been telling me for a while that there's an intruder ... a cat I think, (or maybe a stoat). The snow was already losing its definition by the time I inspected the foot prints, so it's hard to tell.