Off the hook

I can't help wondering what the deer were doing with my plant. They turned up at dusk, two beautiful creatures, and they were clearly very interested, nibbling at the branches.

Well, they have to find their way through the winter and the cold. It's about 25 degrees below freezing at the moment.

We had nice cold winter weather for a time, but the last few days have been above freezing, and ice has formed everywhere. Then it goes away.

I went for a walk. Walking is okay, since there is usually a little snow beside the road in which to put your feet. Crossing a road is dangerous, though.

On one of the bridges over the canal, I stopped and looked down. I saw something spectacular. The water is very swift and smooth, but there had been time for a thin layer of ice to form. It had now come off. I stood on the bridge, watching sheets if ice floating by -- as wide as the canal itself, and probably fifty metres long, or so. Small bits were being torn off at the edges, but they kept coming.

Beautiful.