Snow White and Winter Blues
Silent nights along the canals coupled with heavy showers enhance the ambience as I cosy up by the fire. So, this white surprise and dip in temperature bit me savagely when I opened my door to empty my ashes this morning. It was as brutal as if I had exited from a sauna and entered an ice box, but the forecast says there'll be more snow this week, so I'm bracing myself. I've now unpacked my snow boots as sections of the towpaths are mucky and treacherous to walk along.
Regardless of that, we're happy that the canals are still passable and hubby and I will be cruising discontinuously until they are frozen.
We're on the Ashby Canals Hinckley, just outside of Leicester, which is convenient for hubby to fetch the train back and forth for work. It's pretty flat in this section, so there are no locks to manoeuvre, which is a bonus, and we've been taking advantage of the extended limit of 14 days in the winter, as opposed to 2 days throughout the rest of the year.
The slow pace of canal life fosters a 'rest and digest' state, which is beneficial for my well-being. However, it's essential to find the right balance of productivity and time management to optimise the short hours of daylight at this time of the year. The good thing is that boat chores and duties keep me occupied, and I appreciate the dissociation from mainstream life and the drama that it provides.
It's just lovely being in the open with the wildlife particularly when graced by a swan's accentuating beauty.
Maybe the absence of boaters means that there are fewer people around feeding them; I'm not sure, but man, they are aggressive. Especially the Cygnets. They hiss and demand to be fed, and they can be quite hostile to the ducks.
I always buy an extra loaf of wholewheat bread in anticipation of their knock on the side of the boat; It brightens my mornings.
Speaking of brightness.
What a difference a day or two makes, huh?
This photo was taken just at the weekend... Looks are deceiving indeed.
The sun shuns brightly, as the cold bites miserably, but we chug along to find boating facilities and food supplies. As we cruise along, we encounter the odd boater who's in the same boat as us.
I have reflective moments when I'm walking or cruising along, and I value being on the cut as a gauge of how adaptable and resilient I've become. I'm better able to deflect the winter blues that used to hinder me.
Tomorrow is just another day, but looking out at the calmness of the waters reminds me to slow down and find stability with my emotions and a connection with nature and my environment.
Happy Wednesday peeps and have you been for a walk in nature lately?
All original images included were taken by me.
What rocks my boat
My blog frequently features my minimalist lifestyle and adventures while living on my narrowboat.”
Irie love,
Milly
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Snow has started to fall in a country that has four seasons, the scenery is beautiful. Thank you.
Yes, the UK is a country that might have all 4 seasons in one day though 😆
It's great that you are sailing in a canal with few locks, I wouldn't want to go outside the boat to open some of them on these cold days.
Great that you have your boots ready to go out for a walk on the terrain and enjoy the snowy nature
Keep warm dear friend @millycf1976 I hope you enjoy this snowy landscape very much
Hey there!
Thank you so much!😊
Tell me, what's up with Amazing Nature? What exactly is "We Are Moving"?
I've been meaning to ask you for some time now:)))
What happened is that adalger has been absent for a long time, so biologistbrito decided to move the whole operation to the new Amazing nature AN Community
we are now curating the nature posts in the new community https://hive.blog/trending/hive-174680
Thank you very much for asking dear friend @millycf1976
Have a great day
Ah, ok!
Thanks for the explanation. I subscribed to it now:)
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Have a great day
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As much as I want to walk with nature, I just can't. Maybe next time.
I bet it'a now colder inside your boat. But I do love the idea of seeing the calm water and scenic nature view as I peek on my window or hop out of the door first thing in the morning. With a cup of hot coffee or tea, everything will be perfect! 😁
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Contrary to what many believe, the boat is warm and comfy in the winter because the wood burner tends to be on 24/7.
It's atmospheric though, when we look across barren fields, and there are still many walkers and dog walkers along the towpaths.
I hope that you'll get outside more in the coming year:)))
must have been a shock to the system coming out to the cold and snow hope the weather holds and you can enjoy the canals for a bit longer
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Canal-wise, yes, I think we have a lot more time. It's just bitterly cold for hubby to drive the boat, but we are only doing some short supplies run now:))
Happy Wednesday!
what do you do when winter hits stay on the boat?
Yes, we stay on the boat all year. During the winter months, we make sure to moor at a place with nearby facilities and no lock maintenance (which leads to lock closure).
Also, staying away from rivers and flood-prone locations is beneficial, and we avoid mooring too close to large trees that can fall under extreme weather conditions.
Aside from that, considering what energy bills are, winters on the boat are better than being in a house with central heating on timers, and it's nice to be in nature and go for short walks:)))
so cool to here that, thats a lifestye I think I would love my wife not so much lOL
Haha! I hear that from my husband. He says his friends say canal life is something they would enjoy, but could never get their wives to agree 😆
It's really surprising to wake up in the morning and see snow falling outside. Luckily, it hasn't fallen too much. It's likely to melt by noon. The ducks look so cute.
Yeah, especially in November. Last year this time was still mild, but the weather is so unpredictable these days.
The swans are lovely to look at, but this flock were not the friendliest at all.
Thanks for stopping by:)))
Yay, a white surprise. :))
I can imagine the cold and the difference you felt by stepping out from the warm boat, but these are moments we have to appreciate. Nature has its rhythm and we adapt (or not 😂 )
I hope you can still enjoy the boat for a while until the canals freeze.
Exactly! It made me reflect on a few years ago on our old boat. I stopped to chat with some people on the towpath and they complained about how cold it was at night and I thought to myself, "Really?"😅
Yeah, I think we'll be good at cruising for a while.
Fingers crossed 😍