I should confess straight off that I’m not really a fan of snow. I don’t get excited by its arrival; at least not in London, maybe in a wintry Switzerland or if I was in the country and didn’t have to go out and do anything. But I’m a summer-loving person born under the Sun sign of Aries and I live in London. Snow in London may start pretty but it doesn’t last long. Everything grinds to a halt because we don’t have the infrastructure to support snowy weather and walking along slippery pavements and driving on icy roads is seriously hazardous.
But let me not be a total misery! I know – some of you love it! And after I’d taken the bus into Richmond this morning and had a welcome, warming coffee in Paul, I walked part of the way back home, across Richmond Green and down to the River Thames and along the towpath, before crossing Richmond Bridge and jumping on a bus again, because even though there was snow on the ground, the sun was also shining. And even I couldn’t fail to see the beauty of Richmond with its light blanket of snow set against a glorious blue sky. So of course out came my iPhone and I started snapping.
But I also got thinking about the positive side of the weather; not just its beauty. I had to slow down. I’m always rushing but rushing on ice is dangerous, so I walked slowly. And because it really was quite icy underfoot, I practised the Walking Meditation that I learnt in Mindfulness Meditation where you are aware of each movement of your leg as it moves forward and steps down; the lifting of the other leg as you go forwards into another step. It takes you totally into the moment; you can’t think of anything else and plenty of studies have shown that a mental break like this is good for us. I worked on accepting change and going with the flow; aware that my nice plans for the days immediately ahead may have to change, be postponed, with more snow forecast. And I remembered when I first visited Richmond, long before marriage and children, because a friend was at college here, and I thought how lovely it was and how wonderful it would be to live here. I really wanted to live in Richmond one day. And I did. I do. So sometimes dreams do come true! And here is some of beautiful Richmond to share with you:
How very nice to live vicariously occasionally! I looked out of the window this morning and thought ‘no, not today, thank you – I’m staying in’. So I really enjoyed being taken for the walk round Richmond, which like you, though it is the place where we live, never ceases to beguile.
Thanks, Di. I’m glad you enjoyed the walk too! It’s nice to share 🙂
Dear Kay, Thanks for the lovely pix. Although I agree about snow in London, pretty for a couple of days, rotten nuisance afterwards… Aries birthday ? When? Cheers. Doreen.
Thank you, Doreen. Glad you like the photos. I’m right on the cusp of Aries – 20th.
I am still hopeful to get 20cm+ of snow. Come on British weather don’t disappoint us
Lovely photos, thank you. The snow is thankfully melting here in Frascati but it stopped the trains from Rome from getting here for the last two days and a half. As you correctly point it, it’s the infrastructure that’s lacking that is the nuisance! So, yes, a good idea to concentrate on the beautiful!
Thanks, Jo. I saw some photos of Rome with snow. Amazing – but yes it does rather interfere with going about normal life!
My girlfriend canceled her flight to Germany yesterday because of snow delays in Heathrow .
Oh no! Snow is very disruptive here but rare apart from the odd day or two in winter so not enough to justify spending £millions on improving the infrastructure.
Thank you for your lovely pix of Richmond. It was good to see it again. I now live in Cambridge and have not visited Richmond in many years. Brought back many memories.
Thank you! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the post.
I’m glad you shared these photos with us. A light snowfall really does make things look pretty. When it is a lot, like when we lived in New England…now that is another thing all together. It is always pretty but it sure makes for some trying times when you have to be out in it.
Thank you, Karen. I remember your great photos from winter in New England. That really was more than I’d want to cope with! It was pretty bad in some parts of UK when I took these photos. My niece and nephew in Kent couldn’t get to school for a week. But it goes quickly here.