Beach Weather and Snowflakes

Yesterday the sun was shining,the sky was blue and the temperature was hovering around freezing so after lunch Rose and I decided to get some fresh air.  Rose didn't fancy a walk or the play area so we decided on playing in the garden.  First we played basket ball and soccer (as I have to call it over here) then Rose played the xylophone while I did some step aerobics on the big concrete slabs (don't ask).  When that got boring Rose announced that it was soooo lovely outside we should play beaches, so she got out all the sand toys and 'ironed' the patio with a plastic sand sculpting tool for about half an hour while both our noses went blue with cold.  Whatever floats your boat I guess.  Here she is with all her paraphernalia.

Since the onset of winter weather I have begun to get an insight into why people from cold countries have many words for snow.  Today tiny snowflakes have been drifting effortlessly and almost casually from clouds that look far too high and thin and although it has been snowing for 6 hours now there is very little on the ground.

While I was shivering at the bus stop this morning I noticed that the tiny flakes landing on my coat and mittens were perfect intricate, 6 pointed shapes like pictures in books or paper cut outs.  I fear that the other people at the bus stop may have thought someone slipped something interesting in my breakfast as I stood there gazing at my arms and hands in wonder occasionally exclaiming 'Ooh, look at that one!' Hopefully they will put it down to my being English.  I tried to take a picture, if you look really carefully you can spot little clusters of stars especially on the right hand side.

I know it just looks like a paving slab, zoom in and look  really, really close

Jacob has not been included in this post, this is because he wants me to write about the weight of the 'bone file' and he has taken it to school un-weighed so for the purposes of inclusion I may be back later.