After a very mild and warm Spring in January, with daffodils in bloom as well as hellebores and snowdrops, and roses still flowering from last year, winter has come with a vengeance. It has been cold for a week now, temperatures in Lelystad, a town built in the former IJsselmeer, dropping to 22,9 below zero. The last time such a low temperature was recorded was 27 years ago. Even here on the coast, where the sea moderates any extremes, the temperature dropped last night to -18 Celsius. Today it did not get any warmer than -5. However, today has absolutely been a glorious day! Yesterday it snowed, covering Holland from 5-15 centimetres, depending on the area. No snow suitable for snowmen or snowballs, as it is dry and powdery like frozen dust, diamond dust. And by the way, not for trains either apparently! The lovers of ice-skating are very disappointed, for the canals are frozen over, although only the shallow ones are safe. Any true Dutchman or – woman has been eagerly waiting for that. People had hoped for at least a week of fun, skating on natural ice. However, the snow has spoilt that! It is far too dangerous as weak spots and thin ice don't show.
But it was a splendid day for walking. I went for a two hour walk in Warmond, and attractive village on the lakes near Leyden. As the many ditches, canals and even rivers were frozen over, the normally isolated fields, surrounded by water, could now be reached across the ice. It was lovely to walk in those fields, on the low dikes and along the banks of the river Lee, frozen over. The houseboats one normally only sees from the water, could now be reached. I first walked through the wooded parkland of "Huys te Warmont", a castle surrounded by a moat, which was now a smooth, white sheet. Trees were decked out with hoary frost, which had built up like intricate lace. The sun, which is low in the sky at this time of year, shone through it and let it sparkle. Once in the fields after crossing the ice, the views were wide and exhilarating. Hares were running across the fields, at one point chased by a happy dog, which however wasn't fast enough for the hare. Geese flew up, disturbed by the chase. Although cold, seeing the sun and bright blue skies was fantastic, and this winter day just as beautiful as any summer day.
No comments:
Post a Comment