Hello everyone. Brrrrrrrr

My, my, my, you are throwing some wintry weather at us Switzerland! So early too! Every day the snow on the Jura Mountains descends further upon us. Only a week ago, there was snow just at the summit of the mountains. Now all the pine trees are swathed in snow. They look like iced trees.

Axle and I found some very frosty apples under an apple tree. And Axle, our dog, being in a chirpy mood - thanks to the appearance of the fresh snow, no doubt - decided to see if he could throw one up into the air. He could, and he did. He then proceeded to try to bowl it along the snowy grass with his paws: like a football. So, I then began kicking it around, like a ball. Which of course, he had to chase. Then; everytime he caught it, a little piece of apple fell off, which he licked, thoughtfully. As each next piece fell off it was licked then chewed about, until Axle discovered the taste of his first apple. And it was good. I've never seen him eat fruit before, so it was very funny.

Then, today, he decided to finish the chips on my plate. He's lately decided that anything being offered on a human plate, must be good. So, he tried not to waste it anyway. It was funny watching him chew chips

Have you ever seen a golden chocolate tower? Would you like to see one?

Go on, have one if you want! This was the display at our local supermarket. Not surprisingly, the Swiss are rather proud of their chocolate (it is gorgeous!) This one was actually a Ferraro Rochet stand ( I don't think I've spelt that correctly though) My husband can't eat chocolate, it was a wonder I didn't have to hold him back! Fortunately, (though a hardened chocolate lover myself), I don't actually like these chocolates. Just as well.

Snow is all around us now, on the hills and the surrounding mountains. And the skies have been so moody and filled with sleet and ice. Could be a long winter  We have a real fire though, which is always great, especially at Christmas time (though we still don't seem to have the knack of lighting it) We are lucky to have a beautiful view of the Jura Mountains from our window. Do you want to see it now?

Jura Mountains, Switzerland.

Aren't those clouds beautiful? This was one moment where the sun broke free of the clouds to shine on the Jura Mountains, causing a wonderful cloud-shadow to appear, in darker blue. Very picturesque, don't you agree?

It's getting very hard for the garden birds now. Sometimes, I don't know if it's best to feed them too regularly: in case they lose their foraging skills. Talking of foraging, a flock of woodpeckers flew into my next-door neighbour's garden this morning! Big buggers, they were, too. There were about ten of them. Normally, they keep to the seclusion of the big pine trees, so they must've been very hungry. Usually, they are very shy; so it was a rare treat having them for a visit. They were hanging-out together on the apple tree: which still has many frozen apples clinging to its branches. They were also pecking hungrily at the softer apples on the ground. Couldn't get a photo, sorry. Didn't want to scare them.

I got the distinct impression, that those apples were the woodpeckers' last resort, when all their other food resources run dry. There was a kind of 'reluctant determination' to their pecking. Actually, that photo above, is terrible, isn't it? You can't really see what it is (it is an apple tree, from which their are lots of hanging apples; and snow, too, please believe me )

Must just tell you I caught Axle licking cow-pats yesterday  Arrrrrrrrr! Shame I forget later, when he gave me lots of kisses.

I wonder what a cow-pat tastes like!!!  www.MooreThanArt.com and www.boundlessgallery.com or questions@moorethanart.com