Day 96 - Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow....

Snow
It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow
Snow
I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow

So let's start with a music challenge.  These lyrics are from a very famous Christmas holiday movie so give it a guess!

We knew the snow was coming, but when we woke up this morning we couldn't believe it. So before breakfast, Ange and I stepped out to walk through MiM to see the snow, untouched by others and before cars made there way (although the High Street was already well traveled) along the streets. The pictures in this post tell all the story but I will provide some words first about where the word "snow" comes from and then I will chat about how common it is or isn't to see snow in England.

When I look the word up, "snow" can be linked to the Old English word "snāw," although I couldn't find why it was used except that it was the word to describe what people saw coming down from the heavens.

According to the UK weather office, the number of days in the year when snow settles on the ground (as measured between 1981 and 2010) in this part of the country is 10 to 20 days, but that is because we have some elevation around us. If you go to the nearby lower elevations, that number becomes less than 5 days. The earliest in a year that there was a recorded report of snow in London was September 25th in the year 1885 and the latest report of snow was on June 2nd, 1975.  Now that sounds like Canada except in England there could be periods of no snow on the ground whereas at home we would have it on the ground somewhere the entire time!

The snowiest year on record was 1947 when snow was recorded to fall somewhere in the United Kingdom every day between the 22nd of January and the 17th of March.  Heck, I remember a number of years in London, Ontario when we had snow in October that didn't disappear until April. Statistically, the area of the UK that gets the longest period of snow on the ground is the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland which has snow or sleet falling 76 days of the year.

So today we are enjoying this little bit of Canada in the Cotswolds and the festive atmosphere that it has brought to Moreton in Marsh this time of year.  When we passed by the Bell Inn, we ran into John the Landlord and he recognized us and asked if we felt at home with all of the snow falling. Of course we said "Yes!" and then followed up with a question to him about a Sunday roast later in the afternoon. Fortunately his 2nd Chef lives in the Inn and he was already getting things ready for lunch. When we arrived there later in the afternoon the fireplace was roaring and the place was packed with locals and their dogs enjoying hot cider and pints (not the dogs, just the owners). What an atmosphere and what a day!

Ale of the Day: Mad Goose, Purity Brewing Co., Great Alne, Warwickshire