Thompson’s Park on Boxing Day

Dead leaves in Thompson’s Park on Boxing Day

It has been a while since I walked around Thompson’s Park, the nearest of Cardiff’s small parks to my home. But Boxing Day was a rare day of sunshine and showers in an otherwise very wet and murky festive period, so I thought I would get some fresh air.

As usual at this time of year there were still a few observations of interest. Here are my photos…

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2022 tree following 12: End of the year

Twin trunks of the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park

I visited the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park for the last time today as we near the end of the year.

The weather has been cold since the start of December, with some frost, ice and freezing mist – but only one light dusting of snow so far. Today was very cold and raw but brighter than the dank days earlier in the week.

The tree is now stripped bare of leaves, as it was when I first started to follow it in February 2022.

Here are the photos from my visit…

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Snapshots of the Day: Winter shrubs

A splash of colour in a streetside garden – Chaenomeles or flowering quince

You can smell this from a great distance – the wonderful Sarcococca confusa or Christmas box

Another strongly-scented flower – Daphne in my own garden

A long-lasting winter favourite that always looks old-fashioned to me – Viburnum tinus in a streetside garden

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Just a rare sprinkle of snow

Snow on my bare sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) this morning

In the South Wales Valleys to the north it often snows but here in Cardiff it is such a rarity that I always get over-excited – even if today it was just an overnight sprinkling of less than an inch.

We last had proper snow here when the Beast from the East hit us as February turned to March in 2018. That lasted just a few days but still caused chaos and time off work. Today’s snow was just decorative and soon gone…

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New Year’s Day in Thompson’s Park

Thompson’s Park in Cardiff on New Year’s Day – people gathered near the duck pond

One of my New Year resolutions in this time of lockdown was to get out more, walk most days and get some sunshine. At least I started well on New Year’s Day with a walk around Thompson’s Park. It’s a favourite of mine so I suppose none of these images show anything new.

In these Covid days I do try to avoid people so find myself straying from the pathways to distance myself and holding my breath as I pass if I can’t. I don’t suppose I was surprised that people gathered dangerously together near the duck pond in the lower part of the park.

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Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt – January

Vintage: I was thinking of clothing or cars until I read an article by William Gibson and he referred to vintage science fiction – I realised I had some on my shelves. These covers from Fantastic in 1959 and 1977 showed how little changed until comparatively recently – both covers depict attractive women as victims of alien terror… Click on the picture to read the William Gibson interview in the Guardian

Last month I signed up for the Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt hosted by Eileen on her A Bracelet of Days blog. Here’s her introduction to the hunt.

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Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt – December

I stood here: The sculpture ‘People Like Us’ by John Clinch in Mermaid Quay represents the people of Tiger Bay in the days when this was a thriving port – when I stood here I didn’t notice I had framed the Norwegian Church in the background

I have absolutely no imagination, so to try to kick-start my thinking I have decided to join in with the Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt hosted by Eileen on her A Bracelet of Days blog. Here’s her introduction to the hunt.

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The Wharf in midwinter

Looking across the Wharf on Christmas Eve, with golden willow leaves in the foreground

It seems a long time ago now, but on Christmas Eve I went for my regular walk around the Wharf (former Bute East Dock) alongside my workplace at County Hall in Cardiff Bay. Although it is the middle of winter there was still plenty to see…

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The Wharf in November

Ripening fruit seen during my walk around the Wharf (former Bute East Dock) in Cardiff on November 20 – I have been calling this dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) but I am still not totally convinced

It has now become my habit to go for a walk around the Wharf (former Bute East Dock) at least once a month to document the plants. The darker days are here but I am still finding plenty in nature to brighten my day.

Mahonia is one of my favourite winter plants…

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Cold comfort for snow birds

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) in the snow yesterday

We had serious snow here in Cardiff on Thursday and Friday – so bad that I was sent home from work at lunchtime on Thursday after a Red Warning was issued. Only a couple of us remembered it was St David’s Day (March 1), a day for daffodils.

Then on Friday I was really frustrated that I couldn’t get into work, after boasting that of course I would be there – I was sure the snow wouldn’t be as bad as they were forecasting. But it was and no buses were running in the city. If I had walked it would have taken me a couple of dangerous hours and I would have been sent straight back home again as soon as I arrived.

So instead I got some housework done, watched some TV and tried to capture the birds outside the kitchen window. We always put out fat blocks and pellets and sunflower seeds and every morning I throw out a couple of handfuls of raisins for the blackbirds, which are always there waiting. We have up to seven or eight of them on a good day.

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