It’s snowing like you wouldn’t believe…

in England (and in parts of Australia!).

Here in New Zealand we’re thinking of our northern hemisphere loved ones as we snip, decorate and paste paper snowflakes on the windows.

My wonderful sister’s boyfriend, Mike Hutton, sent me this photograph of my father and sister at The Roaches, near where Claire and Mike live in the Peak District. He is a gifted photographer and climber. Since Dan and I don’t get to travel very often with our little charges, or trek great distances these days, I frequently enjoy browsing Mike’s website of visual delights for a spot of armchair travel. Claire and Mike have had some amazing adventures and I know that my girls, one day, will be very inspired by them (and will want to join them on a few climbs – they are already stronger than Dan and I with all the hanging off monkey bars they do!).

Claire & David Aspinall at the Roaches by Mike Hutton Photography

In the meantime, seeing as we are certainly not going to have a white Christmas, we shall think of our loved ones and continue to snip-snap away!

We are actually quite delighted to see the sun return today, after rain plagued the first few days of the school holidays. And sunshine is forecast for Christmas Day and Sophie’s Birthday on Boxing Day – whoopee!

We got our snow flake printable templates from this website. They look wonderful on the window and with some brightly coloured tissue paper, or cellophane, stuck in the gaps, they would make beautiful sun catchers too.