Snowy morning!

And after last night's snowfall, here's what I woke up to:

Looks gorgeous from inside my room, but I wonder how I'll feel when I have to go out in it! :p

Icy cold!

When I wrote about the snow up on Campus last week, I mentioned I was wondering if the weekend's hike would be snowy or not, and if my gear would do for the current weather conditions... Well the weekend was GORGEOUS! Beautiful blue skies we hadn't seen in weeks... which sadly here in winter are always accompanied by freezing cold weather, this time literally! The temperature hasn't been above freezing for a few days, and probably won't for the rest of the week! A light snowfall on Saturday added to the upcoming holiday feeling, but fortunately it wasn't enough to complicate things around here.

I'm running really behind on my Walloon Hiking Posts (which I'm doing as much for myself -to remember these hikes- as for anyone who might be interested in hiking or seeing the Belgian hills and woods), but I did want to sneak ahead and share a photo from yesterday! The latest in wintry (3� below freezing!!!) hiking fashions, voil�!

Quite a clash of colours, eh? I'm trying out my new garters (is that the right word for those red things?) which I got 'cause I was fed up of the mud around here. Have warm Columbia pants (part of my old Antarctic gear) on under my outer shell, and am wearing two icebreaker shirts long+short-sleeve) under a polar fleece and my jacket. Hat, gloves, scarf... those came and went depending on sunshine and whether climbing uphill or down... ;o)

There was just enough snow on the ground (and trees and bushes, more or less depending on sun or shade) to make everything look magical and all "Winter Wonderland", but not enough to make hiking a problem (I've been told it's more tiring to hike through the snow). Added bonus: the mud was all frozen!!! So for once I didn't come home with my pants all muddy up to my knees! (which kind of defeated the point of inaugurating my garters) Instead it was fun to walk on its crunchy surface, lol!

The snow was falling quite heavily when I left the University this evening... it's a pity I don't have classes tomorrow until the afternoon, I'm sure the pristine morning snow would make for lovely photos! :p

First snow on campus

I mentioned in my post yesterday that it had started snowing while I was in class... and I was wondering whether there would be any left when I got up there this morning. Well, here's the answer (taken w/ my cellphone, so not perfect):

Not much for those of you who have already gotten a decent snowfall this year, but it made me feel all giddy and goofy (plus I've had Christmas carols stuck in my since yesterday's snow)! It was actually snowing again (lightly) when I got off the bus! The snow's not sticking to the road, but it sure looks pretty on the leaves and branches of the trees and other plants! :o)

This weekend the temperatures are supposed to be mostly around or below freezing, and I'm wondering what my Sunday hike is going to be like... at a higher altitude and further inland. Will I get snow? What's it like hiking in snow? I hope my regular hiking boots will do the trick! Although I'm afraid the hat I brought with me isn't warm enough, and I didn't bring any snow gloves... winter is coming in much earlier (and colder!) than last year here in Belgium!

Tal d�a como hoy...

Hoy es viernes, 26 de noviembre de 2010. Pronto comenzar� el fin de semana, un fin de semana de tantos. �Qu� puede hacer de hoy un d�a especial? Pues, aparte de ser eso, viernes, consultando las efem�rides me he encontrado con toda una serie de datos curiosos que quiz�s haga que os parezca un poco m�s especial, m�gico, �nico. �Qui�n sabe? Quiz�s esta misma sensaci�n sea la chispa necesaria que provoque, a su vez, toda una serie de sucesos �nicos y m�gicos, dignos de ser recordados en el futuro. ;) Empecemos:

• 1865. Se publica Alicia en el Pa�s de las Maravillas, de Lewis Carroll (despu�s de una primer�sima edici�n accidentada). �Se puede empezar mejor la jornada que recordando a Alicia? Tened presente que toda una suerte de personajes m�gicos y estrafalarios os pueden salir al encuentro a lo largo del d�a de hoy. Si alguien corre por los pasillos del metro en hora punta quiz�s sea el Conejo Blanco; si encontr�is alg�n gato en vuestro trayecto, quiz�s not�is que su sonrisa es un tanto enigm�tica. Tomad precauciones si os invitan a tomar el t�. Estad atentos, por favor.
• 1922. Howard Carter y Lord Carnarvon ven por primera vez el interior de la tumba del fara�n Tutankhamon, a la luz de una vela y a trav�s de un orificio practicado en la esquina superior izquierda de la puerta, tras permanecer m�s de 3000 a�os sellada. El misterio flota en el aire, ver�is cosas maravillosas.
• 1939. Nace Anne Mae Bullock, a quien m�s tarde todos conoceremos como Tina Turner. �Felicidades Tina! Puede que not�is una energ�a arrolladora, aprovechadla. ;)
• 1942. Se estrena Casablanca en Nueva York. Si os invade la melancol�a, quiz�s sea buena idea hacer una parada en el Caf� de Rick. Sam os estar� esperando.
• 1945. Como bien nos recuerda Google, Astrid Lindgren publica Pipi Calzaslargas. Si lo que sent�s es un irrefrenable deseo de libertad no os reprim�is, que no es bueno.

Como veis, todo esto sucedi� un 26 de noviembre normal y corriente. Abrid los ojos y disfrutad, son d�as de magia. :)

Imagen: Matter of Time

Tal d�a como hoy...

Hoy es viernes, 26 de noviembre de 2010. Pronto comenzar� el fin de semana, un fin de semana de tantos. �Qu� puede hacer de hoy un d�a especial? Pues, aparte de ser eso, viernes, consultando las efem�rides me he encontrado con toda una serie de datos curiosos que quiz�s haga que os parezca un poco m�s especial, m�gico, �nico. �Qui�n sabe? Quiz�s esta misma sensaci�n sea la chispa necesaria que provoque, a su vez, toda una serie de sucesos �nicos y m�gicos, dignos de ser recordados en el futuro. ;) Empecemos:

• 1865. Se publica Alicia en el Pa�s de las Maravillas, de Lewis Carroll (despu�s de una primer�sima edici�n accidentada). �Se puede empezar mejor la jornada que recordando a Alicia? Tened presente que toda una suerte de personajes m�gicos y estrafalarios os pueden salir al encuentro a lo largo del d�a de hoy. Si alguien corre por los pasillos del metro en hora punta quiz�s sea el Conejo Blanco; si encontr�is alg�n gato en vuestro trayecto, quiz�s not�is que su sonrisa es un tanto enigm�tica. Tomad precauciones si os invitan a tomar el t�. Estad atentos, por favor.
• 1922. Howard Carter y Lord Carnarvon ven por primera vez el interior de la tumba del fara�n Tutankhamon, a la luz de una vela y a trav�s de un orificio practicado en la esquina superior izquierda de la puerta, tras permanecer m�s de 3000 a�os sellada. El misterio flota en el aire, ver�is cosas maravillosas.
• 1939. Nace Anne Mae Bullock, a quien m�s tarde todos conoceremos como Tina Turner. �Felicidades Tina! Puede que not�is una energ�a arrolladora, aprovechadla. ;)
• 1942. Se estrena Casablanca en Nueva York. Si os invade la melancol�a, quiz�s sea buena idea hacer una parada en el Caf� de Rick. Sam os estar� esperando.
• 1945. Como bien nos recuerda Google, Astrid Lindgren publica Pipi Calzaslargas. Si lo que sent�s es un irrefrenable deseo de libertad no os reprim�is, que no es bueno.

Como veis, todo esto sucedi� un 26 de noviembre normal y corriente. Abrid los ojos y disfrutad, son d�as de magia. :)

Imagen: Matter of Time

Snowflakes and Turkey

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

We got our first snow here today...

The snowfall made me feel all goofy and giggly at the bus stop waiting to head back downtown from the university, and I just let my inner child out again and had fun catching huge snowflakes on my tongue! :p  

(you can barely make them out, bad cellphone pic!)

When I left it wasn't sticking to the ground yet, but I'm taking my camera up with me tomorrow morning just in case the campus is all white (nothing in town). ;o)

I hadn't been planning on doing anything for Thanksgiving, too much work to do! But by the time I had finished my errands downtown (including grocery shopping) I figured I wasn't going to get much work (correcting essays, ugh!) done anyways so... I called up a friend and asked if he wanted to join me for an impromptu (and highly improvised) Thanksgiving dinner!

On the menu, homemade Mac&Cheese and grilled turkey breast fillets (I had to at least have some turkey!!!)

followed by these little lovelies:

delicious and nutritious!

Just to say, you don't need an elaborate feast to give Thanks, just some good will, good spirits and good friends!

I hope you all had a Happy Turkey Day!!! :o)

Movie Magic: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1.

WOW! wow.

I think they actually did it just right! (for once!) That beginning before the title sequence is so poignant, with so many unsaid goodbyes (I had forgotten about those!), so many heartbreaking looks (snif!!!).

How can I review this without spoiling it for anyone? Tough one... let's see if I can figure out how to speak in code so that I can express my opinion on certain points so that those who have seen the movie (or are very familiar with the book) will understand me, but so that I don't give anything away for the rest...

keep reading!