Sepia Saturday 163: Snow deep and crisp and even


This week’s Sepia Saturday image fairly shouted “Kinsale” (Ireland) to me. In a surreptitious test I asked Mr Cassmob what it reminded him of….”snap” …he said the same thing! Why don’t you have a look at the professional image online here and see what you think…not only snow but a snowed-over barrel outside the pub! I have always loved this photo, which I bought it as a souvenir on one visit. Paradoxically it reminds me of a photo my daughter took from near here with a background of spring-blooming flowers.Sepia Saturday 9 Feb snow

Anyway, back to task. Snow isn’t exactly common in the tropical and sub-tropical areas where we have lived but somehow in our travels we’ve managed to come a long way since the days when we whispered to each other on a European train “is that snow falling?” Even our choices of major snow falls covered places from New Zealand to Switzerland and Scotland, Yorkshire to New England. However many seemed to be situated in a natural context and I wanted at least one photo with an urban perspective like the one featured.

The snow-sprinkled rooftops of Lucerne, Easter 1977. © Pauleen Cass 1977
The snow-sprinkled rooftops of Lucerne, Easter 1977. © Pauleen Cass 1977

We were in Lucerne for Easter way back in 1977 when there was a massive dump of snow overnight and then more the next night. With two little girls who lived in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea (not to mention the adults!) you can imagine the excitement! We were staying in a pension up on the hill so we had a lovely view over the rooftops of the town. Later in the day after a bout of snowman building and snowball throwing, we headed down to the Lake where the exquisite Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) over the lake was iced with snow.

The old Kapellbrücke over Lake Lucerne under snow, Easter 1977. © Pauleen Cass 1977
The old Kapellbrücke over Lake Lucerne under snow, Easter 1977. © Pauleen Cass 1977

And how could I resist including these “wilderness” images of the Rest and Be Thankful pass from Loch Lomond to Loch Fyne, and ancestor country.

Rest and Be Thankful Pass, Argyll, Scotland. © Pauleen Cass 2006
Rest and Be Thankful Pass, Argyll, Scotland. © Pauleen Cass 2006
A rest stop at Rest and Be Thankful, but perhaps not in the  snow.
A rest stop at Rest and Be Thankful, but perhaps not in the snow.

24 thoughts on “Sepia Saturday 163: Snow deep and crisp and even

  1. I remember the winter of 1977 into 78 when we had snow around Easter time. The schools did shut early of the Easter break because of the water pipes, & I remember the snow came down fast & heavy.

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    1. Thanks so much Kathy. I’m glad you enjoyed them, and pleased to hear the novelty of snow doesn’t entirely wear off -I guess until paths have to be cleared etc.

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  2. A post that brought the memories falling like a snowstorm for me. I remember traversing the Rest and Be Thankful road (not in the snow I am glad to say) and one of the other photographs took me straight back to a day spent in Lucerne..

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    1. Thanks Alan. I’ve been at R&BT a couple of times with snow clouds heavy on the horizons…the joys of travelling in off-season;-) Lucerne is just one of the most picturesque places ever I think.

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  3. The Kinsale shot is perfect and I can see why you were struck by the similarity – it even has a barrel! When I was in Kinsale some years ago it was not snowing so I wouldn’t have made the connection. I enjoyed all your snow pictures.

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    1. I’d quite like to see Kinsale looking like that but suspect it doesn’t happen often. Funny how our memories work isn’t it re cricket and snow. June is very late! All those spring flowers would have been in shock.

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  4. I enjoyed your different perspective on snow and especially the Rest and Be Thankful photographs. The RBT still regularly features on news travel bulletins – this winter more for landslides closing the road and involving people in a long detour. .

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    1. Ugh, landslides at RBT don’t sound good and I can’t imagine the detours would be an easy drive. I’ve emailed with someone who talks about the horrors of some of the other passes via Dunoon. Thought you’d enjoy a Scottish pic or two Sue 😉

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  5. Considering that I have not been to either location, I certainly enjoyed the travel — vicariously. The Lucerne pictures have a quiet snowy day quality — rather like being inside by the fire and looking out — whilst in warm comfort. The sharper and crisper RBT pics have a look that I am more familar with. Very nice.

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    1. Thanks Joan. I think too that the Lucerne photos probably suffer from being nearly 40 years old and living their lives in tropical climates. But yes, it did have that gloomy sky look initially without the crispness of RBT.

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  6. Great photos Pauleen. I’ve only ever been to the snow once, I’d like to see it again some day and hopefully in Europe. “Rest and Be Thankful” is such a nice place name 🙂

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    1. I do love snow -but probably not to live in Aillin. I can imagine them slowly climbing through R&BT in the old days and being very thankful indeed!

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