Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Saturday 10 December 2016

When is a Snowman, Not a Snowman?


When it’s a snowbear of course!


That’s not Goldilocks; it’s my late sister-in-law Gill, who died four years ago today. She was very creative as well as fun-loving. This was in the garden of their house in Gloucestershire some time in the 1990s. I believe it was taken in February, but the picture reminds me of many happy Christmases spent there with George and Gill and our extended families. We would usually all visit on Boxing Day and there would always be fun and games, including a treasure hunt.

















A snowman is also not a snowman when he is a papier mache figure in a Mardi Gras carnival float in Cyprus  in 2001, or standing guard at Santa’s Place here in Lanzarote in 2012.























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........when it’s a knitted tree decoration made by my mother or a soft toy snowbaby made by me (about thirty years ago).

A snowman is not a snowman when it’s the icing on the cake, (Christmas 1988 when my children were into Raymond Briggs’ eponymous book and animation, as well as singing the theme tune).....

.......or just a giant snowball without a head, or a carrot nose. No that is definitely not a snowman, although it showed great potential as far as my three year old daughter was concerned.


It’s not even a snowman when it’s cuddly and cute like my latest creation (read the story here in ’Snowman Surprise’), because real snowmen are not cuddly!!


Now that’s a snowman!! My nephew and his children just a few years ago, happily posing with their spikey-haired creation. Just over a year ago he was attacked by a mystery illness and had to undergo a liver transplant, which saved his life. He has made a remarkable recovery and will be free to make many more snowman with his family this year, thanks to the wonderful NHS Organ Donation scheme and the selflessness of one woman and her family. Our family will be forever grateful.


Now, if that has lifted your spirits, why not go and join other contributors to Sepia Saturday, where our prompt image was a snowman - or was it?

13 comments:

  1. Lovely creations, especially the snowbears and the spiky scarecrow, and great to hear the good news about your nephew. Did you decorte that cake yourself?

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    1. Sorry, I meant decorate, of course. It's wonderful.

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  2. Yes, truly a heart ❤️ warming post! I have a fondness for all snowmen too! ⛄️ this is very special.

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  3. The three snowbears are just wonderful...and I like the punk-rocker guy, too!

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  4. What a bittersweet post! My condolences on the loss of your sister-in-law ... she sounds like she was an amazing woman. And my best wishes to your nephew and his family. It's wonderful to know that he will be able to spend many more Christmases with you.

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  5. Wonderful fun photos. I love the Snowman cake, I'll be sitting down to watch it with my Mum next Friday!

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  6. Great photos and Christmas spirit. Heart-warming about your nephew. I hope he enjoys many more snowmen with his daughter.

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  7. An imaginative take on this week' a theme . I loved seeing all the different snowmen. - my favourite the little knitted snowman on the tree. Thank you, too, for sharing the wonderful story of your nephew's return to health, due to the generosity of spirit from a grieving family - a heart-warming Christmas story.

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  8. What a lovely post...touching actually. I as a US elder had no idea who Raymond Briggs was, nor what that song might be, since we don't have a history of "The Snowman" here (I did look it up.) But the cake definitely looks yummy. I think you win for the numbers of diverse pictures of snowmen, (as if that was a contest!)

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  9. You certainly covered the gamut of 'snowman' possibilities! :) Fun post - and the last about your nephew was a true season spirit lifter. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. You gave me a lot of smiles this time. And the snowbears are such a wonderful idea.

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  11. A witty set of photos and fond memories too. Have a happy new year!

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  12. Love the punk snowman. Happy 2017!

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