When icicles hang by the wall

Winter

When icicles hang by the wall

And Dick the shepherd blows his nail,

And Tom bears logs into the hall,

And milk comes frozen home in pail;

When blood is nipt, and ways be foul,

Then nightly sings the staring owl

Tu-whoo!

Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note!

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

When all around the wind doth blow,

And coughing drowns the parson's saw,

And birds sit brooding in the snow,

And Marian's nose looks red and raw;

When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl—

Then nightly sings the staring owl

Tu-whoo!

Tu-whit! tu-whoo! A merry note!

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

W Shakespeare

The temperature in Fraserburgh last night fell to -13c and rose just enough for there to be a slight, drippy thaw in the sunshine. It occurs to Grey Granite that there must be a whole generation of children who have never really seen icicles. During the last few days spectacular examples have started to appear hanging from eaves and walls.This one is poised just above our front door and is about 18 inches long.