Peak winter, may there be many more such as this!

And here it is - the coldest day, and the most beautiful day of the year so far. Sunshine, a frost of -13C, and plenty of fresh snow. It's been a long time, but days like this raise the spirit immensely. The light bouncing off the snow raises serotonin levels higher than straight sunlight, there is believed to be a link between this and mood*.

Below: two photos from Jeziorki's ponds, making the case for this being Warsaw's most beautiful suburb.

Below: footprints on the ice suggest it's safe to walk on - I'd give it another frosty night (having tried at the northern end and heard ominous sounds beneath my feed as I did so).

Below: across the tracks, watching a southbound Koleje Mazowieckie train on its way from W-wa Dawidy to W-wa Jeziorki. Behind me, work on the S7 extension has come to a complete halt.

Below: corner of ul. Dumki, with tourist trail (szlak turystyczny) MZ-5242-z leading off into the distance.

Below: ul. Trombity is safer to walk on - no ploughs, no grit; the snow somehow not turning into a sheet of ice when driven over by cars. And today, drivers are abiding by the 30km/h speed limit, even as they practice their handbrake turns.

It's been four years since Warsaw has seen such a combination of frost and snow; such weather events - which used to be the norm in Poland over the winter - are destined to become rarer as we change our climate. Grateful for the day's weather, I made the most of it, 11,000 paces, best part of an hour and half. Clothing for -14C? Above all, I'm in need of a new pair of gloves, my old pair, bought from a street stall on Krakowskie Przedmieście many years ago have holes and are generally too thin for such frosts. Otherwise, three layers including a lined jacket, pair of corduroy trousers and pair of suede, fur-lined boots is good for the job. Oh, and cashmere woollen watch-cap and face mask that goes down to the neck.

This time last year:

London's timeless charms

This time two years ago:
Familiarity, music and memory

This four three years ago:
On taxation and (national) defamation

This time eight years ago:
Where's Britain going to be in Europe?

This time ten years ago:
Jeziorki under water

This time 11 years ago:
In a nutshell - the best science book I've ever read

This time 12 years ago:
Flashback to communist times

This time 13 years ago:
Pre-dawn Ursynów