A Little More Snow

This morning there was a muffled silence in the garden. A fresh new layer of fluffy white had fallen during the night. Ed started his day here at the basement door , shoveling his way out of the house. He worked his way over to the shed to get out his tractor.  The snowy silence was replaced with the sound of  snow removal. The driveway was waiting!  We were lucky, the snow was not so deep that Ed couldn't use his tractor. We were even more lucky that Ed (the neighbor) showed up with his quad to help. I really tried to get a picture of the two friends playing in the snow with their men's toys. But Ed ( the neighbor) was too fast, I was never able to get both of them framed  in a picture at the same time.

It's important to get the snow pushed back while it is light and fluffy. We have much more snow than we did last year. It just doesn't feel like the kind of January thaw that we had last year will happen this year . The idea of being snowbound here with Ed is a wonderfully  romantic notion, but keeping access to the outside world is prudent.

Later in the day , the sun  has come out.  The wind has come up and is blowing the snow off the trees. Plumes of snow drift up the hidden valley along the ridge. Even with the sun shining, snow blows by the window making it look like a white out snowstorm. The wind has its own fun playing with  fluffy snow, moving it where it will.

 Digging out for today had almost been finished, the car is free, but Ed's truck is still  covered with snow. The garden's blanket of snow has gotten  thick. Perhaps there is more to come.

What a Year This Has Been!

When we awoke on this the last day of the garden for 2008, a beautiful white world greeted us. I was wondering what kind of picture to choose for this final post, but as often happens the choice became obvious. Once out of bed I used the binoculars to see who the solitary bird in the tree with the bird feeders might be. It was a Northern harrier sitting there waiting for his entree du jour. I always like to think of these hawks as eating mice and snakes, but on a day like today I'm sure it's a bird he's after. Perhaps the service was slow, because he's gone now and the mourning doves and other birds have returned to the feeder.

Looking back it has been quite a year. We’ve had our challenges, early frosts, late frosts, hail, insect bites, deer, rabbits, and hordes of Baltimore Orioles, but we have also had wonderful days spent outside in the garden enjoying beautiful flowers, delightful fragrances, and intriguing wildlife. We have feasted on incredible fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits. Onions and garlic are still hanging in braids in the basement and the freezer still holds riches from this year's garden.

We treasure our time spent together in the garden in 2008! It's been a very special year!

Same Picture, Different Day

For now the garden has its snow cover again. We were very lucky. The trees got a light coat of ice before the snow, but not enough to cause trouble. Some people had a lot of ice and loss of power with this storm. I've been around for ice storms when you could hear the sickening sound of breaking trees. I feel for the people in places where that occurred. Having the power go out is the pits even if you have a generator.

From the look of the weather forecast the plants will have to edure the freeze thaw cycle for at least another week. Perhaps the winter solstice will bring a change, perhaps not. Right now, today, it's a beautiful snowy view out every window.

Inside Looking Out

It's February, still, in upstate New York. Our little glimpse of spring is over. I have to say waking up this morning to the incredible blue cast and muffled silence that comes with a thick layer of snow was wonderful. Now with more light we have pristine white. It's absolutely beautiful out every window of the house. I know that here, sometimes, we get lots of snow in March.

The bluebirds were here though, and I can't help but wonder where those bluebirds are now. I have more bird nests to show you, but I just had to do a snow picture today. My scented geraniums are hugging the glass reaching for the sun. They are waiting to be out there too. I rub their leaves and close my eyes. Mmm... I guess I can wait.

An Exciting Morning !

This morning the garden is getting its blanket of snow back. It's not a thick cozy comforter yet, but it's a start. I always feel much better when my plants, and their new growth for next year are safely covered with that blanket of snow. I always felt the same way about having my children tucked in bed for the night.

I was sipping my morning coffee, and admiring the beauty of the new snow on the garden when I noticed a black ball of fur writhing under the fruit trees. I found the binoculars to get a better look. No doubt about it, that was a pair of skunks. I had noticed a "Je ne sais quoi." when I left the house the other day. Of course I knew exactly what the quoi was, but it was very faint. I thought of just one skunk. Surprise!

So my morning of voyeurism began. First I have to say that those Pepe Le Pew cartoons are right on. Just substitute another skunk for the cat. It really was like a rather long and exciting game of twister mixed with the usual mating motion. They rolled over a rather large area. Finally when they separated they each backed away from each other, tails held high. She took off toward the trees. After surveying the field of play, he followed in the same direction.

The bugs, slugs and bees around here will have to beware! The great horned owls will be delighted, and I will definitely be talking loudly to myself when I'm outside early in the morning or after dusk. Skunks can be useful to have around, but they don't like surprises!