Record low temperatures are forecast for tonight followed by two more days of frigid cold. We have taken what precautions we could but the bulk of our garden will have to take the cold's full impact. There has been no blueberry harvest here in two years. A June hard freeze took the berries in 2010 and the June drought took them last year. These blossoms will be brown tomorrow. Hannaford Food Markets sell frozen Maine wild blueberries so our habit of eating this fruit on our cereal continues, but it's not the same.
Earlier frosts have burned the leaf tips of these Blue bead lilies, Clintonia. It is doubtful that the adjacent poke weed stalk will generate enough heat to protect its neighbors tonight. Notice the wild cherry blossoms that litter the ground. Whether or not they set fruit is unknown. Our resident chipmunks rely on cherry seeds as a large part of their diet. These adorable rascals also feed on our plants so a winter die off by them would have an up side for us.
This shooting star, Dodecatheon has put up a noble fight with the cold. Several times we have found its frosted leaves pale and shriveled but for now it looks great. Farmers consider this a nuisance plant as its leaves sour the cows milk if eaten. Having no cows, we cultivate this beautiful weed.
Thirty pots of lilies remain outside in the tarp covered sod house. A three gallon pot filled with wet soil requires considerable effort by me to move it into the basement. Four pots were carried in and we will begin again with these if the rest succumb to the cold. In the interest of science we will record the temperature inside of the tarp protected area tomorrow morning. We will also take note of who, if anyone survives.
