Frozen Beauty

We located our home so that the distance ridge was between us and the rising sun or moon.  Their appearance here is delayed by 45 minutes at this time of the year.  When we want to see a full moon rising above a more distant horizon, a walk to the road is required.  There we can see the emerging moon against dark skies.  From the house the full moon appears in skies already fully illuminated by moon light.

Last night featured temperatures in the single digits under clear skies.  With those conditions frost forms everywhere.  Warming sunlight makes quick work of eliminating these strikingly sharp crystals but while they remain the trees glitter in the sunlight.  The distant trees look like they have been rolled in diamond dust.  A walk in the frigid air was required to reach some shade.  Low in the sky bright sunlight makes pictures impossible if the camera lens is hit by sunlight.  So I burned my airways a little to record this wonderful sight.

Recently we saw eight deer cavorting on our lawn.  They were here for more than a romp since they are well aware green grass lies hidden just under the new snow.  They look right at us but quickly return to feeding.  Somehow they know that we pose them no threat despite the fact that they regularly eat my lily buds.   Their favorite place to eat is on the slope just to the left of the house.  There the sunlight hits with force, thinning the snow cover.  The deer seem to be aware when we are watching them.  They look right at us but quickly return to feeding.  Once darkness falls on a frigid January night, the deer feed on the still green clover and grass.   They know we are snuggled inside the house for the night.  After sharing this space for two decades we know their habits and they know ours.  Watching the wildlife in the garden has added great joy to our life.  I can't help wonder if they enjoy watching us.

Subzero Night

Our NOAA forecast called for an overnight low temperature below zero.  Early evening winds from the north filled depressions in the snow caused by animal footprints leaving a smooth surface.  As the temperature dropped, the wind died down and the sky became absolutely clear.  Clean air coming to us from the Arctic makes available sky views seldom seen here.  The moon was full casting enough light to suggest the possibility of a midnight hike.  When we were younger, and mostly free of pain and common sense, a hike would have likely happened.  In our past we were known to drive without headlights on nights like this one in the absence of any other cars on the road.  I did mention our previous lack of good judgement.

Cool moonlight lit up the landscape outshining most of the stars.  Diamond dust covered the snow twinkled in the bright moonlight.  No animals were seen at 4 AM.  Nothing moved.  A cold quiet stillness covered the frozen moonlit scene.  This night was truly special as these conditions are rather rare here.  A night like this one might be more common in January.  It was a spectacular sight, but it was good to get back to our warm bed!  Opening a window to try for pictures never crossed our minds.

Many new animal tracks marked the previously smooth snow by morning.  The temperature has climbed into the twenties so it is time for us to venture outside.  The mail must be collected and the garbage hauled down to the road.  We did not get a photo of the beautiful moonlit scene, but it will not be forgotten!

Snow Now, Snow Then

Last evening we were forced to travel after dark.  That is still possible but has become more difficult.  When we were about five miles from home the status changed when we entered a squall of intense swirling snow.  Traction was an issue that was dwarfed by lack of visibility.  Our staying on the road was in the hands of the driver of the car in front of us.  Two miles later that car tried to make a left turn onto a well traveled road.  Their turn was early and nearly took them down into a deep ditch.

We still had another vehicle ahead of us and willingly followed them until they tried to turn into their trackless driveway.  Having just watched another driver turn early, they cautiously overshot their driveway.   Now we had the lead and safely made it to our  next turn.  I nearly turned  early but my copilot called out a warning that saved us.  The last mile on River Road was a swirl of white snow, but familiar enough that we knew we were going to make it home.  WHEW!

NOAA radar showed a huge storm mass just west of our location.  We expected to find a substantial snowfall this morning but that was not to be.  Perhaps a windblown inch of new snow covered the ground.  Eleven degrees below zero is forecast for tonight.  Our plants will be forced to make do with a rather thin cover of insulating snow.

Becky found some old prints of pictures likely taken in 2003.  The old mobile home has been replaced with a new modular so that date is probably correct.  In our younger days, meaning our early sixties, playing in new snowfall made this place a four season paradise.  A Swiss Bob was the sled of choice.  It was little more than a seat with handles but it served its intended function amazingly well.

This steep face of the glacial kame terrace provided us with long thrilling rides as the trail deepened with repeated use.  This was the time just before urinary tract cancers entered my life.  My bladder and both kidneys were involved but luck sent me to Doctor Hugh Fisher in Albany.  He was the master of his craft as evidenced by my continued ability to really live on this land.

This picture pleases me.  The knit cap dates from my first pickup truck which was a brown International Harvester.  Its floor boards were largely gone and the road surface was easily seen if one looked down.  Still, it served me well as it always carried me to my destination.  The truck is long gone and the cap is beyond worn but I still use it.  My goal each day is to find a reason here to display another smile like the one in the picture.

Shadows In The Sunlight

February is always the longest month of the year for me.  The beauty of winter has become hidden behind the bitter work required just to reach the highway.  The current cycle of polar blasts featuring heavy snowfall and below zero temperatures has brought thoughts of moving south to our minds.  Parts of Tennessee are ice coated today with no electrical power.  We are way ahead of those conditions.  The mountains of North Carolina are experiencing temperatures similar to us but with less snow.  Neither of those locations seem enough of an improvement to make the work of a move there worthwhile.  So we are back to seeing the advantages of a geographical location that keeps us on the edges of both coastal, think Boston, and  lake effect severe storms, think Buffalo.  Snow is a way of life here and the tools and skills necessary to handle fallen snow are on hand and up to the task.  I did hire a man to sand my driveway yesterday so that the propane truck could climb our hill.  Sand is in cans in the basement ready for me to spread by hand but the bitter cold dictated that I call for help. 

So it is back to the beauty of the season.  Bright white snow and sunlight usually combine to make good pictures difficult.  At mid morning, the sun was still low enough in the sky to throw shadows to outline the stone walls.  It seems that every night brings a small amount of new snow so the surface of the ground remains bright and undisturbed. 

This temporary stone pile's cover of snow shows smooth curves as it sweeps to he ground.  Hard north winds smeared the vertical surface of the wall with a lasting coating of drifted snow.  We wonder about the condition of the perennial plants.  Early January was snow-less and cold.  Those are not the best extremes for the plants to survive.  Now a generous snow cover insulates the ground from the sub zero temperatures and we wonder just how close to the surface deep earth warmth has pushed.

There is a long neglected stone wall hidden beneath this snow.  Its curved surface has trapped and held wind blown snow.  The single hole in the snow coating has puzzled me for days.  It is possible that exhaled warm breath from hairy creatures that call my wall home vent to create break in the snow cover.  Many of the wild animals here survive these temperature extremes by deeply sleeping for the duration.  The deer remain active and must be having difficulty finding food now.  They frequently dig snow away to reveal grass but now the depth of the snow makes that impossible.  A single deer did spend a recent day bedded down under one of the pines in the photo.

Just over one week remains in this longest month.  The polar jet stream will soon be pushed northward and the extremes of winter will soften.  Outdoor life will begin again and we will remember why we continue to live here.

Baby It's Cold Out There!

The crazy up and down temperatures we have been having lately are headed for the sub basement  now.  The rosemary, lady bugs and I are all sitting by the south facing windows hoping for some sunshine and warmth.

Now is the time to sift through the big stack of garden catalogs.   Once in awhile a new one for a company I have never heard of comes, and naturally I at least have to take a look at those.  The idea of some new and wonderful plants in the garden helps me through the winter months.  There are certain catalogs that I look for every year.  Logee's used to be one of those.  Exotic is the word for the plants that they sell.  After all these years, however, I am not so easily charmed by exotic tropical plants that are interesting, but suffer here since often they come from a zone where the minimum temperature is warmer than I heat my house.  This year I dropped it into the recycling.  Others get dropped in there without even a second thought.  Sometimes it's because of past disappointments.  Sometimes it's because the plant colors are so vibrant I know they can't be real and I need a certain amount of trust to part with my money.  Sometimes the prices are so high I just can't justify the extravagance even in January.

There are catalogs that I watch for and yesterday I spotted the Richter's catalog just peeking out of the stack of mail.  I have always loved this catalog.  If you are interested in herbs it is a must have.  For me it is as fascinating as any book on herbs I might have in my library.  I will look through it many times before I place my order.  It is full of temptation.  Over the years I have purchased seeds for weeds like lambs quarters and teasels.  One year we purchased wild rice to put in the pond.  It didn't grow.  Sometimes when you do something stupid like that you luck out and the plant doesn't take.  On the other hand the Good King Henry planted next to the stone square  comes right back no matter how much you cut it back and self seeds too if you are not paying attention.  What will I buy this year?  I'm still reading. I'll let you know.

The Cold Truth

There was no way I was going outside to take garden pictures today.  Even our double pane windows had formed ice on the inside.  Instead I took pictures of our indoor plants.  I had a nice picture of a rosemary blossom and a lovely picture of winter sunshine on fuzzy peppermint geranium leaves.  I could have used pretty pictures and left the impression that everything was rosy, but I didn't do that.  Instead I'm writing the cold hard truth!  It is frigid here.  Overnight the temperature dropped to -10.  My garden has a little snow cover, but it's a thin sheet when what is really needed is a heavy blanket.  More than that both Ed and I have colds as well.  We did venture out today. The snow made that loud crunching noise under our feet that only happens when it's right around zero or below.  If you are looking for blooms here only the rosemary has them.  They are small, but lovely like a little blue orchid, however a closer look reveals aphids and a gross blob of stuff that they leave on the plants.

Meanwhile downstairs under the lemon verbenas, this is what we find on the window sill under the plants.  I know frass when I see it and the leaves on the branch above have definitely been chewed.

Upon close inspection I found this.  The Pollyanna in me wants to think this is some sort of beneficial insect, but I know  the cold hard truth is that it will probably hatch out into a leaf eating machine.   Lemon verbena leaves are delightful with a delicious lemony flavor and scent.  I like to eat them myself.  Tomorrow will be the last day for whatever lives in that furry little cocoon.  My indoor plants need my attention.  Maybe we'll do the winter sunshine on fuzzy peppermint geranium leaves next time!