A Cold Sparkling Morning

Here on the last day of November the air is crisp and cold.  As I sat drinking my morning coffee the sun began to come up behind the far hill.  First it back lit the trees on the top of the ridge.  The sun on the frost covered trees made them glow and sparkle in an incredible way, the white frost on the trees picking up the gold  of the sunlight.  I watched intently as the glowing effect changed until the sun rose high enough to make the brightness more intense than I could comfortably watch.

Once the sun was up every tree on the hill was sparkling white.  The surface of the snow sparkled like diamonds.  This is a sight we are accustomed to see in January or February.  I know from past experience that it is impossible, at least for me, to capture the beauty of this incredible sight with the camera .  I slipped on my boots and went out on the deck to at least give it a try.  I noticed that the thermometer read 20 degrees.  It must have been colder during the night.  I took several pictures and this one was the best.  The hill in the distance looks beautiful, but the glow and sparkle of the reflected sunlight eludes the camera.  I guess you just had to be here.  Where it is cold and frost and snow are familiar to you, I'm sure you can visualize this morning's view out my window.  Snow and frost can be incredibly annoying, but this morning for awhile that was all erased by incredible beauty.

Winter Ready

We are presently under a winter storm warning.  Cold wind from the north is taking up moisture from Lake Ontario and turning it into snow.  Four inches of snow is forecast for us with increasing amounts falling closer to the lake.  This past Thursday the mechanics installed the snow thrower and serviced the tractor.  If the snowfall only amounts to four inches, the snow plow will be used to clear the driveway.  Whether the the accumulation of snow is large or small we are ready.  Better check the amount of gas on hand to be certain that all necessary preparations have been made.

Frost has entered the ground so it is time to cover the chrysanthemums.  Dead stalks are cut and placed loosely over the spreading young plants.  This bright light yellow mum is new to us this year so the amount of past growth available for cover was small.  The plant is on the south side of a stone wall where it will be shielded from harsh winter winds.  A low sun sends its rays nearly directly into the wall where heat will be stored daily.  With all of these advantages, we hope to see this plant alive next growing season.

In order to adequately cover the mum, we had to borrow material from a nearby Clara Curtis.  That plant has been with us for several years so it had stalks to share.  If all of these chrysanthemums survive winter, we will have an abundance of plants to share come spring.

Clipping the growth from the red daisy mum revealed this praying mantis egg cluster.  It was placed on the metal sheets that surround and protect our lettuce and spinach plants.  We hope that the unintended exposure of these developing eggs to full sunlight does them no harm.  Having praying mantis patrolling our garden and feeding on bugs is natural pest control but I fear some animal will feed on the exposed egg case.  Perhaps some phlox branches could be cut and placed to provide some cover here.  Bright sunshine has replaced the swirling snow for the moment so I will tend to that now.