Cottage Ornee

The view from my bedroom window on January 27, 2012.

White Birch and Green Conifers

Ice is heavy.

Iced branches

And to think I was planning to collect forsythia branches to force today.

Yellow Birch

View from the Welcoming Platform. I have photographed this tree in every season and every weather. It is always beautiful.

Snowy stream 1-25-12

Temperatures hover at 32 degrees and the stream keeps flowing.

Then after supper we sat watching the snow fall, blowing across the lawn. By now over eight inches has collected on the Welcoming Platform and the TV weatherman says we may get another foot of snow before dawn.

October 29 7 p.m.

ADDENDUM

October 30, 2011 8 a.m.

Sixteen inches of snow and 32 degrees! Not bad for the first snowfall of the year.

Gingko

This fall we have truly been having a ‘golden season.’ The weather has been relatively mild, if rainy, and the usual flame of the maples was muted.

But a golden glow shone on every sunny day. But today we got rain – and a surprise.

This photo was taken around 4 p.m on Thursday.

October 27 9 p.m.

October 27 10 p.m.

October 28 7:15 a.m.

October 28 7:30 am

Easter Sunday

In spite of Saturday’s snow and sleet which continued most of the day, after a warm night with temperatures constantly increasing, Easter Sunday dawned warm and sunny and blissful. This is all that was left of the snow. The breeze was gentle and it was a perfect Easter Sunday.

One of the first fences we removed over the past months was the wire fence that formed the ‘fourth wall’ of the Sunken Garden. These dayliles grew along the northern section of fence but they are going to be removed.  A few will be moved to the Daylily Bank in front of the house, some will go to the Bridge of Flowers Plant Sale on May 14, and some will go to whoever will take them. These were bought from White Flower Farm in shades of yellow and gold more than 25 years ago. The names are gone, but it is a wonderful selection. I will have to wait for this swampy site to dry out before I start digging, although I doubt that the daylilies would care very much. The intent is to have a smooth green swath from the main lawn into the Sunken Garden. I do use the word ‘lawn’ loosely. No fine turf at the End of the Road.

After we enjoyed the sunny morning the clouds moved in, but our guests began to arrive and we just concentrated on the sun in their smiles.  We had a wonderful day of visiting with young friends and our son Chris and his lady.  This morning before Chris and Michelle departed for home, Chris helped me move the lid to the cold frame and I moved in the seedlings that have been growing on the guest room windowsill. Here you can see Tango lettuce from High Mowing Seeds, Amadeus broccoli and Tower Mix China Asters from Johnny’s Another tray held  Gigante parlsey, Bling Bling and Green Envy zinnias from Renee’s Garden.

Today it is cloudy again which makes it perfect for a first day in  the cold frame. The prediction is for more showery weather which is not a bad thing. I think I might be able to put these seedlings in the ground early next week. It feels like spring. I hope it is here to stay.

Boule de Neige rhodie

The snow is still melting and revealing that the winter has been kind to the rhodies. No breakage. Lots of buds.

"Limelight" hydrangea

The “Limelight” hydrangea was not so lucky.  The snow plow dumped a lot of our enormous snowfall at the edge of the lawn and broke more than half this hydrangea. The two tiny plants, an oakleaf and “PinkyWinky” were undamaged.  These three shrubs are about 10 feet in from the road and I thought they were safe, but the amount of snow we got this year was most unusual.

Van Sion daffs

The heirloom Van Sion daffs are the earliest in my garden and these aren’t daunted by growing between a rose bush and a stone wall where I have not yet been able to dig them up.

Last spring I dug a few snowdrops ‘in the green’ and planted them near the house where I could really admire them. Still, there are plenty of snowdrops left in what we laughingly call The Orchard.

Snow in the Sunken Garden

The snow drops are pretty and we will be sorry to see them go. No so the snow. The snow drifts so deeply in the Sunken Garden that it takes extra weeks before it is totally gone. Note the stream that begins at this end of the Sunken Garden and then runs across the lawn and into the south field. It will stay wet for at least another month. There is a theory that there is a spring not far below the surface in the corner of the foundation.

But as I say, we worked this weekend.  Henry spent a good part of Saturday burning brush. This pile was at the end of our road, just west of the house, so it was really the first thing people saw when they arrived.  We will not replace this brush pile.

I made a first run through the Herb Bed, cutting stems back, raking, weeding and topdressing part of the garden with compost. The Herb Bed dries out first and I am always amazed at how early growth starts here. These early signs don’t make for very good photographs but already bee balm, mint, lemon balm, garlic chives, autumn crocus, regular chives, oregano, golden marjoram are sending up shoots. The sage plants have through better than usual thanks to all that snow cover.

On Friday I wanted to plant some seeds in flats and thought it was time to take a partial vermicompost harvest.  I dumped a few handfuls of worms and bedding onto a plastic sheet in front of a sunny window.  Naturally the worms dive deep to get away from the light. I separated out the top layer of bedding which I hope is rich with worm castings. I mixed this with some regular potting soil for my seeds.

I got a good look at my worms – and there are many at all stages of development – all looking pretty good. It has not been a problem to have the worm bin in our heated living space, but I will be glad when I can put it outside for the summer.

Seedlings planted inside include Tango Lettuce from High Mowing seeds; Italian Gigante Parsley, Green Envy, and Bling Bling zinnias from Renee’s Gardens; China Asters and Amadeus broccoli from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Outdoors I planted High Mowing Corvair hybrid spinach.  I really feel spring has sprung now.

February 25 8 am

The snow was falling when I woke.  I hope this is the first of the four final snowstorms predicted for this winter.

While the snow is beautiful, the view inside the hen house was not as lovely.  For the third morning in a row I went out to find a dead chicken, killed by a weasel. I don’t know if it is possible to keep a determined and hungry weasel out of a hen house. I will spare you the image.  Only a dozen chickens left, including a rooster.

For more Wordlessness this Wednesday click here.

Icing on the Lawn Beds.

Iced lilacs.

The long road to home. It’s a long time til spring.

I wish I had a portable chicken house! No joke.