first snow: a slideshow of snapshots
THE FIRST REAL SNOW CAME SATURDAY NIGHT, December 5, depositing 4 or 5 inches of heavy stuff on an evening followed by the most brilliant day, the kind where the sun and moon were both in the sky. But all I could see at first when I looked outside: the pots that hadn’t made it into the safety of the shed or barn yet. Mea culpa; I didn’t finish my December garden chores. A look at the dazzle, and the damage:
Click on the first thumbnail to start the show, then toggle from slide to slide using the arrows beside the captions. Enjoy.
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- The first real snow of the season came the evening of December 5, a heavy, wet affair of 4 or 5 inches followed by one of those bluest of skies when the moon was still to be seen.
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- The backyard was pristine; I hated to make any footprints.
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- I love how the strengthening sun illuminates the tallest trees, in this case a very old maple out front.
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- A honeycomb pattern forms on the cracks in the paving stones by the house.
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- Somebody didn’t put all her pots away yet; bad move. This 3-foot-wide bowl takes two sets of hands to stash; help is on the way.
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- The impromptu cairns (really just stacked pots and stones) our front needed storing, too, so they don’t crack…maybe today.
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- Another reminder of chores not completed: two antique marble urns by the frogpond, waiting to be brought under cover.
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- I’d rather look at the snow-covered trees, like this giant old birch behind the storage shed where all those pots are *supposed* to be already, than worry on such a beautiful day.
that was extremely beautiful! great pictures. Its always a delight to look at the snow covered places.
https://www.gardenersreach.com
I very much enjoy your website and garden assistance. While you are inside on this snowy day, no doubt making some delicious root vegetable stew or potage, here is a website to peruse for ideas:
https://tclf.org/landscapes A collection of ‘what’s out there!’
There are so many wonderful gardens to see, aren’t there? But I never get tired of looking at mine – all three ways! First seeing the beauty of all the seasons in their time (living in the moment, so Buddhist); second, in the mind’s eye seeing the future as I dream it (no weeds there) and lastly, fond remembrances (like the rosemary from Shakespeare’s Hamlet) of former vivid colors or snowy whiteness – memory snapshots of prior glory and beauty. If you are not inspired and awed by nature, you are a sad, sad creature – aren’t we lucky that it takes so little to thrill us?
Welcome, Shelley, and thanks for your kind words, and also for the site to scour on the snow days. Yes, we are easy to entertain, that’s for sure…just a look out the window makes me feel better (although today it looks like a hurricane out there, a snow-covered one…so windy!). See you soon.
I am also always captivated by your photos.
They were especially appreciated this morning as our first snow was a feeble dusting, and today it’s a sleet and slushy mess. I want that hush of pristine:(
Thanks for sharing your unfinished tasks as well as the beautiful blues. I lugged my big pots in yesterday, complete with snow cover.
Thanks to all of you; glad you enjoyed the snapshots from my short romp in the snow.
@Brian: I won’t shoot, no worry. Peace, brother. :)
@Candylei: You can be my publicist when the new book comes out in a year…very sweet of you.
Welcome, Emily. Haven’t “seen” you in so long, but glad to hear that you are there and smiling.
The two urns on their sides look like cannon. Don’t shoot!
Regarding planting in the snow, today on the porch I discovered a forgotten baggy of bloodroot and also some tiny dutchman’s breeches. They had actually put out roots into the peat in which they were shipped last spring! All planted now. Can’t wait to see if they come up next spring.
Beautiful, Margaret. Makes me simultaneously grateful to be in un-snowy Portland and nostalgic for the good North East. Made me smile on a very cold day here in the NW.
Geez, we had snow FLURRIES last week and I was excited. =] Glad to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t get all the “chores” done. Beautiful pics, what a sky!
Hi Margaret: I bought your book “A Way to Garden” off of Amazon.com and I have it now and am looking forward to some good entertainment and advice. If anyone else wants the book there are more on Amazon.com to buy!
Is there a better blue than that sky? I don’t know one.
Your photos never disappoint, just beautiful! Didn’t get all my pots away and didn’t finish planting all my bulbs. But the snowfall on the Christmas decorations made it all okay, some how it will get done in the next few days.
Boy it feels good not to be the only one crying “mea culpa.” The first snow is due tonight and the pots of sedums are still setting outside, instead of under the bench in the potting shed where they belong. My rationalization (when did you last have a day without a good rationalization?) is that the snow will be good insulation.
Worse is the last bed of mesclun that hasn’t gone under glass yet. The spinach will not mind the snow but the lettuce willl end up feeding the chickens if I don’t get out there right now.
Planting bulbs in pots isn’t necessarily the same thing as forcing. I plant bulbs in pots every year because the garden looks so different in the fall, I can’t always visualize where to put them. I spot the pots around the garden in the spring, and plant them when they finish blooming.
We just had our first killing frost. No pretty snow, but the sun is shining, a blessed event here in Seattle.
@Deirdre: Yes, good point, but here in the Northeast we have the issue of the pots not liking the depths of cold and so on, and (with all but very large ones) the possibility of not enough insulation for the bulbs to survive. Todd is across the river from me so (having killed many pots of bulbs here in bad winters when I didn’t pay strict attention) I thought “dig a hole” was easier. But you are right, it’s not forcing, exactly. I am jealous that you can do this more easily, and I could if I had a deep coldframe to plunge the pots into (to add that needed insulation) I think, better than in the barn or shed. See you soon again.
Beautiful images!
We had the same amount of snow here in Greene Co. The snowfall was amazing! It stuck to every little branch and twig.
Big problem though, I haven’t planted 30 or so daffodils. With the temperature now so low and more snow mid week, do you have any suggestions???
Can I pot them up in pots and keep them in my wood shed?
Thanks Margaret!
@Todd: I think the ground is still mostly unfrozen, so I’d dig a hole and pop them in. They will do so much better in the ground. Yes, they can be forced, but why not just break through the little crust on the soil before it’s too late? :)
Gorgeous! We had snow here in East Tennessee on Saturday as well, although it only dropped a few inches and then disappeared rather quickly. Still, it was nice to break up the gray-dreary with a shot of snow white! Thank you for your beautiful slide show. Always a pleasure!
How I miss the snow in sunny Southern Ca, where it is difficult to even believe it is Christmastime. Thank you, Margaret, for a touch of winter’s beauty!
Beautiful photos – I was so happy to wake up to snow Saturday!