Christmas 2009

Stone Fox

I took the two younger girl dogs out for a walk this evening. It was almost dark, but that didn't stop them from romping and snow-stomping, barking and carrying on. I saw what I thought would be a great picture: my stone fox leaning over in the snow with his head and one shoulder exposed. The day was fading fast and by next light the rain will have washed that picture away. I snapped one in the dusk.
 
The garden looks so beautiful with its brown and white color scheme today. I never got around to cutting anything down after the season and I am glad now. It doesn’t always pay to be neat and tidy. 

The winter solstice has come and gone and that means the days are getting longer (they are! My insisting the days get longer always works at this time of year. You can count on me, like clockwork). It must have been some big deal to our ancestors who farmed the land for a living. I wonder with no TV or computer to get them through the winter months how many farmers of yore watched the moon travel across the sky, and watched the lengthening days with hope, knowing the soil would warm again and accept the gift of seeds and seedlings to feed a family.

Here She Comes

The days are getting longer.  It's six in the evening and the sky has a few pink patches off to the west, a hopeful sign of lengthening days.  We have so many seedlings coming along.  They are being well-tended by George and myself (OK mostly by George).  We are starting to take herb cuttings and perennial cuttings.  For us spring is just around the corner and there never seems to be  enough time to get the seedlings up, but before I know it they are big and strong, ready for their next assignment which is getting big enough to sell to you all.  So much care and attention goes into them and I think my little green leafy brothers and sisters know who loves them and they thrive. 

We put a new garden in at the road under our Morningside sign.  It went in when most of the plants were dormant, or at least not much top growth.  I tried to choose some that have a winter profile such as Heuchera  'Amethyst Mist', Geranium 'Karmina', Dianthus 'Heart Attack' and others. It will be exciting for us to see just what it does really look like by late spring; it may be a total disaster. Gardens can be that way.  Sometimes  I think this group of plants will look great together and that I have the golden garden touch, other times I'm not sure.  We will see which way it goes, thumbs up or down.

Work is ongoing in the other gardens.  My old first garden is going to get a revamp.  So much needs to be divided and rearranged, new plants taken for a test drive pushing the envelope on zone and sun or shade tolerance. Redoing a garden is like going shopping for a new wardrobe without worrying if I have gained weight over the winter!

We have left so many of the grasses and tall perennials standing in the gardens, and I do so enjoy the winter garden, in it's own way, almost as much as the other seasons. Everything is starting to get a little ratty by now, though, and it's almost time to cut them down.  Another turning of a season.

Welcome back, Spring.