A Snowy Wednesday

Snow-Snow-Snow & More Snow!
No snow in the forecast today-but last Wednesday-WOW-18 inches on top of the 20 inches from the weekend before. We no sooner dug out from the first storm-when we were gifted with a second BIG snow. The second storm had near blizzard conditions by mid-day Wednesday. All major highways were closed. I dug a path out to my fishpond to check on their heater & air stone. After that we hunkered down, lit the fireplace & watched it snow! I baked cookies for Valentine’s Day - my grandma’s Sand Tart recipe, which you can find in my Recipes on the right side tab. They are delicious & fast disappearing-unlike the snow!
Our temps here in Central PA are only to be in the 30’s with teens and twenty’s at night-brrrrr! Time to snuggle up to a warm hubby & cozy cat. Mother Nature freshened up the scenery Tuesday afternoon & evening with a light dusting of about one inch. Thankfully-nothing to shovel.

So I am out-and-about today! The roads are clear, even if the sidewalks & parking areas are not. So happy Outdoor Wednesday wherever you are!

Be sure to visit Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for more Outdoor Wednesdays!

Snowy lane beside our house.

A snow garden.

The patio from my bedroom window.

The side yard from the attic window.

It's a blizzard out there.

Somewhere under there is my car!

Trumpet vine arch in the side yard.

Sharing Christmas

Where have the days gone? It’s hard to believe that the groundhog has seen his shadow, & we’re nibbling on fasnaughts & next thing you know it will be Easter! As there is still lots of snow on the ground, winter is still very much in the present, so I thought I’d share some Christmas with you as I take down the final piece from the nativity and carefully wrap it in lots of snow-white tissue till next year.

Fragrant greens, spicy pomanders, polished apples and bright red berries-Christmas is here! We start the trimming right after thanksgiving and finish on Christmas Eve. Every room has some small token of this festive season. Bright shiny apples in red & green in the kitchen nestle in boughs of fresh evergreen & holly. The finishing touch sparkling votives in miniature copper molds. Spicy orange pomanders scent the air with fragrance.

The tree is in the family room bedecked with antique ornaments and miles of ribbon. Live & faux greens trim the mantle & top the secretary and Irish dresser. Candles twinkle in glass vases with pomegranates & cranberries.

The dining room is festooned with feathers & ice-dusted pine & coppery glass or velvet ornaments. The tablecloth is a burnished bronze with gold accents. The poinsettia arrangement which tops the table sits on a block of faux ice atop a skirt of peacock feathers. Ice dusted pine boughs with twinkling white lights top the French corner cabinet.

The manger set is carefully unpacked and placed in the glass-fronted china cabinet in the living room. Every surface sparkles with jars of antique ornaments-(an idea I borrowed from my friend Patti).

Everywhere there are flowers-poinsettias, orchids, & amaryllis. The packages are wrapped. A final touch of greens around the banister-we’re ready!

Let it Snow!

"The whole sky was blue,

and the thick flakes floating at a pause,

Were but frost knots on an airy gauze,

With the sun shining through."

Robert Frost

"Heap on more wood! - the wind is chill;

But let it whistle as it will,

We'll keep our Christmas merry still."

Sir Walter Scott

Outdoor Wednesday-A taste of Spring

My favorite greenhouse opens the end of the month. I can't wait! Last year this wagon was filled to over-flowing with baskets of petunias.

This fabulous allium is an early spring bloomer.

This is the fish pond as it looks now. The iris are

about eight inches tall. Fish are lovin' the sunshine!

By late May or early June we are in full bloom!

I am partial to those tropical-looking coral begonias.

Another Outdoor Wednesday has rolled around. Spring is taking her time, but the weather is finally turning fair. Temperatures are expected in the 60’s today. I noticed tiny little green buds clinging to the ornamental cherry today. The water irises are popping above water. The fish lazed in the sunshine rippling across the surface of the pond.

Still nothing to get too excited about. This first phase of spring is all about clean-up. The amount of twigs and branches cluttering the garden is phenomenal. The bulbs are pushing up in spite of it so we rake it away to give them room to grow. The larger limbs we cut up and save for outdoor fires later. Can’t wait to roast some marshmallows.

So I leave you with scenes from gardens past-while spring is yet preparing for her grand entrance!
Happy outdoor Wednesday!