Witch Hazels In The Snow

I sort of remember eleven and thirteen. I think it went that low. I know there was a sixteen.

There was definitely an evil wind. At least it was before the cold cold.

Cold cold without wind is doable.

Now it is back to forty and the witch hazels get right back to business. Last year they set an impressive seed crop, something I was not expecting from a hybrid, Hamamelis x intermedia. That can only mean that there are active pollinating insects up here in in the dead of winter. With viable seed, they could turn wild.

Solly Kitty has slept in her insulated rabbit hutch on the front porch in those lows of eleven and thirteen. She seems quite content. During a short indoor visit yesterday I saw the first hint of normal kitten play. She even comes when I call, when a cat is willing to come anyway.

Button has other ideas. He's the boss and Solly needs to know it. That comes in the form of a good slap with a couple out stretched fur grabbing claws. It's like watching Wild Kingdom. Solly's reaction to the slap is far more interesting to Button than Dinah's and Collar's these days.

Button knows who the real boss is and that a decision has been made. I still have to keep an eye on him. Solly Kitty isn't big enough yet for a fair slap fight. But if she wants to live here, it comes with the accommodations. Button will see to that.

Unexpected Snow

The NW flow was completely ignored in the diagnosis. I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to an insulating blanket of snow. It was 13 degrees afterall. With half the degrees and 100% more snow, I went for a walk. The evil wind was gone. The NW flow that got missed dropped fluffy kind snow all day long. There was an earthquake this afternoon too.

Come on along. I need to go next door and disconnect the furnace exhaust to drain inside. The outside drain line freezes closed in 13 degrees. The furnace is set to 45. It will need to be running for the next few days.

Snow Day.

The Wind Is Evil

The temperature kept falling after the sun came up. That was not a good sign. It was already cold.

Round about noon it went back above freezing. The sun was out and the witch hazels were beaming up from the garden. I can see them very well from the front porch now. They have been growing.

The camera can't see them from there. The sun was out, clear blue skies. I could go for a garden note taking walk with a few more layers added on. Then the wind blew. It was evil. The walk was cancelled.

Solly Kitty has had several supervised warm indoor naps with minimal raised fur. She still prefers her rabbit hutch on the front porch over living in all the other inhabitant's den. She is eager to get back outside when it is time. It hasn't gotten cold enough in her little nest to come inside. It got another blanket this evening.

The witch hazels beamed up from the garden on a blue sky sun shiny day. They drew me in for a short cold spell. The walk was still cancelled. The wind is evil.

In The Rain

A bout of winter is coming. All the Witches are attempting full bloom. There is no mention of snow.

The rules are cold, cold comes with snow.

Not that it will matter much to the Witches. It's just that on general principle, a nice insulating blanket of snow is good for any plant seduced by long stretches of warm. Staying below freezing for three days in a row is kind of rude without any snow.

I looked at the fine print of the incoming cold and still could not find any snow.

It's gonna be cold - and windy. One more cat may need to come inside.

I can't worry for the garden over temperature fluctuations anymore. It comes naturally with the location and elevation to a great degree. Even if it is getting weirder, nothing I can do about it. It has always been a big factor in who lives here and who has a good bloom year.

Abundance is stored in the earth. It always returns with nature and the gardener caring for the land, no matter the weathers many moods.

Bloom Day Reality

Or as close to it as I can get.
This is my garden on January 15th.
I will leave you here to click on a picture for the slide show and wonder about on your own. The Witches are out.

'Jelena'

It has been warm, too warm, and wet. Two out of three 'Jelena' are in full bloom.

I'm good with that.

My backgrounds are off for the best pictures of the Witch Hazels. I think my natural vibration is amping up another notch too. But you get the idea. In person is better for the full effect. One day the Witch Hazels will be large shrubs.

I really do think Button had a paw in Solly Kitty's survival during her time in the wilderness. She is his baby. He checks to make sure she is safely in bed before coming in at night.

We have reached a stage of full acceptance for the stranger living on the front porch. Everyone is back to business as usual.

This warm makes me feel like I should be doing things. Fortunately the wet makes that difficult. This time of year I am supposed to be power lounging, I am, while it snows and blizzards and does wintery things.  Much progress on the slow act of accounting and paperwork has actually occurred despite the warm.

It has been warm enough that everybody could go back outside, but I have been busy power lounging in a warm winter monsoon.