I stopped anyway just to be sure and because something that hides back in that group of trees all summer is as exposed as it will ever get. The next strong wind could knock the thing down for good. It was time to finally stop and have a closer look before it was too late.
I read some where that this is called the passing.
A way of life lived long before the internet was even imagined could be one reason a google search turned up no reference to the passing. The folks talking about such things probably aren't online a whole lot.
The skeletal frames of the trees on a ridge line reveal the true form of the earth. What do the skeletal remains of houses and old barns tell us?
Did you notice I changed the subject?
It was one of those days when it might rain and it might not. It might snow later and it might not. While it wasn't doing either, I forged ahead with more clearing of the forest for the Bloom Days yet to come. Moving down the line below the scenic byway it is amazing how much open space is created just by cleaning out a bunch of barren sticks. So far I have only done the small things that can be cut with a pruning saw. The chainsaw work will be even more dramatic.
A blank slate can fill a gardener's heart with glee.
Doing this now in the time of brown sticks on Garden Blogger Bloom Day is strong incentive to plan ahead for winter interest. Maybe I won't be able to have oodles of blooms on a dreary day in December, but I can have form and colorful variegation from plants like Yucca filamentosa.
I can have big red berries in the cruel of winter from flowers that went unnoticed with Cotoneaster dammeri 'Streibs Findling'.
And lo and behold. The Mediterranean Pink Heath, Erica x darleyensis is blooming up a storm. I have a bloom for Bloom Day. I will be needing more of the pink heath obviously. This should take me through to the next bitter Bloom Day of January when the snowdrops, Galanthus sp. should be having their first blooms.
Carol it really is true. “We can have flowers
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9 comments:
Oh happy day! The erica saves bloom day. Passing is an unusual occurance. It could only happen where land is plentiful, imagine that in San Franciso. Your cleared area does indeed look amazing, even before the chainsaw has worked its magic. I am liking that yucca too. We added some here in containers and they are tough customers, with good color all year. I detect a note of glee in that gloom. :-)
Frances
I am glad you found something blooming for Bloom Day, but I was hoping you were going to show us more of the old house. Places like that are always full of treasures and photographs.
Frances it feels good to work in MY garden after waiting so long for the drain feild to go in then just being busy all summer with the cabin.
Les both of those I would have to trespass to get closer to and I am afraid to do that in these parts. Maybe if I wore an orange cap?
Just a few miles up the highway past the next town, a man stopped on a recent Sunday to relieve himself at an old falling down barn. He wishes now he'd waited a few minutes until he reached the next town -- what he literally ran into in the barn was a body, hanging.
Caution is a good idea.
I was wondering what lay beyond that treasure. It is amazing what you can see when the leaves are gone.
Your cleaned spot looks lovely. I can envision many blooms there.
Such a pretty find. Those red berries would make lovely decorations for the Holidays.
"A blank slate can fill a gardener's heart with glee." You should patent that remark - what an apt adjective to choose!
bev
You had me going there - I was afraid you weren't going to find anything at all blooming! Love the old house photos.
I love old barns and old farmhouses, and it makes me sad to see them falling down and disintegrating. The passing really does describe the end of a way of life that still existed around here when I was a kid.
Congratulations on finding a blooming plant. I really like Ericas, but they don't perform well here. The Cotoneaster berries look almost too big for the plant. They are very festive and perfect for December.
Gloom Day is perfect~~Winter is upon us and we are in the brown and gray of days! So glad you found the great berries and sweet heather flowers. gail
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