Saturday, February 8, 2014

Winter On Winter Off

Rime does not melt so much as it shatters and falls to the ground. Then it melts. That is what it did. Last night's suggested snow never arrived. Winter just vanished.

I had gathered up all the stumps that had been cut closer to the ground and taken them down to the fire pit in preparation for a some what dry day when they could be burned. That turned out to be today because the snow was a no show.

The garden becoming keeps getting tidier.





















While I was burning, I added in another giant hairball of a rubbish pile that had accumulated just outside the garden's boundary. It might not have been inside the garden, but I could see it. Now it is gone.





















The diagnosis for most of next week is not looking pretty. Lots of snow. Well, I guess it will be pretty. It just won't be conducive to outdoor chores. I have to get the garden chores done when I can. Tomorrow is looking good for some more chop and drop of the dried remnants of the herbaceous perennials. I may be able to pretty much finish that off tomorrow.





















Today there was fire. At some point in the next three weeks I need to clean and wake up the house next door before Bulbarella arrives on the 1st. No doubt there will be ample fine weather for that. She keeps returning earlier, not wanting to miss a single bloom of her bulbs. I have a feeling. I still haven't seen a single daffodil poking up through the ground.





















Out of the corner of my eye I saw my baby 'Diane' Witch Hazel was in bloom, just barely. Um? That does not look red or orange red to me and my what short pathetic petals you have. Could this be the first day of opening or did I miss the bloom altogether? I know I have the grafted part. I can see the graft scar and I cut off the root stock shoot when I planted it last fall.

I'm not liking the looks of this. It took me a year of nagging at the nursery to get my little baby 'Diane'. I'll have to keep an eye on the blooms and see what happens.

I guess I can live with a yellow Witch Hazel that will bloom in February while winter is in the on and off position, but I want my frilly petals. I want my red frilly petals. I paid for red frilly petals. Where are my red frilly petals?


6 comments:

Lola said...

I'm glad you got more burn done. I would rather have the red also.

Watching surfing in Hawaii now.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This Diane switch happened to me too. Bah humbug.

Sallysmom said...

What do you think has happened to the daffodils?

Christopher C. NC said...

Lola I think the entire garden is rubbish pile free now. Can't say that about the perimeter areas.

Bummer Lisa. Did it switch back or did you toss it. I wonder if it will grow out of it. It's tiny now.

Sallysmom I think the ground is still basically frozen and they are waiting for it to thaw.

Danna said...

Being new to your blog, I was wondering what's your garden's elevation?....and exposure direction?

Christopher C. NC said...

Danna the gardens are in the 3900 to 4000 ft elevation range though the larger property drops to about 3800. The primary slope direction is SW with a few small north facing slopes. That is in large part because we are at the ridge top with nothing high enough and close enough to shade us.