In The Winter Of Gauguin

I went for a walk in the snow.

You can too.

Put on some layers.

Let's Go.

It's cold out there.

Sixteen degrees

But it feels good to feel the planet.

Speaking

Briefly

Return To Siberolina

Another dusting of snow followed by a week of deep cold is set to arrive in the night. I won't be getting out much next week. The glaciers will regrow. There will be plenty time to do the taxes in increments.

I haven't done this much power lounging in quite some time. It generates mixed emotions. The Under Garden's first real bloom and my cataract have coincided for the winter. It generates mixed emotions.

But I am plotting a pop up garden tour, short notice and weather dependent, before the daffodils even think about blooming. I need someone without cataracts to confirm my vision.

Tomorrow when I wake up it will be all covered in snow. We will meet again during the next thaw.

A Walk In The Winter Garden

The thaw is off to a good start. The glaciers have begun to retreat from their deep freeze maximum extent. The glacier at Almighty Falls is intense. It is no wonder the previous construction there disintegrated.

The little snow we got with the polar plunge is gone. The Under Garden is back and the new balmy warm of 48 whole degrees made for a pleasant late afternoon stroll.

I do believe I am satisfied with the plantings of the conifers and evergreens on the slope below the cozy cabin. I can turn my attention elsewhere.

I can envision their growth ten years from now.

I can envision the Tall Flower Meadow of high summer on this same slope becoming more refined over time with regular editing.

To a point where the Under Garden is on equal footing with the meadow in summer. The garden is evolving as all gardens do.

There is a fine winter garden high on the low spot of a North Carolina mountain top through out the barren time. It comes and goes with cold and snow which I see will be back next weekend. Will the glaciers be gone by then?

Snowdrops And Orchids In Siberolina

The Polar Vortex moved on in the night. It was warmer when I woke up than when I went to bed. The high rose above freezing. A thaw begins.

Portions of our little brook glaciated. This is the first time I have seen this even though I am sure it has happened before.

I went for a walk while I could.

It is time. Will I see snowdrops? Yes, a new garden year begins.

I saw the winter leaf of the Cranefly Orchid, Tipularia discolor nearby. Even cold nature has an under garden.

My only chore was accomplished. The exterior furnace drain line freezes solid in Siberolina, flooding the furnace. I have to collect the water exhaust inside in a bucket that needs regular dumping. Every other day is good. Once things thaw I can hook the exterior drain line back up.

This will take a few days. There are a lot of glaciers out there.

Almighty Cold

Yes. I turned off the falls and pulled the pump weeks ago. This is the natural spring the Almighty Falls was built on top of, with and around. I have no control over what it is currently doing.

I would have expected this to happen over to the left. I know the foundation beneath.

The ice flows all the way down to the pond below.

I pulled the pump and placed an aerator in the pond. It is working as advertised by keeping an open hole in the ice for gas exchange. That is good for the fishes.

The spring is crossing the stream and leaving the well defined channel above and below the rocks and rubber liner. There is no structural reason for this. I am not in control. The ice is in charge. I can only guess what is going on.

This is a glacier. It re-enters the steam bed here. Glaciers can move things and there is nothing I can do about it. Mercy please, it's Almighty cold!

9 and 15

Those were the highs. I didn't get far.

The winter reality of collectibles

Button keeps hoping the weather will be different by going out the back door. It's not.

Better

Four big vats of pre-chilled pond scum are as ready as I can make them for the next polar blast. The two big ones were shut down. The two smaller ones are still pumping. Hoses had been placed in the greenhouse for thawing. Working hoses were a major improvement. One large koi went belly up for good. All the others are perfectly fine.

All went well and there was no additional drama. I even saw a new pretty kind baby fish today.

Ice however is a strong natural force with a will of its own. There are no guarantees. Today went well. I'll be happy with that.

Now I am ready to stay put for the next incoming polar tsunami. All week it has been rolling in like cool molasses. Word is this wave will roar. Wind chill may not be an adequate description.

I hope you don't tire of looking at Creation in its daily transformations. I don't. This is my daily view during Siberolina.

If I am going to putter around inside a living painting for who knows how many days, you can too. Happy New Year.

A Bad Start

I already need a do over. The last 48 hours have been poor to annoying.

It was already cold. Wicked cold arrived New Year's Eve. I woke up to 4 degrees and a half inch of snow. That wasn't a problem. It was a holiday after all. It was way too cold though.

Then it began.

A three hour fight with the printer because of a dried up Lady Bug.
Finally.
I couldn't print all the forms I needed.
The Feds and the State have not posted their 1040 forms for 2017 yet.
The phone call.
The koi pond at the Posh Estate went dry.
All the water hoses were frozen.
One big koi was beached and frozen solid.

The internet went offline.
Practice run no doubt.
I gave up and went to bed.

It was one this morning.

Second attempt to make an appointment with a dentist failed.

A junction in the koi pond's plumbing froze and sprung a leak.

The Babbling Brook was running dry.

I had to shut it down.

All the hoses were still frozen.

Then a very disturbing phone message.
That is simply not possible.

This is possible.

In the Winter of Monet.

This is not a problem.

The full moon is awesome.
I will be celebrating New Year's day tomorrow.
I'm starting over.