Before The Killer Cold

It was sunny, lovely and almost warm today. That is about to change dramatically. It's going to snow and then it is going to get wicked cold and stay that way for almost a week. I am not looking forward to this. A day or two of wicked cold is fine. A week of wicked cold is not fine.

The Witch Hazels are about to get tested again. One of the 'Jelena's is pretty much done. I suspect it will be done after this. There is only so much re-curling they can do.

There has been a little freeze/thaw movement in the short wall I built last spring. I'll be waiting for the freeze/thaw to be done with before putting it back together again. A major deep down in the ground freeze is coming and the ground in places isn't even thawed yet.

I'm not looking forward to three kitties being trapped inside for a week either. Their last chance of freedom will be tonight. Once it starts snowing they object strenuously to outside. When it gets really cold, not even their noses make it past the front door.

Just in time for the wicked, 'Arnold's Promise' is going for it.

'Arnold' should be able to close up shop and wait it out since it is still early in the bloom cycle. The wicked cold is coming with a wicked wind though. That can make a big difference. A deep freeze plus strong winds can equal traumatic wilt. There is nothing to do, but see what happens.

The 'Diane's are further along than 'Arnold'. Will they curl back up and wait it out? This is orange 'Diane'.

As opposed to 'Diane' #1 who is mostly deep red, except now I am seeing a bit of orange and even some rogue yellow on that lower right stem. This color variation does not really matter in the least. All that matters is that they bloom profusely. I just do not expect to see that kind of variation in supposed genetically identical clones.

Wish us luck.

And hope that we get enough snow tomorrow to cover the snowdrops to protect them from the killer cold.