Today is the last day of winter. The snow has melted, leaving only small patches here and there in the parts of the yard that spend their days in the shade. The witch hazel is a glorious yellow outside my window, its spidery flowers vibrant against the blue sky. Snowdrops and daffodils have emerged from … Continue reading Thoughts on the Eve of Spring
winter
Look! It’s a Tiny Tree!
Meet Matilda. She’s a dwarf jade plant (Portulacaria afra)—also known as elephant bush—and my first effort at bonsai. I’ve admired bonsai for years, but never attempted it. Oh, years ago I impulse-purchased a bonsai tree at a big box store. I can’t say whether it was my own inexperience or mishandling of the plant by … Continue reading Look! It’s a Tiny Tree!
Welcome to Spring – Kind Of, Sort Of
The snow may be reluctant to leave, but it won't be long now. This past weekend, spring arrived on March 1st—meteorological spring, that is. Never heard of it? I’m not surprised if you haven’t. I didn’t know meteorological spring was a thing until a couple of years ago.While the dates of our traditional four seasons … Continue reading Welcome to Spring – Kind Of, Sort Of
Let the Melting Commence
Temperatures have become decidedly milder over the past couple of days. The ice-covered snow that’s been with us for nearly two weeks has finally begun to retreat. While I know this isn’t the last snowfall we’ll see this season, it feels good to see all that white stuff melting. Usually when we get a storm—anything from … Continue reading Let the Melting Commence
Frightful February
It’s been said that February is the cruelest month. I don’t know about that, but it sure is the month when winter makes itself most known around here. Like winter (the shortest season at 89 days), the year’s shortest month seems endlessly long. By the time February rolls around, the holidays and our collective dreams of … Continue reading Frightful February
Winter Fix-It-Ups in the Garden
Spring is still 36 days away, but my head is already in the garden. On Monday, I turned in an article on witch hazel, one of my favorite plants, which was also the subject of last week’s blog post. Mine is close to blooming (the buds have a distinct yellow color), but it’s not quite … Continue reading Winter Fix-It-Ups in the Garden
Bewitched by Witch Hazel
Spring blooming witch hazel in the garden Maybe it’s because the flowers of my witch hazel (Hamamelis) tree are the first flowers I see in spring. Maybe it’s because witch hazel doesn’t care if there’s snow on the ground when it blooms. Maybe it’s because witch hazel has flowers that are different from any other … Continue reading Bewitched by Witch Hazel
Thundersnow and the Tricks Winter Plays
Up until a few years ago, I’d never heard of thundersnow. Electrical storms are common in the Berkshires in summer, particularly during the hot days of July and August. They’re often brief and violent with a heavy downpour of rain, gusting winds making even the tallest trees dance against the solemn gray sky, and a … Continue reading Thundersnow and the Tricks Winter Plays
An Alternate View of Snow
This weekend Mother Nature gifted us with snow. Not just a dusting or a few flurries, a storm that started in the afternoon and continued on through the night blanketing everything in about eight inches of white. Happily for me (though I hesitate to use that word where winter weather of any kind is concerned), … Continue reading An Alternate View of Snow
My Winter Garden
Winter is always a challenge for me: the shorter daylight hours, the cold (often frigid) temperatures, blizzards, mountains of snow to be shoveled, wind, freezing rain, and ice. I often joked that if I could, I’d hibernate in a cave for the winter—or maybe just snuggle on the sofa at home with a good book … Continue reading My Winter Garden
Pen, Paper, Plant 