The Last Remnants

Winter came early this year, long before it usually does. Plus what autumn we did have was much colder and earlier than usual. In early November, I still had a few cold hardy garden highlights to show off. By mid November it was winter, with snow and ice.

It doesn't really surprise me when perennials or shrubs still show off a few flowers late in the season.

Even roses aren't really a shock to me in November. I've had roses in early December before, just not this year. This year the roses were gone by mid November. Boohoo!

But every time that annuals survive such hard frosts, it's amazing to me, even if they're cold hardy annuals.

Our home was only built 15 years ago, so we don't have any tall trees. Not to mention, we didn't really plant any large tree varieties. Therefore autumn foliage is at a premium on our property. But I do have a little.

Still, the best foliage view is looking down the street. Most of this color comes from the much maligned Bradford pears planted as street trees.

I even had a butterfly at the start of the month. If there's a late butterfly, you know it's going to be a painted lady.

And then it was over. First there was an ice storm, then snow later in the day. After that, winter stayed. Autumn may have been short and sweet this year, but it was truly gorgeous while it was here.

Onward to the New Year

Well, I finally decided to update my blog. I can list all the excuses, but it boils down to this. My holiday season was ridiculously busy this year, and there's not a darn thing to see outside in my garden. December was just the drabbest month. It didn't really snow, the skies were rainy and foggy, and it was just generally dreary. Blah.

 But with the arrival of the new year came the arrival of real winter time. It's been snowing, and bitter cold, just like you'd expect from winter. Brrrrr! Sometimes I think that I'll never feel warm again.

I'm ready to finally settle into my winter cocoon. Honestly, I'm looking forward to things turning a little bit dull. You see, we just held our annual wine party last night, and I'm exhausted! Don't get me wrong, it was a blast, but now I can call my time my own. We normally hold it between Christmas and New Year's, but this year we moved it off the holiday just a bit and that turned out to be a good move. However, it means that I still haven't been able to wind down from the "holidays". I promise, today I did nothing! And it felt wonderful.

In trying to inspire myself to write about gardening, I scanned through last year's pictures for ideas. Instead, I got a little lost there in my photo files. Heavy sigh. Sometimes I can put it out my mind for awhile, but seeing all those flowers reminded me just exactly what I'm missing.

 I guess that just means that one of my first winter projects will be sorting through the seed catalogs. Oh darn.

I'm actually ahead of the game with next year's seeds. I already bought some of my favorites so that they wouldn't sell out before I got to them. After all, I couldn't do without my beloved Queen Red Lime zinnias. I wonder what other treasures I'll find.

There are a couple of other winter projects to keep me occupied, and they are actually related to gardening. That's how I keep my sanity till the garden starts blooming again. I need to gather vegetable recipes for the Master Gardener farmer's market, and I need to tweak my butterfly gardening presentation before I present it to the garden club next month. Of course there are plenty of other non-garden related craft projects too. Before I know it, the first iris reticulata will pop up, and the next garden season will begin again. I can make it.

Some Summer Sights

Summer is going to fade away soon. It's still warm and sunny, but I know it can't last much longer.

Endless Summer hydrangeas

Colorful coleus container with Sky Pencil holly nearby

Grandpa Ott's morning glory

Luckily, September is an easy transition into fall. The weather is so perfect that it could fool you into thinking it was still summer.

Goldfinch with Bachelor's Buttons

Red Admiral butterfly with bicolor buddliea

Swallowtail butterfly on purple coneflowers

Wait, it is still summer! The kids may be back in school, but the calendar says it's still summer for a little longer yet.

Angel Wing begonia hanging basket

Porch container in front of coleus patch

Unknown wasp on Green Envy zinnia

 I mean, look at these pretties. It's got to be summer with all these flowers still around.

Foxgloves

Sunflowers

Queen Red Lime zinnia

So take it in, enjoy it. Savor all these summer sights. You'll need these memories when winter comes to call. On those bleak winter days, you'll find it hard to believe that flowers still exist.

Apple Blossom pelargonium

Polka Dot pot

It's still summer folks, go out and enjoy it! All too soon, it will be gone.

Candy Corn cuphea

Dill flowers, very popular with insects!

Black and blue salvia