Snow globes, anyone???

Well, so much for planting bulbs this weekend. I had the best of intentions, really I did. However, Mother Nature thought it best to intervene...with about four inches of wet, heavy, and oh yes, definitely cold snow. Of course, all ideas of garden cleanup and other endeavours were promptly put aside. And with the wind screaming around the yard, I really wasn't up to taking a lot of photos.


Spruce trees are great for creating snow art, but so are naked branches. The fact that the temperature has hovered around freezing explains why the snow is still on trees and shrubs despite the wind--it's heavy snow, as you can tell by limbs bowed down. Or maybe they were just taking a moment to remember the veterans.


What was really interesting to me was that when I got up to the Lookoff, which as the name suggests looks off over the mountain and down across the Annapolis Valley--I believe we can see parts of five counties from there, if I'm not mistaken--I expected to see a winter wonderland in the Valley. Nope. A dusting of snow out towards Delhaven and Kingsport, a little more as you came in across towards Kentville, but nothing like we have. There were even those tender drifts across the road along near the Lookoff, the ones that scud in from the north-northwest off the fields and dump across the road. We're blessed with pretty good road clearing by the Dept of Highways, because the road to Scotts Bay is the only one in and out. I didn't stop to take photos at the Lookoff, though--too cold, windy and decidedly slippery going.

In our own yard, it was odd to see the birch trees dipped in snow, the clematis vines covered even though there are STILL flowers to come. Or there were, before last night. We did have flying flowers today, in the form of the voracious bluejays and the highly entertaining chickadees, stuffing themselves at the various feeders around the yard. My dearly beloved is very good at keeping the feeders filled, and now that it's colder, we can put out a half-dozen others that we stop using in summer. I got tired of bringing those in nightly lest raccoons get into them, but we have a number of raccoon-proof sites (including the clothesline) where we can put feeders. Squirrels have never been a problem here, other than that one who came in the spring--and decided prudently to move on.

It's been a few years since we've had any snow to speak of on Remembrance Day--it used to be a fairly regular occurance, but the past few years have been snow-free. I don't track the weather rigourously, but photos from previous Remembrance Day services are a good reminder of what we've had recently.

The ice plants have said, "enough--we quit", being covered in real ice and snow, but this bacopa deserves some sort of award for its tenacity over the past few months. This isn't the Gold n Pearls one I had last year, but it's been an even better performer and I rather enjoy those softly lavender flowers with the green/gold foliage. I think, though, it's had enough too, and that tomorrow it will be destined for the compost.

Of course, the question now is, whatever will be around for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day on Thursday? I may have to do a flashback from warmer days...but happily, other gardeners around the blogging world have more temperate weather than we do. And of course, I do have flowering plants in the house...Carol, can those count???