This is January???

It's very hard to remember that it is January 4th when it is 61 degrees and a window was open for a while today!  Tomorrow is to be 62!  This BEAUITFUL weather finds me wanting to plant rather than finishing clean up of my flowerbeds! 


Nebraska's saying is, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change!"  What's not to like about our winter so far?  Even though this weather is perfect for my daily walk, I really DO miss the snow . . . and so do my perennials and trees!  They are sooooo confused!


Snow will come sooner or later . . . let's hope it is sooner (January or February) and not later (April or May)!


In the meantime . . . I'm making a list and checking it twice . . . of flowers and shrubs and trees to plant in the spring, which is March . . . or is it January?!?

Did the beautiful, mild fall temps,

which lasted into the end of November,

lull me to into thinking that

maybe, just maybe,

winter may not come to Nebraska this year? 

It helped me procrastinate, for sure! 

But along with the prolonged, warm temps,

the past 2 months have been filled

with a more important priority . . .

family and friends!

As I think about what is left undone . . .

tulip and daffodil bulbs I wanted to move . . .

a cranberry bush that needs to be dug up . . .

trimming of a few perennials well past their time to be green . . .

a few leaves to rake up . . .

I’ve decided,

I’ll think about that another day!

There still will be days

when clean up can be done.

But for right now,

I’m sitting here with a cup of coffee

enjoying the view of

snowflakes, the size of silver dollars,

floating down from above! 

Is there anything

more beautiful . . .

more relaxing . . .

than enjoying God’s handiwork?

I think not.

Fall's Beauty & Clean Up ... 2011

My shade garden . . . . waiting it's turn for clean up!

Almost too pretty to disturb.

Red Twig Dogwood and Varigated Reed Grass . . .

Red Twig Dogwood . . . a real "show off" in winter's snow!

Put to Bed for the Winter . . .

Iris Bed (stone edge) & Raised Veggie Bed (wood edge)

Last Hoorah!

Upon returning from Oklahoma City this week, I found these miracles of life . . .  inspite of 2 nights of freeze while we were gone.

Enjoying the "last hoorahs" as I put the yard "to bed!"

Grandma's Blessing . . . Still Going Strong!

And Peace Rose . . .

I Love Fall . . .

the softness of cooler temps . . . crisp nights and crisp mornings

putting my flowerbeds and yard “to bed”

beautiful harvest moons

watching fields of soybeans turn from deep green to shimmering gold, then brown

watching farmers harvesting their crops

the brilliant reds and yellows of trees

the early mum color 

going on picnics, roasting hotdogs and making smores

the smell of wood fireplaces

the smell of leaves burning (in the “old” days)

Fall . . . my MOST FAVORITE season . . . can you tell? 

2 (Flower) Heads Better Than 1 ???

I have only 1 gerbera daisy plant . . . in a pot . . . on my full-sun exposure, south front porch.  Never have I had such wonderful success with a gerbera in a container as with this one.  It has had deep green leaves and been in continuous bloom (2 or 3 flowers open at any given time) since I planted it the end of May. I always use a root start when I transplant flowers, but I don't fertilize after that.  About 3 weeks ago, I noticed the opening of an unusal flowerbud.  

It remains quiet beautiful, don't you think, even as the flower fades . . .