Frosting, part 2

We've had several days and nights now of icy fog, with temperatures cold enough that the frost hasn't melted off. I just couldn't help myself--I had to take a few more pictures.

Incidentally, I don't know that I've ever said that in January.

 

(neighbor's yard)

raspberry patch

blueberry bush

grassy slope

aspen tree, looking toward the house from the back slope

the biggest aspen

grass and chain link

blackberry vine against the chain link

tree across the street

hardy hydrangea

spirea

my back yard

Frosting

Before we get to the good stuff (pictures, as always), let's talk about the weather.

The first week and a half of this year we had rain almost every day, with daytime temps in the 40's and 50's. At first I thought this was a totally strange trend, but looking back to last year, apparently there was a similar warm snap late December. So maybe it's an annual phenomenon.

In any case, here we are with no snow. In January.

Obviously, I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around that.

I have snowflake decorations that are languishing in the box, because it seems a little odd to have snowflakes inside but not out.

Anyway.

 

Ice fog creates some beautifully frosty scenery.

And I am never one to turn down frosting, of any kind.

 

I ran out right after church to take some pictures, but it turns out I didn't need to hurry.

It wasn't going anywhere.

 

Front flowerbeds

 

Hydrangea and daphne

corkscrew rush

echinacea

 potentilla

 

English laurel

boxwood

Echinacea seed heads

Oregon grape

 

Back slope & shade bed

Even the weeds look pretty with some frosting on them!

back slope

children wondering if Mom is crazy

red-twig dogwood

heuchera

grass on the slope

Winter wonderland, indeed.

Happy January, friends!



A Few Gardening Goals for 2014

Rather than add these to my (ahem) already lengthy list of personal resolutions, I decided to list them here, where maybe I will actually remember to do them.


1. Baby the blueberries.
    Has a nice ring to it, right? What I'm saying is--actually use the lovely soil ph tester kit I bought last summer and figure out how far I need to go. Add sulphur or ammonium sulfate, mulch with pine needles, think blue thoughts. Something. Going into year 3 with the blueberries, we have gotten a total of 6 berries. **BONUS! A whole blue spruce former Christmas tree just loaded with needles has now taken up residence along the side fence. Get 'em while the getting's good!
    
     1a. Move the strawberries away into their own side of the terrace, once the newly expanded top is complete. The ones that did the best were on the end without the special acidic soil anyway.

2.  Buy or make a birdbath.
     I look and I sigh and I shudder at the prices, but this is the year. Time to just do it. Something solid that the kiddos can't pull over onto themselves would be good.

3.  Add a few more kid-friendly garden features.
     I'm thinking a mud-pie kitchen would super fun, or a water-wall, or a sandbox, or some whirligigs, or even marbles set into the fence. (Except that it's technically the neighbor's fence...darn! Maybe they would give permission?) My Pinterest board "A Child's Garden" is chock full of good ideas. Now to get on it!

4. Assuming the garden extension project is completed--grow corn, squash, and maybe even pumpkins.  All those crops I haven't had room for. Oh yes, and at least a few complete sections of flowers--sunflowers, cosmos, or even sweet peas. Just because flowers make everything better--even the vegetable garden.

5. Pick flowers/plants to bring inside for an arrangement at least once a week.
    It's fun. It's addicting. Kids love it, too. Let's do it.

6.  Keep a hanging planter filled with flowers alive on the hook in front of the shed.
    The Topsy-Turvy tomato plant didn't fare so well in that location. Perhaps some pretty flowers will help me remember to actually water it.

7.  Make and can tomato sauce from my own tomatoes this fall.

I could keep going, but this will do for now.  You'll notice "weed regularly" or even "kill every thistle in the yard" didn't make the list. I'm shooting for achievable goals this year, people.