What the Storm Brought

Posted on March 6, 2013 by composerinthegarden

mounds of snow
playtime with Angel Eyes
breathtaking winter scenes
warmer weather and a thaw
the last snow storm of the year?

I woke up to a winter wonderland in March, every twig and bough coated with snow. By this afternoon, most of the six inches of snow was melting away. Ephemeral beauty; a black and white world in color.

Angel in the snow

Black and white in color

Forsythia bank

To the road

Snowy pines

The front garden 2

Lacy snowy woods

Lacy branches

Garden and woods

Snowy bench in garden

Snowy bench

Cascading pines

Cherry and mulberry

Black and white woods

Snowy branch

In Like a Lion

Posted on March 1, 2013 by composerinthegarden

In like a lion, out like a lamb. (weather lore for March)

It is my great hope that the saying runs true this year, as more snowy icy weather has arrived with March here in western Pennsylvania. The woods and garden were undeniably lovely this morning as Angel and I rambled about. I spoke on “Fun With Color” to a master gardener’s graduation dinner last night; my inner vision was still filled with all of the color saturated garden photos in my presentation and I dreamed of the garden in full bloom last night. How startling to carry that colorful inner vision into the morning world of white and gray and brown! Nevertheless, the grainy snowfall fell gracefully against tree and stone and I could not but help admire nature’s monochromatic beauty.

Click on any image to start the gallery view.

Snowy rocks

Snowy steps

Snowy garden

Snowy woodpile

Snowy leaves

Snowy tree

Snowy tree roots

Asleep for the winter

Coffee, anyone?

To see some of those color-saturated garden photos, explore the Flower Portrait and Garden Photo galleries in the Photo Gallery Section.

For another March lion celebration, check out Carol’s Friday dance post featuring Miriam Makeba.

Signs of Spring

Posted on February 11, 2013 by composerinthegarden

I glanced out the window at the signs of spring. The sky was almost blue, the trees were almost budding, the sun was almost bright. ~ Millard Kaufman

The onslaught of the freeze thaw cycle is upon us. We have shifted from bitter cold and heavy snow to balmy sunny days twice in the past four weeks. This morning, in the midst of a short lived thaw, I discovered snow drops blooming and hellebores in full bud. Signs of spring are everywhere, from the green snouts of daffodils poking into the world to buds swelling on the cherry tree. A promise of what is to come.

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Snowed Under

Posted on February 7, 2013 by composerinthegarden

“Snowed under” – overworked; exceptionally busy (The Free Dictionary)

It has been snowing a lot lately, and I have been feeling “snowed under” both literally and figuratively. Winter is beautiful and I love my work, but sometimes it is just too much of a good thing. I hope to resume regular posts this weekend. Until then, enjoy a few snow photos.

Snowy woods

Snowy steps into the garden

January Thaw

Posted on January 12, 2013 by composerinthegarden

Winter, an artist’s sketch in charcoal,
so clearly etched against a cloud filled sky . . .
~ from the song “Winter”

After weeks of “real” winter, complete with snow, ice, and sleet, the rains came yesterday. Thick layers of snow and ice began to crumble and melt in the suddenly warm temperatures, assaulted by alternating pounding rainstorms and soft drizzles. By evening, a fog had arisen between the melting snow and the warm air and swirled upwards throughout the night. This morning, mist and fog lay heavily in the woods and along the streams, turning the winter landscape into a mysteriously beautiful January thaw.

I felt as if I were moving through a dream as I walked through the woods. The dark trunks of immense oaks stood like sentinels guarding a secret kingdom in the mist, fading to gray in the distance. Drops of water clung to delicate twigs and buds like sprays of crystals. Snow lingered in pockets, slowly seeping into the garden beds and revealing fresh green growth.

“January thaw is an observed but unexplained temperature rise in mid-winter found in mid-latitude North America.” (Wikipedia) The thaw is generally centered around the date of January 25, when a rise of temperatures by 10 degrees Fahrenheit occurs for about a week. The Farmer’s Almanac notes its common designation as “false spring” and compares it to the phenomenon of Indian Summer, the predictable surge of warm weather in autumn. This year, certainly, the thaw is more than 10 degrees warmer than usual; yesterday’s temperature reached 50 F and today will be a balmy 64 F.

The sun is shining now, the mist a memory. I intend to celebrate the January thaw by working in the garden while dreaming of the arrival of “real spring.” Enjoy the morning walk in the woods with me. (Click on any photo to trigger the gallery view)