Winter Wonderland

We're finally getting some snow! Here's what things were looking like after a few flurries, some melting with the sun, more flurries, more melting, and more flurries by Monday afternoon...


The on-and-off snow, alternating with sunshine, is due to all the snowbands coming off the lake. We really haven't had all that much snow, maybe 4 inches in the backyard where it hasn't melted? Meanwhile I understand Buffalo, NY had something like 28"!! Here's what things looked like Tuesday afternoon...


Quite different - I think more of the snow from that first picture had melted off before new snow had accumulated. And here's some berry nice shots (har har) from the backyard... First, the holly - perfect for this time of year!


And the burning bush, which is still quite scrawny, but check back in a few years and we'll see how it's doing...


And then there's the beauty berry - here's a color you don't often see in berries!


While those previous pictures show possible snacks for the birds, this next one of the hens and chicks I just planted late this summer always gives me more of a "desert feel"... Supposedly hens and chicks are hardy enough to survive in Zone 5, so we'll see if these guys make it through the winter. (That's some Corsican mint you see in the upper right - I'm hoping it survives too!)



Pumpkins on the straw bales - still out on the deck from Halloween. While these guys aren't rotting yet, I figure it's about time to move them to the compost or garden to break down over winter.

Trust me - there'll be plenty more snow pics to come!