Winter Visitors

Red-Breasted Nuthatch















Blue Jay

Snowfall

December Remembered

Just laying here realizing December is almost over and I'm feeling the need to read something to get back in touch with the gardens. I was south of the border this weekend and in the newspaper was an article about dirt by someone named Nardi. I decided it was something I wanted to read more about so this will be one book I'm going to get Life in the Soil. The other I came across by accident but it's about native plants and I really do want to plant more shrubs and maybe a couple trees, my goals in finding the right ones are winter interest and attractiveness. So this will be my second book - Bringing Nature Home. These should take care of some winter blahs for a while.

Just so December doesn't slip by without being remembered I will post some pictures of the beautiful snowfalls we've had.

Ohhh, that's what it is....

http://www.missouriplants.com/Bluealt/Solanum_dulcamara_page.html

Okay, so maybe on second thought it's not such a good idea. I'll stick to clematis for now....

What is this??

Geez, I've been away for so long!!! It seems that due to unforseen circumstances it has become a Christmas time ritual to have our house under construction of some kind. Last year it was the kitchen (finished the night before Christmas Eve so we could have our Christmas Eve gathering) and this year it is the 'Late October, Heavy Rainfall, Poweroutage Flood'. The basement flooded so the kids rooms, reckroom and everything else had to be redone. Drywall, baseboards, doors and frames....anyway that's my excuse.

So on to why I'm posting.....what is this vine? I'll be getting a snipping of it in the spring but I have no idea what it is. My sister in law has in at her cottage and she transplants snippings very easily. Apparently she got it from northern Minnesota??

Awwww.....Fall!

Finally, after a busy, labourous summer, it is Fall. I've never looked forward to fall since it signifies the coming winter and I'm not much of a winter person. However, my last icefishing escapades were fun - as long as the weather is mild and there's a nice scenic, challenging snowmobile trail to get us there (not too picky). That's half the fun!!

This year I'm happy to see fall - I'm ready. We've been busy - I'm happy with the gardens, the way they're blooming and filling in. The deck at the back of the house has been keeping us busy. We're in the staining process now but the railings are tedious. Would like to get that done soon. It's hot pepper and pickle time now. Peppers I grew myself in pots, but the cukes came from a farm down the road. Next year I want to have a pumpkin patch, just like my gardenerd buddy!! I think some wine coloured mumms will look good at the front door this year.

So thinking about next year, we have a portion of the lower part of the deck that needs to be extended and then I have an idea for a nice lattice type wall for some privacy since the 10 foot cedar and the huge tree need to come down just beyond the deck. The tree is reaching over the house and is a potential hazard. The cedar is in the way of the deck extension, but it's too big anyway, even if we were't extending. So that is where I plan to rest my Mordon Sunrise And Tahitian Moon roses. The Tahitian can climb the lattice. Still needed and on the new list are:

* Summersweet (for the humming birds, to accompany the roses by the deck)
* Browella(annaul to plant in pots around the front of the house)
* Cosmos (for back shade garden - gets more sun than I thought, for the birds)
* Viburnum (for the birds!!, not sure where yet)
* daisies (for back shade garden, good for birds)
* zinnias (everywhere, good for birds)
* Milky Bellflower 'Loddon Anna' (Campanula lactiflora)
* Sweet Woodruff (more!!)
* Alyssum (white)
* weigela
* tall phlox