What is the weather doing in your area? Any snow expected?

What do you guys like to do to keep the winter blues at bay? I like to read, mostly the classics, but peppered with other things. Inerestingly enough, I don't read that much in the way of garden books. I guess I am just one of those 'go and do it' kind people, lol. I do a lot of research about plants online too, to compare plants and make lists of the things I want to get for next year. List making is considered a pastime too. I make lists about plants to move, design ideas, etc. And having a chat with you guys is always wonderful too ;-)
CMK

I am hoping we don't have as much snow this year, but at least this should melt fairly soon. It's supposed to get warmer next week...into the low 40's! (LOL)

This was my first year gardening too. I have already gotten some books from the library and I've been planning my new gardens for the past few months. I'll probably change my mind a bunch of times before spring, but I'm already looking forward to digging out some grass!

-anuparaj, I am in Spokane. Your side of the state got hit pretty hard last winter too I seem to remember. I bet it was crazy to see so much snow in Seattle! How did you make out?

Nice set up Tom! What kinds of things are you starting?
CMK

I just drove back from my mom's house (about two miles away) and there is a LOT of snow. You can see the tracks where people have slid around on the road, especially turning corners.

It's 50 degrees this morning at 7:24am. The high today should reach into the mid/upper 70s.

Token, I love your rack of summer!! My neighbor has been after me to take cuttings of my trumpet plant - it's kind'a funny - she doesn't want any of it, (she's the one who gave it to me) she just wants me to do it!

Last year, January 26.

The flowering quince had just started too.

A cold front has moved down into the state from Colorado and it has turned much cooler today. Slight chance for snow tomorrow. It was a a perfect evening for burning a small pile of debris. Felt good to stand nearby. Two of my grandsons were here today and tonight. They danced about the fire in primeval ecstasy, tossing wood and twigs into the flames and shrieking in pure delight when firey embers would erupt. They delighted in helping Grampa rake up the leaves to throw on the pile. They ran about gathering sticks and things to toss into the flames. The younger of the two who is 7, struggled with the man-sized leaf rake, determined that he was up to the task at hand. Then we all came inside for pizza and watched the football games. They colored and played with the cats and our two big dogs, while I sat crocheting, making Christmas presents. The little boys put in their requests for things they wanted me to make for them and they got to choose theirs colours. (they love to crochet, too, and were very willing to "help Grannie"), then they curled up on the love seat like bookends in their quilts my mother made for them and fell fast asleep.

I love the changing of the seasons and all the related activities they bring. The colder air induces me to do a lot more baking - breads and sweets to share with others. Somehow the cooler temps bring out the flavours & aromas of foods. I enjoy eating the fruits of my summer labors. Rows of canned fruit, jams and veggies fill my pantry shelves and add their colours to the kitchen decor. I love the last flowers of the season and walks in the crisp air amongst the fallen leaves that crunch underfoot. The smells of decaying leaves and wood and fungi.

Everything is focussed now on the upcoming Holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas and all that comes with it.
It is also a great time for reading books.

I welcome Fall and the Harvest Season.

~SweetAnnie4u

Pretty darn cloudy here this morning.

Right now I am seeing a few more flakes of snow drifting down. Good thing I got some new boots yesterday!
CMK

The cold front brought us showers, but the temps are still too high for any wintery precip...it's 58 degrees F out there right now. No frost last night either. I am thankful for that as I am not ready to see my beautiful flowers get frozen meltdown. I hope it is cold on Thanksgiving though. I love cooking and baking when it is cold and the colder temps make the aromas of foods all the more scrumptious, don't you think?

I didn't get anything cut back either Christine with the exception of the Maximillion sunflowers. I tossed the stems and seed heads on the bank down by the driveway entrance. Hope they grow down there next year at will. They were too big by the patio, so I will need to dig them out next spring and transplant them elsewhere, but they were beautiful just the same.

Christin, post some pics of your snowfall. Would love to see your place in snow. I bet it is lovely.

The winter birds arrived just before we left and filled the trees with a riotous racket of chirping and tweeting. Hundreds of Robins that come every fall and then the Jaybirds. So many varieties and al with their own special music. In cloudy weather their songs echo and seem to be amplified. I love it. There colours and songs are so cheerful in the dreary days of Fall and Winter. All the animals (wild and domestic) have put on thick furry coats already, and indication of the possibility for a deep winter to come. The skunks are just gorgeous, their fur so long and luxurious and raccoons very fat and very fuzzy. Our cats have very dense fur and are putting on their winter weight. So nice to cuddle up with and pet.

Try to find the joys that each season brings. They are gifts, so be thankful and find the good in everything you can.

Love you,
Annie

-Annie, don't know if I am going to post pics here for awhile. Some nursery stole a picture of mine and put it on their website without permission, so I am sure you understand why I am a little shy about pictures right now! I am going to try and figure out how to get a copyright symbol on each of my pics.

Our red winged Woodpecker has come back for winter too! I just love them. I put suet out for them on the clothes line pole around this time of year. The starlings polished off the last block of suet the other day, and the poor woodpecker sat on the pole looking down at the empty suet cage. He looked a little peeved! ;-D I am also giving a few nuts to the squirrels, they come right up to the back steps for them!
CMK

(Last year was the most snowfall ever recorded in our area and 20 roofs collapsed on businesses, including a grocery store, while people were shopping. Luckily, it made a lot of noise and they got everyone out before it fell. Most of the others happened at night, while no one was there.)

If we can have it snow only a few feet this year, I say start a fire in the fireplace and let it snow! It is beautiful and the pine trees look so pretty covered in fresh snow :)

I was cold today with a low ceiling, overcast sky - that brownish gray color that comes with snowfalls. They are getting snow north of here. The lowest temp was only 42 F. last night, but the wind was so fierce today that it produced a windchill below freezing. Brrrr. There were many colourful birds at the feeder today. I am going to try filming them tomorrow - get a video of them with sound if I can get close enough That would be cool.

I completely understand your hesitation about posting pics anymore. Well, you could send ME some pretty pics via my email any old time, if you want to. I love photos of pretty scenery. Winter pics are awesome.

Pines are my favorite trees. I am planting lots of them on the property. I know they are water hogs, but I love them so. There are pines native in Oklahoma, but along the entire eastern border counties of the state 60-100 miles east of here. But they do grow very well here, and are planted around lakes and on farms for habitat and windbreaks. I miss them so much that I plant them on our property. I love the way they smell and the look and smell of the dry needles on the ground. I love the way the wind sings through their boughs, and I love them because they are evergreens. With snow they are dreamy. I love the messy cones that fall to the ground - what others would call "litter". To me they are "Absolutely Treasures" to collect and display in baskets around my house. I leave some on the ground for the wild things. The squirrels and Blue Jays love the seeds. They are a great habitat for many birds and animals.

Lucky you to have pines and firs and mountains....ahhhh.
You probably have those gorgeous gigantic ferns too, right?
sigh....

Hope you all stay safe with the severe weather you are having there. Please keep us informed so that we know you are all okay.

~Annie

-Annie, no big ferns here, which is too bad. It is western Washington that is moist enough to have those beauties! Eastern WA is considered semi-arid. I am DETERMINED to post pics again. I don't want to let one bad experience scare me away from doing something I enjoy. In FACT, I will post one right now!! It is from a year or two ago- winter.

Sometime we will have to have a 'picture from everyone' thread with winter pics. I will take a few of the mountains too.

I think I may need to get a bird ID book. There have been a couple of interesting birds around here that I have never seen before. I think one of them might have been a red brested nuthatch. The other I have no clue about. It looks a bit like a sparrow, but is a little bigger, has a longer tale and legs, and has a sort of rippled pattern on the breast.

I adore the Chickadees too! For many years there weren't any around here, then they all started to show up! Same with the goldfinches.
CMK

The creek is pretty small this time of year, since it's mostly run-off in the spring. I think it freezes over on the top, but it's probably still running underneath. The last few years there's been so much snow, I haven't been able to get out there to check :) Last year, Christmas morning, our hay barn collapsed under the snow, so I'm hoping for a little less drama this year...just enough snow for some nice pictures!