Twelve degrees in the Dirty South!

We left the faucets dripping last night so the pipes wouldn't freeze.

It's -12 just north of Concord, NH, right now. I think I'll wait a bit to go to work! We do have some snow on the ground, about 5" of crusty/icy stuff - I am not sure how helpful it will be as far as insulation for plants. We live in an old house, and though we blew insulation into the walls (it had none when we bought it) I can feel the cold radiating from the exterior walls when I stand close because they were built thinner than is currently standard. I'll be glad when it warms up to more seasonal temperatures.

It's near 60 here. Might need to break out a jacket.

We are now above zero! Ice rink has frozen nicely - too bad it is too cold to skate!

I just went out and replenished the bird feeders. Normally I fill them on Monday and Friday, but the suet was empty, so I refilled them all today. I actually got an email from Russell's Garden Center yesterday reminding me to keep my feeders full during this cold spell (and, of course, they have a full supply of bird seed and other feeding supplies for me to buy!).

It's minus 3 here according to AccuWeather. Filled my feeders yesterday so the birds have plenty to eat. I've RE-filled the suet feeders twice already. The crows have learned to grab onto the wire mesh feeder with their feet and peck out the suet so, given their size, they take some big chunks. There's one out there now.

I restocked my mixed seed, thistle, safflower & partially-shelled sunflower seed supplies last week so that should keep the birds well-supplied for a week or two.

I'm wearing multiple (count 'em: 5) layers plus a crocheted shawl, sitting right beside the heating unit & nursing an insulated mug of hot cocoa. Even so my fingers are cold.

Good Idea on the feeders Gardenweed!

LOL Pixie Lou.... Hope it warms up so you can skate
NHbabs..I am glad your work is flexible!

Allen456... it must e a real shock for you to be so cold!
and JFCWood.... We are all on our way over.

LOL, ontheteam - out of habit, I was looking for the 'like' button on your post to the southern visitors on this thread.

It got down to 2 here on the Cape sometime in the past 2 or 3 days. I'm afraid this will be another bad year for my marginally-hardy crape myrtles and vitex, and, more temporarily, for the mop-head hydrangeas.

The winter jasmine flower buds have probably been killed off - those were about to open. Even the Christmas rose, helleborus niger, flowers look deflated. Only the winter heath is blooming normally - it doesn't seem to mind the cold at all.

On the bright side, this must be killing off a lot of ticks out in the woods. Every cloud, as they say!

ok I'll try and look at the bright side..less ticks come spring would be nice.... it is a balmy 32 deg right now

Last time it got this cold and stayed cold this long without snow on the ground, many of my plants underperformed in the spring and took all season to get back to where they were the year before. On the bright side, we are enjoying not shoveling.

I hadn't thought about the tick population, but let's all cross our fingers that their decline is the silver lining of this all.

I haven't spent much time in the garden, but the fruit trees have plump buds ready for next year. The blueberries are all flushed pink. The rhododendron won't drop its buds, but boy are those leaves shriveled by the cold!

Some things that I cannot believe are living: a patch of strawberries in a well insulated, rocky nook are still producing tender leaves; a sedum right nearby divided this autumn and has 'bud-lettes' growing from all over; finally sage rosemary and thyme all seem to love how winter reduces their competition. I'll have so many herbs by next spring that I might create a dedicated herb garden.