Pretty daffodils Jane.

Driving by the Susbury River in Nine Acre Corner this morning. The ice covered trees almost looked like fog rising off the river.

Amazing photo, pixie_lou! I'm assuming that's the reflection in the water but I turned my laptop upside down just to see what it looks like in air in case the photo got rotated inadvertently.

Beautiful both ways.

Claire
edit note: corrected to attribute to pixie_lou and not nhbabs.

This post was edited by claire on Fri, Feb 7, 14 at 14:13

Pixie, I'm assuming the photo is upside down? It's good either way as Claire said, but if it isn't upside down, man, you've got a real winner there. Had to stand up twice to look at it in reverse, so thanks for the exercise, lol. And, yes, the icy trees do look like rising fog over the river in the sky.

Jane

You can't flip a phone or an iPad to see an image upside down. and I'm not about to stand on my head to look at my screen. So in case GW flipped the image - The blue is the sky. The green are the pines in the distance. And the river is actually between the icy trees and the pines. For any of you who are familiar with Nine Acre Corner, this was snapped on 117 near Brigham Farm

The amazing thing is that I drove by about an hour later, and all the icy mist was gone from the trees. I'm glad I pulled over to snap the photo on my way thru at 9.

Some kind soul here on GW taught me that I can click on a photo that's upside down and it will open right side up in a new window.

Lovely photo, Pixie Lou. Is there open water somewhere nearby to provide the moisture, or was there heavy frost last night? We had light frost last night that seemed to land a bit more on the trees along the river, but nothing like yours.

Yesterday I was enjoying the tree shadows on the new snow.

duplicate

This post was edited by nhbabs on Fri, Feb 7, 14 at 14:22

Bill, I normally give a hand with the shoveling, which I actually enjoy in moderate amounts. I know IâÂÂm odd. [g] But DH had to do it all this time around. One of our boys got us an electric âÂÂshovelâ for Christmas a few years ago and that has been a life saver. My DH has a bad back and has to be careful. We didnâÂÂt want a large snow blower to have to take care of, store and I assume they're not light weight to move around either. Also didnâÂÂt want something that ran on gas. This works very well and is inexpensive, lightweight and electric. As long as you donâÂÂt have to use it on 12 inches or deeper snow itâÂÂs great. So we go out and start shoveling when itâÂÂs about 6 inches deep and keep up with it. When weâÂÂve woken up to a deep snowfall, itâÂÂs a two person job, to break the 12â down with a shovel into manageable sizes for the electric shovel. ThatâÂÂs only happened to us once. More time consuming but not really shoveling as youâÂÂre not lifting the shovel.

Great photos of winter scenes, ladies! :-)

This post was edited by prairiemoon2 on Fri, Feb 7, 14 at 14:11

Usually the part of the stream in the woods stays pretty frozen on the surface all winter, though there is often water burbling along beneath. But our really cold weather followed by a thaw and rain created large thick blocks that were dislodged and have now refrozen in place. If we get a rapid spring thaw, we may have flooding here in the woods, something that hasn't happened since we bought this place more than 15 years ago.

Who knows why this little chair is here in the woods . . .

Very long tree shadows, nhbabs - the sun is low this time of year. None of that pinpoint shadow at noon that we get in the summer.

Those ice blocks look artificial, as if they were cut for someone to take home for the ice house (if people still had ice houses and ice boxes).

Maybe the little chair didn't like the house it lived in, too noisy, and ran away to join the woods? Very peaceful there.

Claire

I LOVE that photo of the "little chair in the woods".... a lookout post for elves or sprites, of course!

But .... judging from the snow on top of the seat .... none have been there in a while. Perhaps, like many of us, the woodland spirits have become tired of all this winter cold, snow & ice and prefer to stay hidden in their homes .... eating ... drinking ... waiting for Spring.

That's what I'm doing.

Molie

Up here in the boonies there are still ice houses and ice cuttings, though more for tradition's sake than for necessity now.

Chair in the woods = deer stand?

RE deer stand:

Deer print and chair on Etsy.com

Claire

Re: The Deer print. It's times like this when I applaud whoever said "A picture is worth a 1000 words". Looks more like a Philadelphia deer than a Yankee deer from New Hampshire, but I like Squire John's thinking: A deer chair, why not?
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Moving along, the exterior landscape is still Molie white, but as it begins to snow yet once again, and without starting a new thread, with Pixie's indulgence, here is my 2nd year amaryllis. I figured I'd try not throwing the grocery store bulbs out and this is the second time one has pulled through. The 3rd year bulb I also kept, did not grow. Nothing special was done. Just kept it in its pot with the leaves intact and placed it on the side of the garage facing North. I did nothing- just let it live - and brought it in the house 3rd week of Oct. and cut its leaves off. Took about 5 weeks before I noticed new green coming up, but here it is this afternoon with 4 blooms (2 in bud form) again.

Jane (who will not be putting a chair out for the deer)

I wonder if that might be a deer stand, squirejohn. Easier on the knees than sitting on the ground leaned up against a tree.

The Vermonters have taught a Flatlander about 'deer stands'. Never knew anything beyond 'duck blinds' before. Maybe I can have my tree house after all!

If you have nothing better to do, there are some fairly creative deer stands on Google images - link below.

Thank you to the North-of-Me people for the education.
Jane

Here is a link that might be useful: Deer Stands, Google

I understood what squirejohn meant about deer stands; I was just playing with the idea of a deer with a chair.

Cabin fever does that sometimes.

Claire

We know that your own outdoor chairs are turkey perches, Claire! That seems fair turnabout I guess.

I love that red amaryllis, Jane. I, too, coaxed last year's amaryllis into blooming again this winter. It is done now and the new bulb I bought this year is getting ready to bloom. Then I have a dish of non-blooming crocus plants, lots of green shoots but no flowers. I think I won't try forcing crocus bulbs again next year.

Congratulations on re-blooming the amaryllis, Jane - that flower is RED!!!

Looking out the window today I realized that the ornamental grasses (a miscanthus and a couple of panicums) were looking like little huts with snow roofs.

The birds have been walking on top and probably sheltering inside the huts.

Claire

Saw your thread by chance in the "most recent post box:

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Al

Saw your thread by chance in the "most recent post box:

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Al

tapla/Al: This is February in z5b-6a mid-MI? Sure looks lush, where's the snow?

Claire

"All landscape and garden photos are welcome. If it is a photo taken in your garden or your yard, it is fair game to post it here."

Sorry ....

Al

Al: But this is a monthly thread on the New England Gardening Forum and it's assumed that the photos will be related to February in New England. That said, the little mouse on the flower is delightful and I'm glad you posted it, although others on the forum are not as critter oriented as I am.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Mon, Feb 10, 14 at 18:35

LOVED seeing your summer photos, All! What better to look at in the winter. I also loved the mouse on the flower, I couldn't figure out what it wasâ¦lol. Very funny pic. And the pot with the Begonia and Coleus together is so full and vigorous. Who is that with the watering can? And who is it with the chickadee on their finger?

Thanks for posting!

The diminutive blonde with the watering can is my granddaughter. She's watering newly built container plantings Memorial Day Wknd. The chickadees are on my hand. If I hold my hand flat against my chin, like a shelf, the chickadees & nuthatches will land on my hand and take sunflower seeds from between my lips - looks like I'm getting a kiss.

Didn't mean to violate the rules. I'll be moving along. Have fun!

Al

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Al, it looks like you already have your granddaughter on track to be a gardener! :-) Gorgeous blonde hair!

I can't believe you've trained the chickadees to take seed out from between your lips!! lol That must have taken quite awhile to train them that way. Imagine how fearless they are!

Thanks for stopping in. I've been following some of the threads that come up on the 'recently posted' area that they now offer too. There is so little activity going on sometimes. I have enjoyed all the information you post to the Houseplants Forum, too, very very helpful!

Thanks for the kind words.

Something you might find interest in.

Al

Back to my icy trees photo - today is the first time I'm on my laptop in a while. Lo and behold, the photo is upside down when viewed on my laptop, but right side up on my iPhone and iPad. Yay for technology!

Babs - those ice block photos are wild. Before I read your narrative, I thought they were pieces of wooden dock. They look so rectangular!

Claire - thanks for the policing in my absence.

Jane - my amarylis will hopefully look as lush as yours. I've always saved my bulbs from year to year, but I've never tried to force a bloom again in winter. I let them go thru their normal cycle and I get blooms in May/June.

My only interesting landscape photo this week is some coreopsis seed heads poking thru the snow.

Al, I just checked out this tread today.... as the nor'easter is hitting New England. I'm not at all offended at your lovely photos! In fact, they brought a smile to my face and some warmth into this flower-starved heart. Thank you.

I also loved the wee little mouse, seeing chickadees on your hand, the pots in the yard, and your lucky granddaughter ...who's hopefully absorbing your love of gardening. To me, your yard is beautiful treat, especially as I look out my window and see horizontal snow.

Jane, your amaryllis is beautiful as are all the pots in your kitchen window.

Pixie, not only is your amaryllis opening but there's also a poinsettia still showing color in the background!

Molie

pixie_lou: The amaryllis and the poinsettia look great together - the amaryllis stalk is so strong.

For the first time today I really looked at the climbing hydrangea seedheads. Usually I'm walking past them concentrating on the hollies stuck in the snow just beyond.

My climbing hydrangea is more of a slouching hydrangea since the squirrels keep knocking the vines down. The little bit of green is the tape I use to keep them more or less upright.

Claire

I can't get a photo of my amaryllis today since the light is too bright from the window. It's at that nice funky stage where the flower buds look like spears. And Yes. I still have color on the pointsetta. Apparently this particular variety thrives on neglect.

Since Janes daffodils looked do lovely last week, I decided to be a copycat today.

My winter indoor garden, such as it is. The amaryllis is from last year and the amaryllis foliage in the two vases is cut from this year's plant which is done blooming and the bulb is in a pot in the cellar. Then there are my non-blooming crocuses that are destined to become vole food shortly! At least they add a touch of greenery in the midst of this snowy winter.

This post was edited by spedigrees on Fri, Feb 14, 14 at 17:00

Another good sunrise this morning, although I was mostly worried about the blizzard overnight and what I would find in the yard. The reflexes said take the picture and then look at the front yard.

The snow really did look pink and there were no tracks.

Claire

And this is what I saw in the front yard. A pine tree branch on top of the birdbath and two hollies.

More branches down in other spots - notably on top of a rhododendron.

Claire

Claire,
Remember the movie "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"?
Well your sunrise photos are definitely "The Good". Your poor broken branches and maybe damaged rhodies are "The Bad". For "The Ugly", just drive down any city or town street that's been plowed and sanded, with piles of disgusting, filthy snow all over. So two negatives out of three just confirms for me what I already know; I HATE WINTER.
Well, now I feel better.............tantrum has been thrown!

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Bill: I don't hate winter, but after the branch attacks and a whole lot of shoveling today and more work saved for tomorrow, I'M REALLY SICK OF THIS WINTER!

Claire

edited to qualify that I'm sick of THIS winter, not winter in general

This post was edited by claire on Mon, Feb 17, 14 at 9:37

The snowy sunrise looks lovely, Claire, and I'm glad a few downed branches seem to be the extent of the damage. Taking the clearing and the shoveling in pieces sounds like a good idea.

Sped - I always enjoy the photos of your winter garden, with the combination of bright glass and green and flowering plants.

Well, I'm a little more forgiving of winter since I managed to uncover my hollies and the rhododendron and they're OK....although it's snowing again now.

Luckily the main limbs missed the shrubs and the side branches were smashing them down. I pruned off the side branches (the limbs can wait for a while).

Hollies bent out of shape but mostly intact. These are young hollies so still flexible, and newly transplanted. I'll stake them in the spring.

And the rhododendron also was just out of the reach of another limb so the side branches were the problem.

There's also a birch, maybe two, down but I don't think there's anything woody underneath.

A rose got smashed down by the same limb that hit the hollies but I was planning to prune it heavily this spring anyway, and this makes the decision easier.

Claire

Claire, your pink sunrise snowscapes are absolutely beautiful. So sorry about the downed branches, but glad to hear they did not cause more damage.

This morning I noticed the car had interesting frost patterns (as others have documented in past threads) but I was most startled by the snow on the windshield. I've never seen wrinkled snow before - I guess yesterday's snow then rain then freeze addled the snow mat and it started sliding and folding then froze solid.

It's warming up quickly now and the mat probably slid off already.

Claire

That rippled snow is pretty cool Claire. The down branches not so cool.

About the only thing you can see in my yard beyond the huge blanket of snow is a few Siberian Iris seed pods sticking out thru the snow down by the pond.

I've got a lot of white also. About 3 feet on the ground here. But I do have some Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) beginning to bloom. Here's one that is giving a second scape. Purple Rain.

Lovely amaryllis, Steve.

This morning from the kitchen I noticed a sudden heftiness out back on a Japanese Willow (non variegated green leaf-about 16' tall - a Salix whose variety I cannot remember) and went out to have a look.

It's coming:

24 days until SPRING

Jane

Love your Purple Rain Amaryllis, Steve, and the pink Japanese Willow, Jane. That's what I'm longing to see... Spring color with no snow!

As for the countdown... let's hope Mother Nature shows her warmer face before 3/20!

Beautifl amarylis Steve.

Heres mine this morning. 4 full blossoms. Plus another stalk with a bud on it - not sure how many flowers that one will make. And to think I bought this, container and all, on the clearance rack at Home Depot for $1!

The snow is frozen hard as rock, so it was easy to take a walk around the yard yesterday to inspect the effects of winter. Saw this beehive way up in a tree. Technically the tree is on the neighbors land, but this limb overhangs my yard. Either way, removal of the hive has just been added to the Honey-Do list! I don't know if we have a ladder tall enough.

Pixie - they should be a done deal. It looks more like a weathered wasp's nest to me, but maybe someone here knows more about bees and can enlightened us. Don't risk your honey...someday it'll shred itself away.

Jane

Jane - thanks for the info. I won't put hubby's life on the line.

DD and her friends were spray painting yesterday. They are working on props for a science presentation. Every time I look out the front door I just smile at the color!

pixie lou,
Your photo looks like a bald faced hornet nest from last year...we keep one on a string in the cellar to show children. The nest texture and interior structure is interesting.