Winter Musings

I will beg your forgiveness if I am remiss in posting for a bit as my dear 12-year old cat is very sick. While I would normally refrain from posting sad news, Midnight is a big part of my life and until he returns from the vet and is better, I will be at odds and it just doesn't seem right to ignore this life event.

The poor guy wishes his mommy would stop flashing that bright light at him. There's a reason why he chose to hide underneath the Christmas tree.

This normally fastidious cat has forsaken grooming while he is sick. And don't let the stern expression fool you. Midnight really is a sweet kitty.

All right, now I need something to cheer me up. My Christmas cacti continue to bloom.


If it just weren't so difficult to get a good picture of the things.

And now, for those of you who love this white stuff, I present snow.

Gee, this doesn't cheer me up at all. I don't like snow, especially when I have to go out into it. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I was born during a December snowstorm?

They're Ba-aack

It's the annual invasion of the Asian Lady Beetle, folks! These imported ladybugs seek out shelter from the coming winter and inevitably find their way into our house. Then, for the rest of the fall and winter, I have to go around, picking up dead beetles. What fun!

Click on the picture to see the many bugs that have already made themselves at home.

Unlike our native ladybugs, the Asian Lady Beetles come in various shades of orange/brown/red. Asian Lady Beetles can be told apart by the "M" on the top of the head. Unfortunately, these little critters are pushing out the more laid-back native ladybugs. These bugs also will bite if threatened and release an odor if crushed.

After dealing with these guys for the past several years, I just tend to ignore them until they get in my way. I then pick them up and toss them outside. Sometimes it is just best to pick one's battles.

All right, enough about the pests. Let's get to the plants.

Oh look, another Christmas cactus is blooming. Bringing these plants inside really messes with their little plant 'brains'.

Again, you will need to click on the picture to truly get a sense of what is going on here.

The bright red dogwood berries never make it past this time of year and this is why.




Fothergilla gardenii foliage.




The fothergilla gardenii and the dogwoods put on a delightful display.

Fallen leaves from the Canada Red Chokeberry in a carpet of vinca minor.

Autumn Flowers

My moon flowers (many, many thanks to Rosie Hawthorne for the seeds) are still blooming.

Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana) blooms alongside the moon flower.

I recently moved my Christmas cactus inside after being outside on the front porch all summer. A coordinating impatien seeded itself in the pot last summer. As the impatien has behaved itself, I have let it be.



Fast forward a week and the Christmas cactus is now officially confused. It is in full bloom and Christmas is no where in sight.


Oh, the depths to which I will sink (well okay, it was the floor) in order to get a good picture.



Well, this is a pretty flower, even if you do have to lie on the floor underneath it to truly appreciate the beauty of the blooms.

Adventures in Photography, Part I

Well, since I am currently consigned to my home, these first few pictures are necessarily restricted.

Saturday morning's view from my kitchen window.

24 hours later. Who knew 5 inches of snow could melt so quickly?

The Roufus-sided towhee visits again.

I think my Christmas cacti are confused about the date.

It's morning.

This is a close-up of a picture I took one early morning a couple of weeks ago.

A cloudy evening. What, you thought I forgot about sunsets? Silly you.

Until the flowers begin to pop up through the cold earth and the trees begin to unfurl their buds, this will have to satisfy my craving for color around me.