Fairly often when the weather forecasters call it a "monster storm," it ends up being a tempest in a teacup. Still, they're saying 12-18 inches of snow are possible. The southeastern portion of CT is in a blizzard zone that looks as though it won't get as far north as me. A few inches of snow are just what my WS jugs need! I'm stocked up & will go early to top off the gas tank, pick up milk, etc. I expect thousands more will have the same idea but I do need milk. I'm almost out and will be poking holes in the bottom of the jug tomorrow. I filled all the birdfeeders yesterday and all four suet feeders are full. There's plenty of shelter for the critters in the hydrangea & pine trees along my southern boundary. Both wood hoops + the wheelbarrow are full, I've got lots of dry kindling and that should about do it.

Sounds like you are very well prepared gardenweed! Don't tell me you have all your winter sowing done too? I have hardly started. I think I am going to try to get some out there this morning before it snows.

Thankfully we have nowhere we have to go today, staying away from all the stores, and our favorite football team is playing today. Plenty of leftovers in the refrigerator, and I actually enjoy shoveling. lol Hope we have at least a foot!

Hope everyone can stay home today and enjoy it. Happy Holidays!

"Fairly often when the weather forecasters call it a "monster storm," it ends up being a tempest in a teacup."

True enough.
But one year, before we started having really big storms, and one on top of the other, there was a forecast of a blizzard and all the accompanying hype. I kept saying to anyone that would listen - oh the TV is exaggerating to boost their ratings.

ha! did I ever get caught out, it was one of the biggest snowfalls we ever had. So now I pay attention and take it seriously, while I keep hoping they are wrong.

since my first post, now I am hearing 12-16 inches. ughh
am going out for eggs and bread and ginger for my ginger tea. otherwise am set. must make sure i have enough cat food. I would not want to get snowed in with a hungry cat. :)

be safe out there.

No, prairiemoon2 my winter sowing has just begun. I've got 64 containers out on my breezeway but have plans for A LOT more than that before I've sowed all the seeds I either bought, harvested or got in trades. There are a dozen jugs waiting to be prepped in my kitchen. That should keep me busy today while the weather rages outside the door.

I brought the snow shovel inside, car is backed inside the garage. I don't have anywhere to go today either. Had to wait in line at the little gas station but there was nobody trying to cut in ahead of anyone else. The deli counter at the market was a busy place. I bought chicken & will get a kettle of soup simmering on the stove. I have leftover comfort food from yesterday--spinach/artichoke dip. Plenty of English breakfast tea in the cupboard so I'm good.

Snow, yayyyy!!!!!

Did some leisurely wintersowing this morning, have lots of Christmas leftovers to consume, there's nothing to do today except make more pralines for the neighbor who plows our driveway... Hmmmm... maybe I can talk DH into making a fire in the fireplace....

Hope everyone who is getting snow can stay home and enjoy it.

Ellen, you are right, all you have to do is get caught in a bad storm once to start paying particular attention to blizzard forecasts.

Gardenweed, I have a short list of winter sowing to do this year. We have a small 1/4 acre that hasn't that much space left. [g] I do keep a bed with room for annuals and I always have containers for annuals and the vegetable garden to do every year, but I've planted a lot of shrubs and perennials that get larger every year, of course, so unless I move, my winter sowing is not going to be epic proportions. I do enjoy it thoroughly though. I have to prep containers today but I do have a full can of soil mix ready to go. I will get a good start with seed that I have already. I love the thought of having winter sown little containers all done waiting for a foot of snow to cover them. :-)

We have a new electric snow shovel. My DH has a bad back, so our kids got us one for Christmas last year. It makes it much easier, since they all are not able to get over to do it for us. It's kind of fun, although I've always enjoyed manual shoveling too.

Sounds like you have a cozy day planned gardenweed. Soup on the stove is so homey! There's been a lot of baking and cooking around here the last few days, so we have plenty to keep us from starving no matter how long it snows. [g]

English breakfast tea! Mmmmm that sounds good!

Pralines, did you say Lois? English breakfast tea and Pralines, now that sounds good!

There's a roaring fire in the woodstove. Had to scoop ashes this morning before building a fire but now the upstairs is toasty. Woodstove is down in the cellar so the heat comes right up the stairs and keeps the house comfortable. Down near the stove it's HOT. Town plow/sand truck just went past but there's nothing coming down at the moment other than a stray flake here and there. Fresh homemade chicken soup is bubbling on the stove. Probably should have picked up bread while I was out but I can always whip up biscuits or dumplings.

Here you go, prairiemoon, some (Christmas Eve) virtual tea and pralines ...

{{gwi:453726}}

Today it's snowing on the containers outside in the dusk...

Happy wintersowing, everyone!

I adore the picture!! What kind of plant is that in your arrangement?? Oh boy that looks like an awesome plant for winter interest!!

It is snowing here, though it is more blowing around and not sticking. I hope you guys on the east coast are warm and safe and have a BIG cup of hot cocoa to boot. :D

It's not snowing here now,but there is plenty on the ground.
Just made a big pot of veggie soup,nice fire going in the wood burnner,soft music playing, and sorting seeds for my swap,due in a few weeks.Can it get any better I ask.-, with a big smile on my face.
cAROL

This is the most snow I have ever seen here in Virginia Beach.
I made 7 containers today, and put them out in the snow.
Geranium 'Rozanne'
Clematis 'Sweet Autumn'
Coreopsis 'Pot of Gold'
Coreopsis 'Mahagony Midgit'
Baloon Flower Pink, White
Penstemon 'Red Rocks'
Penstemon 'Husker Red'

We are in the middle of a blizzard at the moment!! There was light snow this morning off and on, and then it started snowing with a vengeance this afternoon. Watching New England Cable news and they are indeed calling it a "Monster Storm" also threw out "Winter hurricane". Massachusetts is under a state of emergency, there are white-out conditions, prediction is 18-24 inches, with moderate possibly major coastal flooding. Yikes!

I just sowed my first 12 containers today, but they are still sitting inside because I sat them in a plastic box with some water so they would soak it up. Oh well.

I'll have to bundle up and go out and shovel the driveway pretty soon.

Lois, that looks so inviting! You get a lot of nice light in your house. Delicious looking snack! I'm stuffed from leftovers and just came in from trying to work it off shoveling the driveway. Thankfully, it is very light and fluffy snow.

Carol, it is nice when all the holiday shopping and cooking and cleaning is finished for another year and you can just sit and putter with seeds.

Hi terrene.. :-) I'm hearing the same forecast. I think the Cape is getting thunder and lightening with the snow. I'm enjoying the snow right now, but I suppose the morning rush hour will be another story. We all may be home for another day if the forecast is close to true.

To say 'I stand corrected' is pointless since we now have a raging blizzard out there. My son called to be sure I had flashlights handy & water in pots, fire in woodstove, etc. I asked him why. I was totally oblivious happily winter sowing my seeds. So now there's a flashlight with new batteries less than a foot from my hand, pots of water sitting on the stove & another flashlight on the kitchen table. I went down and threw more wood on the fire in the woodstove.

If I have power in the a.m. I can work from home but it would appear I'm not going anywhere for the next 36 - 48 hours. Good old New England--nothing in moderation when it comes to the weather.

Sigh.

It's been snowing most of the afternoon, but only 2 or 3 inches are on the ground so far. I am far enough west to miss the worst of the snow, but our lights have been flickering all afternoon. We carried some wood up from the basement in case the electricity goes out tonight. I am keeping my iPhone close by in case I need a flashlight (smartphones have so many uses).

The arrangement in the afternoon tea picture is just a few sprigs of winterberry and some japanese holly from the foundation shrubs. They do look nice together. I love the light and shadows you get in the winter from the sun low on the horizon.

I wintersowed some virginia bluebell and maltese cross. Trying to decide what else to sow, but getting sleepy from the leftover turkey, LOL.

Hope everyone stays safe and warm tonight.

Lois in PA

I just came in from shovelling off the back deck. I am taking a break and will then go out and shovel the front deck. Then take a break and go out and shovel off the back deck. Then do the front, then the back, the front, the back...yada yada yada.

Man-Oh-Man, did we get SNOW!!! The resoiviour's should be good! I was going to WS but, decided to wait. Can barely walk outside.

17 1/2 inches where I am in MA. Fairly light powdery snow, but the winds where howling something fierce while moving all of it this afternoon and the temps where freezing.

After all the work, the long driveway, half of it now looks like it never saw the snowblower and the winds are still howling away, enough to keep me awake.

Fran

We got over 20" where I am. Enough that public transportation in the area (trains and buses) was suspended yesterday - got a snow day off!

This morning, service on the trains I take to work is still suspended. No buses either in this area, so they aren't an option for me. Can't get a taxi - streets not cleared, and what traffic is getting through is more likely to get stuck than not. So ...... guess it's another snow day. Yesterday was OK, today not so much. Hopefully, I'll be able to get to work tomorrow.

PV

We just got word of an "energetic" storm coming our way. Supposed to start late tonight and go through Thursday afternoon.

Woot!!! I picked up some potting mix today. I have everything I need in case (hope, hope, hope) they cancel work tomorrow.

Wood for the fire, food to eat, and plenty of empty milk jugs. What more could a girl need?