I'll just check.
. .
. .
. .

It's raining sideways.

Libby

That sounds so romantic. What a lovely setting.

There's a huge truck and bulldozer out front. The city decided to dig up our streets to revamp the sewer lines to accommodate the new 1 block development of condos that are selling for a million dollars. How I loath "city progress". Who in bloody hell could afford to by a condo for a million dollars and why?

Edna

Nice idea for a thread, Cameron!

It's very much like spring here in DFW. We haven't had a frost yet so my garden is still in bloom although the shorter days have taken their toll. It's 80 degrees and sunny, today. Currently blooming: roses, salvias, mums, plumbago, cosmos, cleome, TX Betony and purple heart. Plants that have self-seeded and are currently growing in the beds include: 4 O'Clocks, cosmos, and morning glory.

One thing I've noticed is that the birds are chirping at daybreak, much like they do in the spring. Blue Jays and Cardinals lead the pack as far as bird sightings. They reside here year round, and their bright plummage is always a treat.

On weekends, I have my morning cup of tea outside on the patio and really enjoy the antics going on around me.

The squirrels are having a field day! Due to an abundance of rain this year, pecans are everywhere. In fact, there is a problem locally with branches becoming weighted down with pecans and breaking off. They are busy burying pecans in my beds, pots and in the middle of the lawn. Basically anywhere where they can scratch into the earth.

Come spring, my yard becomes a mini Pecan tree nursery as they spout. ( Do squirrels actually remember where they bury any of their pecans???? )

Marilyn

Too funny Libby!
I second Marilyn's praise of the topic.

Since it is dark now, I'll give you a snapshot of earlier today. The sleet has formed a glistening crust over the inch of snow we had. One bird feeder has icicles and house finches on it. My hydrangea tree is serving as a roost for 25 goldfinches in line for the thistle. The suet blocks have an occasional nuthatch. The ice froze the remaining snapdragons into the image of launching fireworks. And finally, the crazy neighbor is using the 1/4 inch of slush as a reason to get out his big tractor and drive it up and down the street.

Enjoy your winter scenery.

Squirrel Girl

Great thread Cameron, it has warmed up a bit here, right now the snow is coming down in great globs. There are a few birds coming to the feeders, downy woodpeckers and sparrows but not in the usual number we're use to seeing. Here's a picture DH took out the kitchen window a couple of hours ago. Across the street and down the path it looks like a winter wonderland. DH saw several pairs of wood ducks swimming in the river but couldn't get close enough to get a decent picture.

I'm with you on city progress Edna, I'll take a little house with a garden to play in over a million dollar condo any day. There are a few places in the town where they're building more affordable houses with overtones of years gone by, right down to the colors that were used back then. I love the look, it takes one back to a kinder and gentler time.

Annette

{{gwi:769712}}

Annette

Hey, that snow is beautiful, but I'm already shivering when it hovers in the mid 50's here! I still have a lot of blooms: The purples of Scabiosa, Echinacea, Verbena, Geranium and Poppies, some orange Lions Tail and the sunny yellows of Jerusalem Sage, Coreopsis and Copper Canyon Daisy. Now that the Copper Canyon has stretched out and is blooming freely, I realize I need to move it because it's too big. Sometimes I see a big crow plop himself in the birdbath, but the funniest bird visitor is the sparrow that constantly hangs out on my neighbors car. He sits right in front of the side mirror admiring himself and leaves his trail of poop down their door!

Through my windows...

I like to keep an eye on the chickens - their pen is just across the back yard from the bedroom window and only a little further from the kitchen window. Now that the leaves are down I can see them much better as they peck and scratch around out there.

Right now, I'm watching my nemesis neighbor loading up a U-Haul. He's finally moving! Our neighborhood is about to get so much better! Just in time for Christmas!

We've been through various battles nearly 4 years with this guy. Between his garbage strewn front yard, his penchant for 70's acid rock turned up to 11, and his total disregard for civility, this is a truly a blessing. I will finally be able to garden in the front without being harassed. It's a golden day!

Brian just told me I looked like Gladys Kravitz You would think I would feel embarrassed ;-)

Steven

Like Marilyn in DFW we still have not had a frost. It rained all night last night and the birds are rejoicing this AM. The sky is blue and the air is chilly and fresh. The birds are singing more and I believe it is due to the mild winter. We have the relatives of your squirrels...YIKES. I have them everywhere and they bury the pesky pecans all over. The seedlings are really hard to pull up as the nuts have a hormone in them that allows them to make a very deep tap root and germinate easily..at least that is what I was told. Anyway it looks to be a perfect week for the porch tour so I am glad. c

Annette,

That is a such a beautiful picture. Vancouver is on my "Things I want to do/Places I want to visit" list!

Ah, Steven...the pig people are leaving. I know you are excited after all you've gone through. What a great way to end the year, and start the new one.

Caroline,

Thanks for the explanation about those pesky pecan seedlings and you are so right about that tap root!

I saw a squirrel yesterday that had so many pecans in his mouth he could barely walk. lol Just say the word and I will trap and send the TX side of the family to reunite with their AL kin. :-) Pecans will be included, free of charge.

Marilyn ( taking a vacation day and having a blast)

I enjoyed reading all the wonderfully graphic posts, and send Steven a special congratulations! I don't know what I would do with bad neightbors.

When I look out my dirty windows I see brown. -- only brow. The grass is brown, the garden plants are dead, but not cut back because of the seeds for the birds, and the big trees have dumped a late load of leaves over everything.

Maybe Wednesday morning I can report a winter wonderland since we are due to get 2" of snow. I am ready for it-- let's get this winter show on the road so Spring can come all the faster.

Great posts everyone ~ wonderful descriptions of what is going on in your neighborhoods.

This morning the sun is shining in a clear blue sky. The temp is 66. I believe it is supposed to go down into the 50's tonight.

I can hear a lawn maintenance crew across the street. I mowed yesterday after coming back from the grocery.

I also hate city progress. Our area is so overloaded with new construction, with hardly anyone living in the places. I will take our little 50's cottage any day of the week, over new, crowded together condos, etc. It's depressing seeing all the land sucked up by big developers, and then having our water restricted.

On a positive note, lots of things are in bloom and doing well down here. Roses, jasmine, herbs, flowering shrubs. Finches, cardinals, blue jays, mockingbirds, and the occasional hummingbird are visitors to Plum Cottage Gardens.

This is a great thread Cameron.

Love that photo Annette. Brrrrr!

FlowerLady

I am enjoying this thread, too. I really envy the folks in zones 8-10 that truly garden year round. I used to be zone 9b and I miss it. Although there are lovely seasons and views here. The view from inside is lots of birds at the feeders! I have 6 feeders out, but I need more! As the birds get used to them, I move the shepherd's hooks a little nearer, and I can watch them more closely. We've had a couple frosts and so the grass is brown. A few (gorgeous) leaves left on the trees. Fall is just about over. The farmer's soybean field past my yard has been seeded with some sort of cover crop, a grass I presume, but it is large and lovely and green. My ornamental grasses are nice to look at. And my evergreen trees are a welcome contrast to the bare plants. My new wildflower area is germinating like crazy. I've done alot in 2 yrs and I'm proud! I even re-arranged my furniture this year to get a better view out of my very large window. I love it!

I'm loving my new enclosed porch. Such a nice place to look at the outdoors without getting into the cold (not that we have had much of it this year yet, though). When I stand by the front door and look through its glass walls I can see the pyracantha hedge loaded with red berries, the Christmas tree, now boasting her lighted star on top, and the little red begonias, still blooming their foolish little heads off against the Golden King holly. Timmy stares at the world outside from his little doggie door. The birds are beginning to strip the hedge of the berries and will continue to do so until there are none left by February. I can sit snug in the couch there, hold Timmy in my lap and all is well that ends well.

Eduarda

Louisianagirl ~ I live in zone 10 where I can garden 365 days if I feel like it, and weather allowing. I wish I could take time off from gardening like you that can. It would be nice to take a break and relax and plan. We can't have it all so I'll stop my mini whine and be thankful for being able to garden year round.

Eduarda ~ Your new enclosed porch sounds lovely. I'm sure Timmy loves it too.

We live in a cottage and there are no picture windows. The window I look out the most is in the 'scullery' where I have a 4' garden window over the double sink. I can look out into our secret garden while I wash dishes and it makes that bit of homecaring more enjoyable. I see birds, butterflies, flowers, sky and trees, and the occasional feline sipping water from the reflecting pool. We do have a screened porch on the east side of our cottage, off the kitchen and I enjoy sitting out there weather allowing. It's nice to sit out there and the mosquitoes can't get us. This time of year it is absolutely beautiful here.

Happy holidays ~ FlowerLady

It worked! Made you look! :-) LOL

Seriously, we get closed up in our homes or work environments in the winter. Even though some of us live in climates where we can't stop and smell the roses, we can stop to see what's happening through the window. Slow down and take it in. When I was working in an office all day, I rarely got to enjoy nature as I went to work in the dark mornings and got back home in the dark as winter progressed.

Some of the imagery here has also allowed us to "see" what's happening with our friends...from construction chaos to beautiful snow scenes...to still beautiful gardens ... to nature's other creatures.

Smiles!
Cameron

Cameron ~ It is a joy to slow down and really take a look and listen to what is going on around us. Sometimes we just get too busy with our lives that we forget there is a quieter, more stressfree way to live. Thanks for the reminder.

Thank all of you for glimpes into your lives and gardens.

FlowerLady

Got down to 47 last night, which made me a little afraid we'll have another frost like we did last year (only 15 degrees to go), but I won't complain because the cold came along with lots of rain from an Alaska-born storm.

Today it's crystal clear and gorgeous. Except for the mud, it's quite nice. Bees living it up on the blue basil flowers, bushtits and phoebes and jays in the backyard, hummingbirds enjoying the Mexican bush sage out front, and lots of ladybugs on the mint and the big thing out front I forgot the name of. LOL.

Best of all, I moved a 12-foot sycamore sapling a month or two and did unspeakable things to the roots to get it out of the ground (it was growing so fast that it was in danger of rooting up the wall and/or getting trapped in its little corner), but all the little leaf buds or joints are still green and healthy looking so far, so I think I didn't kill it!

Great thread idea folks. Keep 'em coming!

I've enjoyed reading all of the comments on this thread. Thanks everyone!

There was an ice storm last night, so the trees were lovely this morning. It's quiet for a change too.
Those of you who have seen photos of the beautiful hills and fields in my backyard may understand the tear in my eye when I look out the window now.
Bulldozers, backhoes etc. Three new cellar holes. There goes the neighborhood.
The good news is that I know the builder and he is a true craftsman. Anyway, the ice has kept them all away for now.

I can see all of my birdfeeders out the window. Now that the ice is melting, the birds are returning.
The nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers and red-bellied woodpeckers are taking turns on the suet.
Mourning doves, juncos and my lone female cardinal on the picnic table feeder. Goldfinches, house finches feed in flocks in the window feeders. Titmice and chicadees zoom in, grab a seed and fly away, always on the move.

I'm working on my Christmas cards, listening to carols and enjoying nature.
Life is good today.
Hope this is so for all of you too!
Patti

Right now we are covered with the white stuff!!

{{gwi:769713}}
(Our pony "Sneaks" with a snow mustache)

We have a lot of small birds (Juncos, chickadees, white nuthatches and titmice) hanging around here, foraging in the seed heads of my perennial gardens. I also move my feeders close to the house windows in winter, so we can watch them from up close..the suet brings in a lot of woodpeckers. In the winter, I move my office area downstairs so I can watch the birds while I work.

I love your pony in the snow! (I used to have horses) "Sneaks" is so cute -- how did you pick that name? I just think it's great for a horse!

Cameron

Sneaks looks like he should be in one of those milk moustache ads! :-)

What a gorgeous picture of a winter wonderland.

Marilyn

Cameron - we gave him the name Sneaks because his registered name had the word "Sneaker" in it (I guess he was named by the breeder's young son :-)) so we call him Sneaks for short.

I have to say, he has lived up to his name, he IS very Sneaky and he's managed to get through every bit of fencing or gate we have on the property :-) Life is never dull around here!

I love this thread - and I got a few chuckles! Annette - I love that photo, and Steven - congratulations! Libby - lol.

let's see it's overcast today and probably about 35 degrees. We had a couple of snowfalls and everything is pretty much buried, but a couple of warmish days has made the snow melt in the driveway at least. I don't have the idyllic country setting, but a squirrel seems to have knocked over my birdfeeder and seeds are now strewn over the ground, and a windstorm has left a ton of branches in the backyard. I left out rye bread for the birds - but it's still there, I guess they don't like it without butter? :)

Estelle

Ellen ~ love your winter wonderland with 'Sneaks'.

Today the sky was blue, the sun was shining bright and it was 80. I worked outside back by the potting area, getting a new planting area ready for seedlings from the seed swap. Seeds that I planted in little pots have done nicely and are ready to be planted out. Chicory really did fantastic, the first ones to sprout, in like a couple of days, and have grown like weeds ever since. I've got more seeds to plant and am so glad I joined in the swap this year.

This morning while we were having coffee I could hear a mockingbird singing away right outside our living room. It wasn't even light out yet, and he/she was ready to start the day on a positive note.

Wish you all well, stay warm, be healthy and have a wonderful new year.

FlowerLady

I had not posted to this in weeks or gotten caught up til now. We have had rain and rain and more....rain. We are now in for 71 degrees tomorrow ! By Wednesday it will be 25 and single digit wind chill. What a crazy winter. I have been seeing the progression of the full moon every night when the clouds have cleared. It has been glorious as it shines in the skylights. I see pink camellias all over the bushes and lots of pink buds on the daphnes, from the sunroom. We have still got lots of begonias blooming and the ferns are still beautiful...but after Wed. NOT.

I spent today taking all the decorations down and packing them in boxes and carrying them back upstairs to be stored til next year. DH is not able to do the ladder thing this year so I did it all. Even climbed up the 12 foot one to change the DR lightbulb ! DD is here til Saturday and we have had a wonderful time being "girls together"...that is what she has always called it. We made cream cheese braids and ate one and packed 2 for her to take home . We went shopping for a New Years dress for her to wear.

We leave for Seacrest ( by Destin) on Wed .morning so I hope the warm weather prevails down there and we miss all the COLD .

I have loved reading everyones views. And Sneaks is precious !! c

I'm taking some vacation time this week and using it to catch up on some projects here at home.

Yesterday I watched a squirrel tearing leaves and branches from my favorite Red Oak tree. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I think it's nest making time for our fluffy -tailed rat population.

The weather so far this winter has been crazy with temperatures bouncing around all over the thermometer. Some days have been windy and cold, other days have been warm and pleasant. Sometimes we have had both patterns in the same day. Fortunately we have had moisture ( both in the form of rain and fog) so that everything is staying hydrated in the garden.

Moderate temps, and moisture, also mean that weeds have reared their ugly heads. I have dandelions in bloom, right now but on the positive side, have seen poppy and larkspur seedlings emerge. If we get a round of unusually bitter cold weather forecasted, I've got 3 bags of leaves that I can rip open to provide protection for the seedlings.

Caroline, my next door neighbor's magnolia has set buds. If the mild, moist weather continues, it will be interesting to see how early that tree bursts into full bloom.

Marilyn

I was sitting at the kitchen table today at almost dusk and there were 5 hummers on my feeder and 2 more circling around.And of course there was the security guard up on the wire chasing away any other males that tried to stop by.They are soooooo much fun to watch and the only reason we buy sugar.I have to refill the feeders every other day.

I to like this post.

Congratulations Steven,and i know what you mean.Everyday when i open my shades i have to look at the messy porch across the street.Trash cans,nasty old string mops,cardboard boxes,big bags of dog food,etc,etc.It blows my mind that the owners can't see this.They own a gardening service that serves one of the most affluent towns in San Diego county,they do my yard and several of my neighbors.Yet their own looks like "Tobacco Road,WHY??? Makes no sense to me.

Then we have another person in our neighborhood who has the raggediest flag i've ever seen.I kid you not it is torn along every stripe,and this is hung on the front of his house.This man is a retired Marine!!! I wrote up a big note one day telling him it was time to retire the flag and what a disgrace it is for him to have it hanging there,to disrespect a country that has given him so much. I put the note in his mailbox.That was over a month ago,and it still hangs there.I'm tempted to go buy a flag of his countrys origin ,cut it all up and send it to him and tell him to hang that one.Of course i wouldn't do this,but it burns my butt he doesn't remove it.

I think i may call one of the veterans organizations and tell them about it.
Kathi