Lol..Good one Al! Sounds like you have a batty of a problem...lol You could always move your plants aside and make room.ha I'm praying for an end to this miserable cold weather..How did the birds fare this year for you? Did they come back? I did mention something about your frogs, but now I forget.. I hope all is well and that the real frogs will be able to sing again soon..This winter is just killing me..I think I know what it's like to live in a cave now...I'm as white as a ghost. Hello Laura and Josh and every one else..Good to see you all surviving...I have not seen this cold for years...I am grateful my fish loaded pond did not freeze up..It almost did since I accidently shut the power off to the pond pump..It only too two days for the whole top to freeze over but luckily I noticed it and broke the top open so the fish could breath. I also notice that my ground in the garden must be frozen at least more than 6 inches deep! I hope my bulb and perrenials make it through this. Let's see, what else? I left all my potted plants in a dark area of my garden and they have been buried with snow since December..I hope they make it too by the time the thaw comes..Keeping my fingers crossed. What else? Since I have been couped up inside, I have painted ever single room in my home and added a three seasons porch..That explians my absence besides sickness.. The only saving grace this winter was my greehoused plants, especially my orchids and two bull frogs inside! I actually downloaded brid chirping and sounds along with relaxing sounds and play that with my eyes closes in the nice very humid warm greenhouse on sunny days in this weather..Sure takes the edge off! All the orchids have come to bloom and many others.. Laura..What a beautiful picture of that frog!!!!!!! It's so postcard looking. I love it and you know how I feel about frogs! Thanks for that. Good to see there is still a REAL need for you while you are home, right?lol I remember was he was just born and when you visited me...Seems like yesterday. Either that frog is so content, or just trying to stay warm. Josh, Let it rain and rain, right? You could use all the rain you can get.Horay for the peppers buddy! P.s..I talked to Jodik and she is ok..I am trying to get her back here...She's a gem and missed here. So's Jojo..She is ok too..Says hello. Hoping you all well and wamrth. MIke

I live in Upstate NY - near the Canadian border - yes, WAY upstate - Zone 4a! I wanted to post some pictures of the ice storm that we had around Christmas. Many of our trees were destroyed - seriously. I have a White Pine that I loved - blocked the view of the house - that is basically sheared away in the middle. Still not sure what we are going to do with this. Many trees were just snapped. My Tamarack snapped and the top ten feet of the tree broke off. Three Red Cedars almost done for. Poplars that were sheared. I will be honesty and say it is hard for me to go back and look at these pictures. Almost two months later now we have cut and chipped some limbs (figured we better get started on this early) that are already on the ground. The big Black Cherry we had to skid out with the 4-wheeler and we cut down the remaining truck and skidded that out too. We have had quite a bit of snowfall as of late so getting in there with the chipper is not possible now. When we bought this property it hadn't been maintained all that well in the last few years. We have worked hard the last three years sprucing it up and to see this act of God hurt. It is ironic to me because I know how obsessed, literally, I have been with it and to watch God allow it to be cut down in a matter of days - wow! Maybe He is trying to tell me something - more important things in life???? My DH kept telling me it could have been worse - tree through the roof, etc. - he is right I know but still hard for me to swallow - I loved all the work we had done. If anyone has any suggestions as far as what to do with these - obviously some have to be cut to the ground - I'd appreciate to hear anyone's opinion. White Pine Before/During Ice Storm - entire middle section is pretty much missing. You can see the snapped branches - I couldn't believe how many I hauled out of there that were just snapped off. Tamarack with top ten feet snapped out of it. Next to White Pine in above picture. Three Red Cedars as the ice storm was just starting/and now. Black Cherry Limb snapped off - honestly, this is the only one I really did want gone. Back of the house: You can see the White Birch that is hanging toward the house in the center and over another smaller red cedar. This tree is really three trunks and I imagine we will be cutting it down this Spring. The one limb never went all the way back up and the other two trunks are snapped at the tops.

Frank, I don't think you're a dork, at all! There's nothing wrong with being sentimental, and remembering good things... even if they do make your eyes tear up. I can clearly remember the beautiful Bleeding Hearts my Grandma grew... and her luscious Peonies... and I half laugh/half cry when I think about all the plants my Mom killed, even though she tried so hard... she just didn't possess the gardener gene! It skipped a generation! Actually, Ryan, I have my Calla Lily planted in a very well-draining medium, in a clay pot. It bloomed and grew ok last season, but wasn't really that impressive. It was a $2 bagged rhizome from Lowe's, I think. Not the highest quality, I'm sure. I'm just surprised it hasn't begun to grow yet this year. I haven't had a chance to look at that website with the Irises yet... but I'm going to! I never miss a chance to drool at online photos of gorgeous flowers! I didn't know that those fountain pumps could be adjusted... you learn something new every day! Thanks for that, Ryan! That little piece of information has just widened my choice for an indoor water thingy... I need to up the humidity, and I think a little fountain will help. Well, guys... it's been fun, but the dogs have their legs crossed, so I'm off for now! Have a sweet day!

Yeah where is spring????? It will come about the 4th of July! Marie the deer are starving over here because there is so much snow cover. I heard of one walking into a farmers yard and keeling over dead. Last weekend we made a trip to the capital city. In the middle of the country (AKA no where) there was a herd of 200 or more deer! In a corn field. They didn't move either, cars stopped and looked and so did the deer. It was hairy coming back through that area at 11pm. Deer on the road. Not all 200 or more but 10-12? In the middle of the road and grazing along it. No school here and further east. DD couldn't even see the lines on the highway to make it the 15 miles to work this morning. DH works at the local radio station, it is boys BB tourney time (regionals) its still on as of now. I imagine they will cancel too as some of these towns won't be able to make the hour or more trip to the center where they are played. I'm so stinking SICK of this!!!!!!! I sure hope this is the last blast for the winter?? Its going to take a good month or more for all this crud to melt. We have mountains in the next door lot, its empty and I do mean mountains of snow! At least 8 or 10. Its depressing here. Stay warm Marie, I hope it doesn't hit you too bad. Did you hear of the ambulance accident yesterday? It was from my town, so sad. Carol I'd cancel that mammo. Hate to tell you that, but its going to be nasty in your neck of the woods too. Better safe than sorry.