We've still got snow. And ice. And slush. And a whole boatload of water that alternately freezes at night and runs like small streams downward towards the road during the day. Today we topped out at 60F! It has been so long since we've felt that warm outside. The dog is thrilled to bits and… Continue reading The Thawing.
Well, at least the calendar is telling me its finally spring. The scene outside my window tells another tale, one of a surly and stubborn winter that is reticent to loosen its grip. Alas! Mother Nature is giving us warm-ish temperatures (40-50F) and intermittent sunshine and both are doing their darnedest to melt the scads… Continue reading Spring!
There are three days left in this month. This only means that there are three more days to add to the records. Per our local news: And more to come! It looks like another round of snow again on Tuesday. You can see how much more snow this latest round dropped. There's nary a foot… Continue reading One For the Record Books.
Yep. That was me. Begging for snow to a) insulate the plants from the bracing cold and b) make sure we had enough for a good, proper Spring melt. Whelp, I got what I asked for! 10 inches fell Tuesday with another 6-12 inches that is currently falling. It seems that winter isn't fully winter… Continue reading Did Someone Ask for Snow?
This was going to be a post about Frost. The season's first finally moved in on Friday night and we awoke to a mild, but pretty frost. However, Sunday morning rolled around and- much to our shock- so did the first snow of the year. It's so far only stuck to plants and trees. But… Continue reading Winter Creeper.
Oh, the Fall Clean Up. Most years I'd be the better part of done with the end-of-season tidying tasks by now. I hate leaving it all to the bitter (both literal and figurative) end- it gives me low-level anxiety and the To Do List is always buzzing through the back of my mind. As it… Continue reading Tidy Up.
It is 72F and rainy today. It is entirely likely that today is the extent of our Indian Summer, which if true, would be wretched. The variation in weather we've had has been extreme to say the least. I feel like all I do is post about the weather lately, but this far north, well,… Continue reading October.
Last winter was atypical in many ways, but the irregular weather didn't impact the garden too much. The one big difference was the scale of the winterburn on the Yews. In years past it has only ever been a light dusting of brown needles that were quickly brushed aside upon spring's arrival. This spring, however,… Continue reading Burlap & Winterburn.
The main weather station up in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis & St. Paul, Minnesota) has told me that, as of last night, we've received just shy of 5 inches of rain this month. The garden is, for the first time since spring, so very lush and deliciously green. I can't get over how different it… Continue reading Lush.
Apologies dear readers! Mr. Frodo has been under the weather and the Husband has started back with Graduate School so it's been awfully hard to find and stick to a new schedule. Nevermind gardening, let alone bloging about it. The weather has been swinging back and forth between lovely slightly cool autumnal weather and back… Continue reading An Unintentional Break.
Dear Readers- would you look at this forecast!?!?! SIX! days of rain in the next 10. And potentially substantial, soaking, meaningful rainfall too! I'll admit that my attention to the garden in the past two weeks has been limited to cutting back the flowering Indiangrass, watering a few newly transplanted items, and harvesting whatever is… Continue reading Hope Springs Eternal.
Well, it is official. We are officially in drought status (that's us near Eau Claire). The impact is showing up all over the area. A Sugar Maple the next town over is in full, red, autumn color. My Monarda has gone over, as have the Echinacea- both are looking much, much worse for the wear,… Continue reading Drought.
Holy crap you guys. It is hot and it is dry and every single living thing outside looks sad, wilty, bedraggled, and completely over it. I'm inclined to agree with the trees. But the peppers and cucumbers are loving it and I am therefore drowning in both. The melons appear no worse for the wear… Continue reading August.
I will admit to being an unabashed peony lover. I grew up in a household that was not big on gardening or formal flower beds. But, the one thing we did have was boatloads of the deepest, most vibrantly fuchsia peonies you've ever seen. Our partly sunny location at home made me think, for a… Continue reading Peonies!
Not to grouse about the weather once again, but it was 11 F overnight and there is still a reasonably thick blanket of snow over everything but the driveway. It is cold. It is windy. It is only sometimes this sunny. Its also April for sobbing out loud. Its depressing as hell y'all. In any… Continue reading Treading Water.
It looks the same as the last one, but its different. Why? Because this one has more snow. And OF COURSE I've got a shipment of a half dozen apple trees due for delivery on Friday. When the low will be 7 F (-14 C). All this snow will still be here, the ground still… Continue reading Again.
Oh I'd love to tell you all this is an April Fool's joke, but alas, there are no jokes, only snow. 6 inches to be exact, with another 6 on the way by Tuesday. And to make matters worse, the overnight temp fell to 9 F, which is like, -13 C? Not even the radiator-style… Continue reading April Fool’s.
Box & Bay 