Hunkered down

A winter storm came through yesterday. The snow fell first like powdered sugar, then like corn flakes, then back to powdered sugar. Maybe six inches all told? It's hard to tell today, as the temps rose far enough to cause some melting. Today it is also extremely windy. A good day to stay inside.

Let it snow!

And watch birds. These pix are from yesterday. Between the window and the falling snow, they are not the best. They are symbolic of how my feathered friends may ignore my offerings when the weather is fair, but not so much when it turns for the worse.

Nuthatch

Junco

Downy woodpecker

Bluebirds

Mr. and Ms. Cardinal

(Sometimes I think about getting a "real" camera instead of using my phone.)

Before the snowfall, I did manage to get the gutters cleared. A bit of yard cleanup occurred as well, on what I considered a perfect wintery day - cold and overcast, but not breezy. So many people complain about this kind of weather - why don't they just move? - but I love the changing and challenging seasons.

Pre-Thanksgiving calm

Not much happening around the ol' homestead these days. I still haven't cleaned out the gutters or finished raking leaves. That wet snow from last week broke some of the taller perennials, so I may cut those back now rather than later.

Artsy pic of milkweed fluff

The usual suspects have appeared at the bird feeders - sparrows, house finches, goldfinches, nuthatches, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, blue jays, bluebirds, but not starlings... YET. Nothing exotic.

I have been looking for a TV couch where Clio and I can lounge while streaming my favorite shows. The requirements were something clean and comfortable but not expensive. Habitat Restore to the rescue! If you see something you like there, you have to act quickly, and I did. The pets took to the new loveseat right away.

King of the couch

This piece is in such good shape I kind of hate to let the dog up there, but that is why I purchased it. An old mattress cover should provide enough protection.

Cue up "Better Call Saul"

Another reason I wanted a TV couch is the recliner is perfect for bird watching. So now that is across the room, facing the backyard with a good view of the main feeders and the birdbath. I look forward to spending most of the winter out there, watching birds by day, watching TV by night. After all, it is the dormant season.

I can see clearly now

The temps are in the 60's today, so I washed windows on the outside. I've also started removing most of the screens, as I rarely open windows to let fresh air in because that fresh air frequently includes pollen. So now not only is the glass clean, but the view is not obstructed by the screens, both increasing the light in the house.

I did not clean out the window tracks because I don't know the best way to do this without making a mess. YT to the rescue! Check this vid out.

I follow some gardening blogs and am always surprised by some gardeners complaints about "winter interest". Why wouldn't one want to see something interesting through those clean windows during the winter? I don't plant specifically for winter interest, but the fruit-bearing trees and shrubs are pretty to see - and I like to see the birds dining on the berries as well.

Then there is the accidental winter interest that occurs when it snows and all the plants I have left in the yard are sporting jaunty white caps. Or maybe an ice storm will leave everything sparkling. I don't consider myself a visual person, but I do like to feast my eyes on beauty once in a while.

Witch hazel is not winter interest, but I like seeing it bloom in late fall. At least, this one shrub. The other four seem to have a mind of their own.

Usually, I wait until Thanksgiving to resume feeding the birds, but last week's snow motivated me to start a bit early. It took the sparrows about two minutes to find the millet, the bluebirds a day to show up at their feeder. Blue jays have been emptying the whole peanut wreath, probably hiding those nuts for later on.

Besides washing windows today, I also raked some leaves and mowed the rest. The high winds are undoing some of that labor. Oh, well!

Wet and heavy

I didn't think it would get cold enough last night for snow, but I was wrong.

Seeing all that white feels weird.

It won't last long and that's okay because I still need to do things like clean out the gutters (I was waiting for the last of the leaves to fall) and wash windows.

Yesterday

Today

Wondering what the Farmer's Almanac predicts for winter 2026 led me to this information: there is a difference between The Farmers' Almanac and The Old Farmer's Almanac. The former is discontinuing publication with the 2026 edition, but the latter has no plans to quit.

Everbearing is right

Today seemed like a good day to plant garlic in the strawberry bed. Believe it or not, those everbearing strawberries are still bearing. Not a lot, mind you, and we haven't had a killing frost yet (maybe tonight), but still at it.

Does this look like a good idea? (Photo from somewhere else.) I'm intrigued by the concrete block part, not so much the 2x4 bit. Not sure where I would locate such a planter, nor what I would put in it. Herbs?

This critter was my 17th Trick or Treater last night, the final one.

From Wiki: "The banded woolly bear larva emerges from the egg in the fall and overwinters in its caterpillar form, by allowing most of its mass to freeze solid. First its heart stops beating, then its gut freezes, then its blood, followed by the rest of the body. It survives being frozen by producing a cryoprotectant in its tissues.[5] This freezing occurs outside of body cells, but not within. In the spring, it thaws."

Isn't nature amazing?

Xmas in October

The so-called xmas cactus that I obtained during last year's spinning guild holiday party is blooming. According to this site, there are several varieties of this houseplant; mine may be a Thanksgiving cactus. I don't try to force it to bloom at a particular time, so I'm happy with whenever it chooses.

Holiday cactus

Closer

Closer yet

I'm a little shocked at how healthy this plant is, as my houseplants suffer from benign neglect. This past week each of them received a layer of Black Kow composted manure, though, as a couple of them look a bit peaked.

That's what is going on inside. Outside, it was a different matter. Last weekend's rain softened the earth enough that the tulip tree lost its grip. I think the chain I wrapped around it helped prevent the house from taking a direct hit. The only damage was a small tear in one screen.

Timber!

Missed the bird bath

I had already made arrangements for its removal, but was probably fairly low on their priority list. Once I called to tell them the tree was leaning against the house, they came out the next day and took care of it.

All gone!

Relocated bird feeders

I removed the fencing along the rain garden (and the flamingos) before work began. Consequently, the view is more open not only from the tree's absence, but the fence as well. I may leave it that way (if the dog stays out of the rain garden).

Outside view

Indoor view

With the tree gone, the bird feeders can be closer to the house. We'll see how that works out. I'm not feeding them yet; that usually happens around Thanksgiving.

The cooler temps have left the yellow jackets by the compost bin less active, so I managed to clear out the weeds in that corner of the yard. This morning there was frost on the grass as well as the roofs, but not a killing frost yet. A drive through the countryside revealed that soybean and corn harvests are under way across the area. It can't stay summertime forever (thank goodness!)

Planning ahead

I am not very happy with how aromatic aster grows when left to its own devices. I moved one plant since it was flopping all over the place, decided to let another take over its bed as the bed is confined by sidewalk, driveway, and lawn. A third plant received an experimental pruning in June, to about 6" (I think). It looks more like a mound than a sprawling behemoth. So next year, all the aromatic aster will get cut back in June.

This book has helpful advice like the above. (My edition has been superceded by newer ones.) Goldenrod, at least the 7-8' variety on the south side of the house, may get the June treatment, to keep it from flopping. The queen-of-the-prairie definitely needs to be left alone, though, or it won't bloom. I will let its rain garden sister plants, meadow rue and joe-pye, grow as tall as they want as well, even if they need some staking.

About the only plants blooming this time of year are the asters and the pineapple sage (Salvia elegans). Today we are receiving some much needed rain, an inch so far. I mowed leaves for the first time this season, but they had fallen from lack of moisture. Most trees around here are still green, although the sugar maples are ablaze.