Seasons Greetings from Alabama! Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter

Less than two weeks ago, brilliant fall colors of Japanese maples and more mellow, antique foliage of other trees and shrubs combined for a beautiful farewell to autumn. I knew winter was coming as aging leaves showered down and the woods took on shades of gray and brown. Earlier this week, I casually listened to weather reports forecasting possible snow. Snow predictions are often overblown here, but this time there wasn't the hysteria of mass school closings and a rush on grocery stores that such reports usually generate. I expected some snow flurries, maybe. We don't get much snow in central Alabama.

Yesterday I was truly surprised when I woke to this scene in the front garden:

Snow was coming down! Before it stopped 12 hours later, Lou measured 6 inches in the flat parking area behind the house. The weather forecasters had misjudged (slightly!) the amount we would get. 

I thought it would be interesting to compare images taken on November 28 to those I took yesterday. What a difference 10 days make! Do you prefer the fall or winter images? Photos in each set were taken in the same general location:

'Feelin' Blue' Deodar Cedar with Japanese maple 'Orido Nishiki' in the background.

The blue bridge in the woodland garden:

Views of the bench in the woodlands:

A side path in the woodland garden:

Woodland rabbit viewing the garden:

Looking toward the edge of the woodland garden:

The "sitting rock" in the woodland garden:

A birdbath in front of the house:

Finally, some images of a couple of birdhouses:

Our snow will be gone by tomorrow afternoon. I don't have to deal with it all winter, so I can enjoy the wonderment of it as a delightful change of scenery. And I have more snow pictures! Coming soon in my next post...

November Woodland 2017

Last night a stiff wind blew for hours. I could hear it gusting as I lay in bed, and all I could think of was all the leaves being swept to earth. It has been a disappointing autumn, as far as fall foliage goes. Colors have gone from summer green to murky tints of gold and red to brown and on the ground...in days! This morning was very chilly with a sharp, clear sky. For the first time I felt the breath of winter as I gazed at the tide of leaves drifting over the garden. It is the price we pay for living amidst towering trees. 

Here are some images I took in the woodland garden this past week. Lou had just raked leaves off the moss paths. Ha! He has much more to do now! It is important to keep the moss paths clear of leaves and other debris. Moss does not need earth to grow, but it does need air.

Japanese maple 'Waterfall'

Clockwise from top left: Persimmon 'Tamopan'; Mahonia 'Soft Caress'; Camellia 'Leslie Ann'; Witch Hazel - I planted this years ago, and it has finally bloomed!

Finally, a view across the lower front lawn toward a natural, undeveloped wooded area. It was once brimming with dogwood trees. Sadly, drought, disease, and old age have taken their toll through the years. The trees with the red leaves are my remaining dogwoods. Oaks and hickories are the larger trees with gold and brown leaves: