Rain!

For several hours last night we had what we call a "gully washer." Around eighty thousand gallons of rain has fallen on our property during the past twenty-four hours. That's about three inches over our three and a half acres. This afternoon I was able to get out in the mist to take a few photos. 

Here is an interesting sight in the Lady Garden: 

It is tree branches reflected in the bird bath!

Wet brown leaves still cling to some oak trees. Winter does not want to go peacefully. The air is very cold.
And the sky is dreariest gray, but if you look carefully fresh buds are swelling along the branches of these trees. The rain helps these little buds grow.

The earth is sodden and foliage dripping everywhere I look.top: foliage of climbing rose Zephirine Drouhin; clockwise from above: loropetalum; columbine; nandina 'firepower'; autumn fern

Some parts of our state to the north of us had snow today. I am glad ours was only rain. It's time to go back inside the house, where Lou has built a nice fire in the fireplace. 

Eighteen days till spring!

Waiting for Spring

Today there was no wow in winter. 

There was only dullness and brownness, crunchy leaves, drab and gray, stale leftovers from another season before the winter sleep.

I worked hard in the Lady Garden, raking away a foot of leaves, planting a few plants, pulling weeds, and there was still no wow, nothing to show. I didn't feel satisfied. But then I saw promise that spring is coming. Yes, it's coming. The signs are subtle, a few young shoots, tiny buds swelling, telling me the land is waking.

Soon the earth will come out of its slumber, cast away the rags and put on colorful new party clothes.

How much would we love spring if there were no winter?

So I am content for today, waiting for spring.