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...

Frosty Winter Morning

Last night winter left a thin crust of snow and ice over my woodland paths, as well as crystalline patches on the road and lawn. The sun was bright this morning, and I walked outside to dutifully record evidence of frigid temperatures and the first bit of snow we have had this year. 

He's still here! This old rubber lizard has appeared on my blog before. He grows more fearsome with age.

Red twigs of Acer palmatum 'Sango-Kaku' stand out against the frosty background.Are you cold yet? After I took all these photos, I was happy to come inside for a cup of hot coffee! We need these cold temperatures, but soon I will be looking forward to spring.