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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Is Your Family Cold?

You may remember that I have relatives in Alaska, where I gardened for many years before moving to Washington.   My niece and I often tease each other about where we live.  She'll call at midnight during the summer while working outside and say something like, "Oh I forgot, you can't see your garden because it's dark there."  Or perhaps she'll tease me about the rain here.  I counter with a discription of some amazing plant that ends with, "Oh, I forgot, you can't grow it there."
 
In Wasilla, where they moved from our home town of Skagway, for much of September they've had heavy rain, rivers at flood stage, people floating away sort of stuff.  Oh and I forgot to mention the  hurricane - force winds. It's been so bad that even I can't tease her.  Although it's tempting to say something like, "Well at least it's still light outside so you can see the devastation."  But I'm far too nice to do something like that!  On September 29th, I received these pictures of her front yard with only the following words: "I used to have a sense of humor.  No more." O.K. there were some other words but they might offend some readers!   That's not some sort of fungus, it's not cottonwood or fireweed seeds falling on everything.  Can you guess what it might be?
 
 
 
 If you guessed that it's snow, you'd be correct.   That's right,  雪 (xuě), der Schnee, la neige, snjór, snjóa, nevar, nevicar, sneeuw, ثلج yuki, lumi, ձյուն, sneeu, snö, neĝo, sníh, salju, the white menace, God's dandruff, снег, ಹಿಮವರ್ಷ,sneh, שלג

There are many things I miss about living in Alaska - Even the winter is beautiful but the growing season is so short and intense and the winters so long.   USDA zone 3.  Of course, there's little crime, you know your neighbors and take care of each other.  Did I mention snow?  In September?  Snow.   

Snow in September

19 comments:

  1. That is tough on a gardener. No sense of humor would be about right.

    When we lived in colder climes the short growing season was so difficult that I found fall depressing. Since fall is the best season in New England, that was a major problem.

    This happens in the lower 48 too. We had snowflakes in Wyoming on my birthday--in July!

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    1. Yikes! I'm so spoiled living where I do. (I'll refer back to this comment when we're in the midst of the seemingly endless months of dark and rain.)

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  2. Sorry your family is no longer amused at the weather, but glad they have the solace of close neighbors and lower crime. I'm feeling slightly smug about today's forecast here in Portland: sunny, with a high of 70 degrees. I know, I deserve to get slapped down. It'll happen soon enough.

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    1. Is this the most incredible fall or what? I'm loving it!

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  3. I lived in Massachusetts all my life till 4 years ago, and realizing that I really was sick of snow, and moving here to get away from it, was the smartest thing I ever did. All my relatives are still back east, and just about every winter they complain. They had a big snow storm last year right about this time. I miss them but I don't miss the snow. When I saw that first photo of the snow-covered geranium, I almost held my hands up in the sign of the cross, to ward it off. Brrrrrrr!

    I'm so sorry to hear about the hard time your family is having with the weather and floods.

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    1. I often think about moving back to Alaska or even to Vermont, my mother's ancestral home where I also have family. However, I've become spoiled living here and don't think I would enjoy going through any more "real" winters. Shoveling snow does not sound like a fun activity!

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  4. Oh yes, we had a snow storm in CT in late October last year that kicked our a$$. Heavy snow is not meant to fall when the trees still have leaves and when it does, the trees fall. I was one of the lucky ones who only lost power for six days. Not funny, not funny at all.

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    1. Yikes! Sorry about your loss of power! I remember hearing about that storm. Here's to a better winter this year!

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  5. And I thought escaping from Spokane's zone 5 gardening situation was nice.

    Wow...snow in September, that's just disgusting. You're good to hold off on the teasing, one doesn't need to add insult to that kind of injury.

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  6. Thanks for the encouraging comments on my posts lately, i used to wish we could have snow here, but hearing about how cold it is, and how difficult it is for gardeners, i am glad it doesn't snow here.

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    1. Your posts are always interesting! A little snow is beautiful! Snow that doesn't stay on the ground for months is nice. Freezing rain, several feet of snow that stay around for months, and bitterly cold winds are not so nice.

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  7. Gasp. I would cry. Actually I would more than cry. I would ball... You know the ugly cry where you hyperventilate and make those horrendous scrunched up face looks.

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    1. Yes, I'm familliar; it's what happens when I look in the mirror every morning!

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  8. Wow! My cousin lived in Wasilla until a couple of years ago. Small world. They also have a home in Katovik (sp?) She misses living there when it get 100+ degrees here in the summer. Thankfully, we don't get snow until about Jan.

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    1. I'm pretty fond of where I live now. We occasionally get snow in the winter but it usually doesn't last for more than a day or two and then melts and our summer temperatures are very mild.

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  9. Yup, snow in September would make me very sad.

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  10. It won't be long time and we'll have snow here in Finland too. :O(

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.