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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.

Friday, February 23, 2018

The Two Words Every School Kid Lives For: SNOW DAY!

Teachers, on the other hand, much prefer the words "late start" which the automated phone message announced at five a.m.  We'd much rather be at work when it's too miserable to garden outside than on a sunny day in July.  (Missed days must be made up.)  However, as time progressed and it seemed as if road conditions wouldn't improve,  school was canceled altogether yesterday. 

Many of  us who live in this region  like to put pumpkin spice everything, eggnog, hot spiced cider, mulled wine and snow away when we drag out the Valentine's Day decorations so this late February freeze isn't particularly welcome.  Oh well, might as well take a little stroll through the snowy garden at dawn before spending a lazy day at home.


It's always winter in this stained glass panel created by my pal Florence. 



Frigid temperatures and ice-covered roads are an uncommon occurrence here so sand trucks and snow plows are equally scarce, 



One doesn't often see a snow-covered parakeet.


 Buddha doesn't seem amused in the least.



Stoic Camellia japonica.  Don't know if it doesn't mind or if it's just frozen.


Until the recent polar blast, it looked as if this Tetrapanax might just bloom; not so much anymore.






Someone has quite a dandruff problem. 

The sun's rising.  Time to go inside where it's warm and bask in the sun streaming through the windows.



20 comments:

  1. stunning stain glass snow scene

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  2. beautiful! I want to be there instead of melting in the heat here! sigh

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  3. That first stained glass work is simply superb! One of the best I've seen.

    The 13th photo (the one above the Yucca) would make a fabulous glasswork also.

    Almost every school kid--here they would say, "What is snow?"

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  4. Tracy beat me to it - love that first stain glass winter landscape. Just fabulous! I'm guessing you made it? Of course you're going to have to make this snow day up at some point, but seriously - who gardens in July anyway? At least down here, a July day in A/C is usually a welcome experience!

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    1. I do a lot of gardening in July as it's when I have time. We don't have A/C other than opening the windows in the attic to let the heat out. Typically our nights cool off nicely maybe due to our proximity to the water.

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    2. My stained glass guru, Florence Welborn designed and made the window. She's an amazing person is many ways.

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  5. No, Buddha is not amused and neither am I. I well remember all the snow days Iain used to have to make up at the end of the school year when we lived in Massachusetts -- often more than a week's worth. So sorry you will have to give up gardening time in the summer. I bet you were cold taking those pictures in your jammies.

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  6. Ugh. This is getting REALLY old...sorry you got the day off (that just sounds wrong?!)....

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  7. Your garden is getting similar to mine, Peter :-) Just water in your pond is not frozen, and my pond is under thick ice. Happy kids, they have snow day! Here if the children had the day off when snow falls they wouldn't study at all in the winter time.

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  8. Can't believe the weather you and Loree are both having. It's bad enough when it does it here, but really tough when it hits your zone. It was warm enough here that it was raining last night but it was all icy roads this morning. Luckily we could stay home by the fire.

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  9. What does the gareenhouse look like inside with all of the roof panels covered? Spooky I bet!

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  10. I do hope that parakeet isn't real! Snow IS pretty but I'm sorry it makes you unhappy - and that it extends your school year. We're complaining here too, albeit about the utter lack of precipitation as last night's rain was, once again, a bust.

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  11. Snow days are unexpected gift days (except for your tender plants). I love your stained glass windows!

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  12. We are getting all the rain and warmer weather that you usually get. Our area is dealing with flash flooding and flooding in general. I am not complaining though because we need rain to catch up ground water lost in drought the last couple of years.

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  13. So you got a snow day. Here it was two hours late. Roads cleared pretty fast except the side streets. Still it was fun to roam the garden in the early morning.

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  14. What beautiful stained glass you have! I would rather have snow in the winter than just gray nastiness, though, as it makes everything so much prettier and protects the plants. We are much better prepared for the snow though in New England.

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  15. Florence is a talented friend. The parakeet is a bit of a star photograph. (We have them here, some larger than others. Not sure on my reaction to them.) We are due to receive a blast from Siberia tomorrow night.

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  16. No, Buddha doesn't look happy. But otherwise, it looks like a beautiful winter wonderland--too late in the season maybe, but beautiful, nonetheless. No snow days here all winter. We had one early release day because of ice, but it has to be -20F or a major, major snowstorm for Madison schools to close. But as Indie says, we have the snowplows and salt ready. Soon, your garden will look like springtime. :)

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  17. You opened the post with an astonishingly beautiful winter scene glass panel, and ended with a warm, glowing and equally beautiful panel. I do wish the snow to melt as soon as possible, but until it does, your garden looks so beautiful dressed in white.

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  18. In Chicago there is an almost sadistic resistance to calling a snow day. The city has to be paralyzed by a blizzard before school will be cancelled.

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