It Seems Winter is Here

It's 48 degrees at the moment, but the forecast is for another cold night. It was in the 30's this morning, but the weather did the classic Atlanta thing and warmed up quickly. My transplanted Bostonian attitude has kicked in as I hear shoppers talking about the "snow coming to Atlanta!" (Translated as perhaps a semi-frozen flake in the midst of the rain tomorrow morning.) Quick! Let's all run out and buy toilet paper and milk! (I've never understood why these are the two things that we MUST have in our homes during a blizzard.....I'd rather have brownies, ice cream and cognac if I'm being snowed in).

In the garden, it's amazing what difference comes in a week. Here are a few shots from this week.

From the top: This camellia was hidden for ten years behind one of the arborvitaes that was cut down a couple of weeks ago. It's amazing what a little sun will do for a flower!

The mustards and chards are taking on incredible color as the weather chills.

The creeping fig looks so beautiful at this time of year when the asparagus is down for the winter.

The fatsia japonica with its "Sputnik"-like blooms

It looks like snow, but it's just a view through the elderly Autumn Cherry.

Bake some brownies and light the fireplace!

Photos for Monica and "Missus"

These were on the morning of April 9, which was ridiculously cold, but really beautiful with the condensation still on all of the blossoms and leaves.

From top to bottom: The Vegetable Garden Ready for Planting (Blueberries, Asaragus and Some Lettuces Already Showing); An Azalea that's "way too bright" so early in the morning; Kwanzan Cherry blossoms up close; a Foxtail Lily that doesn't know how early it is; and the Bridal Wreath Spirea I can never get enough of.

The Creeping Fig Photo

Chuck was working in the garden this morning with me, and I got him to snap a good shot of the infamous creeping fig. This is the fig I mentioned cleaning off with a stiff broom a couple of days ago. In this photo, you can probably see remnants of the dead leaves, with the beginning of the new growth starting to show through.

There's not a lot more growing in that particular bed (I just pulled the last of the winter stuff that was starting to bolt), but the blueberries are covered with blooms, and the thyme is looking pretty good for the first day of spring!