Sunday, October 21, 2007

Average first snow date...

...was two days ago. I haven't really been holding my breath. But waking up this morning I could exhale, and then go turn the furnace on.

I think the contrast of the white snow makes my recalcitrant Amur maple leaves look a little redder than they really are, dont' you think?
Trick or treat? I'll say "treat" - it's moisture anyway you look at it.

Last spring I planted a Skyrocket Juniper in a big pot at the edge of the terrace. Yesterday as I was doing some preparation for winter I was trying to decide whether I should wind some twine around its branches to maintain its shape. Thanks to this snow, I find the answer is yes. I want it to look like a skryrocket, not a snowy starburst. I think I'll wind some white twinkle lights around it. That will still keep the branches pointing skyward, and I'll have a leg up on Christmas decorating!
I spent part of the day putting garden ornaments into the garage out of winter's way but a bunch of ornaments junk stays out all year on the somewhat sheltered table and shelf on the back porch. But look closer.... These two House finches found it somewhat sheltered also.
In typical Colorado fashion, the sun soon came out and the birds hit the feeders again.
Joined by their buddy, the Red-shafted flicker. A handsome fellow, and happy for some suet.
Happy October, or as we are calling it here, "Rocktober". In honor of the Colorado Rockies baseball team, heading for the World Series. It will soon be Snovember.



29 comments:

Diana LaMarre said...

Holy Smokes! I had to read this twice to make sure it was from this year! It was 80 degrees at my house today. Very unusual weather. I was pretty hot and sweaty out there planting tulips.

The white does look pretty!

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

My sympathy. We are having a very warm, wet fall. It's too bad we can't all share the good weather. I like the flicker. I don't see many birds here.

Carol Michel said...

So pretty, especially since it is in YOUR garden and not mine. I do think your amur maple looks redder in the snow. Here it was in low eighties and partly sunny. A nice fall day. I hope it is many more weeks before we see any snow like you got. I am SIMPLY not ready. (But you are right, moisure is moisture!)

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Anonymous said...

Wow, snow! ugg, We have had snow in October! Glad not this year!

Anonymous said...

I notice that the early snow had both you and Bev thinking about Xmas. I still can't believe Halloween is almost here, but the snow does make one think of jingle bells instead of pumpkins. It sounds like you'll be back to pumpkin weather tomorrow.

Mary said...

I am having a hard time believing you have snow and I thought your post was a flashback from last year, at first.

I guess when you are wearing flip flops, shorts and t-shirt, you forget that others could be, might be, shoveling the white stuff! I got a sunburn today, for crying out loud!

I love that Flicker! And those finches are adorable. All of your photos are so good...

LostRoses said...

Zoey, yeah, I was hot and sweaty too, the day before this snow! And the weather will be good again this coming week - just a little blip in the radar! Did you get all your tulips planted?

Apple, well the weathermen said it was coming, guess they were right for a change. And I didn't have to go out and water my pots of mums in the driveway! I usually see the same birds here all year, but every once in awhile something unusual will show up - lately it's been nuthatches, so cute!

Carol, sounds like we were the anomaly in nice weather across the country. I did get a lot of outdoor stuff done yesterday while it was still nice - including putting my new swing away for the winter. I'm proud!

Mon@rch, October is not over yet!

Pam, I'm perfectly content to have pumpkin weather for some time yet. We'll see!

Mary, it is a little hard to visualize snow when you're out there getting a sunburn! Anyway, no flashbacks, just a hint of what's to come. Those flickers are here all year and as long as I keep the suet coming, so do they.

Naturegirl said...

I cannot believe this {{{{{snow}}}}}
already!! Forgive me for saying this but I am sure glad it's you posting this image and not me!! {{{NO SNOW}}}
I am NOT ready for it! brrrrr.NG

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Love your snow. I am one of those Flatlanders that can't seem to get enough of it.

It is so clever of you to put twinkle lights on your Rocket to hold it together. That will be so pretty and functional.

Flicker is my favorite yard bird. We have the Yellow Shafted Flicker here in SW Indiana.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Snow already? Well, it makes the garden looks pretty, that's for sure.

In the Netherlands we have very seldom any snow, so I think it's great although perhaps it could have waited a little longer. ;-)

Love the pics of the birdies!

Bev said...

LOL...I knew I'd be seeing some snow pictures from you Lost Roses! Very pretty! The Rocket will look beautiful with lights. We've learned to start putting Christmas decorations up whenever the warm days come in November, otherwise, forget it. Let's just hope we don't have a winter like last year. SURELY we won't????

Jean said...

I'm not ready for snow yet but your pictures are beautiful!

Annie in Austin said...

It does look pretty, LostRoses and you were mentally prepared by knowing the average snow date, so you weren't shocked. Actually, with the whole country experiencing a record-breaking year, anything that falls in the average or normal range is downright comforting!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Unknown said...

No frost here yet, Lost Roses, and in fact today was a record-setting warmest day for this date in Nova Scotia. I have to say the snow looks rather pretty in your garden--and of course as you say moisture is always a good thing....

Carol Michel said...

Lost-Roses... I am so proud of you for putting away your new swing. It will last much longer if it doesn't get snowed on. I was worried about it!

Meems said...

beautiful snow.

it was 90 degrees and miserably humid here today and predicted for tomorrow as well.

i love the photo of the flicker.

Kerri said...

I did a double take when I saw your snow pictures. Like several other locations, we had temps of 80º here yesterday too, but it's raining and cooler today. Still, snow seems a long way off considering the 'extended summer' we've had, with only a week a half of chilly weather in between.
Your pictures are beautiful, but I hope we don't see snow here for a long time yet. Your flicker is very handsome. I love the finches, and yes, the nuthatches are so cute!
I've had some chuckles reading your last several posts. Love your sense of humor :)
Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday. That's good!
And I'll avoid that book you mentioned :)

Rusty in Miami said...

What can I say? It looks great to me. I�m sure you which it could wait another couple of months.

LostRoses said...

Naturegirl, we aren't ready for it either, and to even things out, the weather has been in the high 60's the last couple of days!

Lisa, I'd love to see a yellow-shafted flicker! According to my field notes I haven't seen one since 1983! Oh, I stole the twinkle light idea from an article in our local paper. Sounded good, so I'll try it.

Yolanda, so you don't get much snow? I'll remember that if we get too much this year like last winter!

Bev, we can't possibly have another winter like that. Keep repeating that...! I agree on the Christmas decorations, I'm always happy later that I put them up "too early".

Jean, I always think snow looks so pretty until I have to drive in it!

Annie, you're right. There's nothing bad about being average when it comes to the weather!

Jodi, so many people have mentioned how unseasonably warm it is in their area, and I see Nova Scotia is no exception. You just have to love those sunshiny days!

Carol, it was a bear to move on my own. When I found myself wedged between the swing and the garage door I had to remind myself that Carol would be proud. ;)

Meems, 90! I think I can safely say those days are behind us for quite a few months.

Kerri, thanks for all your comments! Yes, avoid the book, enjoy the 80 degree temps, and I'm glad my posts gave you a chuckle! The flicker is one of the family of five that spent the summer in my yard. I enjoyed them so much!

Rusty, well this is the closest you're going to get to snow, unless of course, you decide to make your next trip to Aspen a winter trip!

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

Brrr....no thank you, it's to early. I like the snow but it can come mid December, I thinks it's pretty with a white Christmas. Thank you for stopping by Tyra's Garden and that you like it, I'm delighted. Don't you need a garden under S...Sweden? I like to add yours, garden and birdfriend!/lol Tyra in Vaxholm

Bob said...

Sorry about the snow, I don't know any gardener that is ever really ready for it. I love your attitude regarding it, It is after all moisture.

All the best, BOB

Anonymous said...

What pretty pictures! I live in the NW, so we don't get snow like this, especially not in October. It looks so peaceful! And the birds are lovely! ~A :-)

LostRoses said...

Yeah, Tyra, I do need another 'S' for Sweden! I'm going to update my list one of these days and you'll be on it. Oh, I'd like the snow on Christmas too, but it doesn't often happen that way around here. Last year was a major exception!

Bob, one thing the snow accomplished was putting an end to a lot of the annuals which will be yanked this weeekend - if it doesn't snow! Actually we're back in the mid-70's.

Angela, do you ever get much snow at all there? You certainly have pretty fall color, I can attest to that!

KGMom said...

Oh snow--wonderful wonderful snow. I envy you--we here in central PA are bathed in warm air streaming up from the south. The only good part of our weather is that we now have rain, at last.

kate said...

And here I am complaining about the frost and freezing rain that hit last night. At least we didn't get snow ... I saw a piece on CNN about the weather for the baseball game and it looked cold. Brr... the Amur Maple does look redder though, so that's a good thing!

David said...

I want snow!!!!

Unknown said...

Boy am I glad we will have our usual summery christmas here in Aus.

And snowy chrismas'es reserved for 'Xmas in July' celebrations, just to break the year up a bit.

LostRoses said...

kgmom, I'm so glad to hear that you're finally getting rain. You've had a long dry spell. We've had several lovely warm days since the snow but no more moisture!

Kate, that game was cold, in more ways than one! But the fans all looked properly bundled up. This is football weather, not baseball weather!

David, it could happen!

Barebones, Christmas in July! Do they every cart any snow in just to liven up your weather? I'm sure they could borrow a snow-making machine from one of the ski resorts!

Unknown said...

WEll you have to remember that in the southern hemisphere we don't celebrate hallooween or thanksgiving. It's the middle of spring and xmas is in the middle of summer, (hot and sticky). Here we often have xmas days reaching up to 40 degrees celcius plus in the sun....

So to get a little of what you northie's do at xmas. They started a 'xmas in july' celbrations in the colder parts of Aus. Especially during our snow season (Yes we do have small areas that snow), June-Aug. This has spread through the country.

And become a regular thing across Aus. Snow machines are only around in the small areas that sometimes get snow. the rest of the country just pretends that its that cold....