Under the giving snow
This little patch of ground is covered in snow right now, but by the time you read this,
it may be on the way to a daring display! Our front yard, Alexandria, April 2012
“Under the giving snow blossoms a daring spring.” — Terri Guillemets
I find it hard to believe that as I’m writing this (on March 7, two weeks before publication) I STILL see snow on the ground outside! It’s melting in places, but most of the grass is still covered with it, and those nasty-dirty drifts line the sidewalks and parking lots. The ground is soggy and messy where the snow has melted, so when I go out on unpaved areas, I have to choose between crunching through snow or getting my shoes muddy.
I keep reminding myself, though, that it can’t last much longer. And, as Guillements describes, the snow is watering the ground, nourishing the flowers that have hopefully survived the cold. After this winter, we should be in store for a most daring spring! Let’s get ready to celebrate!
One year ago today:
Defeat Despair 
I believe there is far more going on here than “watering the ground”. In Job 38:22 God speaks of the “storehouses of the snow”. Modern science has proven that the “pop” of formation of a snowflake captures atmospheric nitrogen – natural fertilization results. Yes! Look for a bountiful growing season.
Wow, that is great news. We should have the best azaleas and cherry blossoms ever this year! We don’t even have buds yet on our cherry blossoms, which is unprecedented for this time of year, as far as I can remember. Hopefully they will be worth the wait!
Julia not trying to”sound like a Home Depot commercial, I’m going to take another trip there soon.( Almost slipped and said a reference to Willie Wonka and the chocolate Factory and I never been to Hershey Park) The temps will drop tomorrow night and snow is expected by next Tuesday.. Color is suppose to brighten up a room and your mood.( For a minute I almost started singing “Cindi Lauper “True Colors” then I was reminded by that Cher comment she made in a movie”Snap Out of It” lol be blessed
Hershey Park is one of the places we want to go when we make our trip to Pennsylvania. I heard they give out samples 🙂 but I think it would be worth going just to take in the scent of chocolate everywhere. I could hardly believe it when someone told me today that snow is expected AGAIN next week. I keep putting the snow shovel up and saying “Well this ought to be the last time we need THIS for awhile” only to have to get it back out again! I’ll just keep looking at colorful photos until we have the real thing! Have a great weekend.
It is 35 degrees out this A.M. in Seattle and I was going to do some pruning today, but not sure I will make it outside if it does not warm up a little. I bought some Snap pea seeds yesterday, also sweet pea and Bachelor buttons, also wild flowers, green beans and Lobelia; just a few items. Since I was not here last summer-but New York- I am hoping to get some garden time in.
At least we are not in Chicago with three feet of snow still heavy on the ground not very giving is it. Do you have Galanthus bulbs there- “little snow drops?” Saw some the other day peeking out of the undergrowth.
Do you know this Peggy Ballard of Atlanta- a career coach there- who now is posting on the U.R. site.?
Whoa, I would not be out pruning in 35 degree weather either!! Do you get enough snap peas and green beans to eat very often? I have never grown anything but tomatoes, but a vegetable garden is something I had hoped Jeff and I could try in retirement. I had never heard of Galanthus, but looking at the flowers, I also don’t remember ever seeing any. They remind me of Lily of the Valley. I have not been to UR very much at all lately, so I don’t recall Peggy Ballard; I should get over there and catch up sometime. I am so dreadfully far behind on everything. I seem to get slower all the time.
YES!! I am ready to celebrate. To me this is always a bit of a depressing time of year. There are dead leaves everywhere and people haven’t had time for a spruce up. The trees are still bare and everything is grey. When the snow melts there is loads of trash on the roads. YUCK! HOWEVER!! Spring is on the way, the days are longer and before I know it one day I will be thinking, “Wow, when did everything get so green?” Bring it on I say in all it’s daring glory!! Love ya. 🙂
Yes, I’ll have my camera ready :-). I hope that we get the cherry blossoms before Matt’s surgery. Our snow is mostly melted now and there’s not too much junk underneath, just mud. Jeff and I are working with a landscaper for the first time in our lives; we need somebody working on the York lawn now that we have so little time for it. Being military, we’ve never been anywhere 10 years and haven’t had to do long term maintenance before, so this is a new adventure for us. Wish us luck!
That is a neat insight from Eric. Had never heard anything like that. Maybe the rain drops also capture nitrogen? That would be a blessing here in the wetlands.
Yes we get quite a few snap peas for stir -frying. One of the things I grow best here. I use the Oregon Sugar pod 2. They and zuchinni are pretty sure bets here. I grow the peas in a tire and use a tomato cage for support.
Wow, growing in a tire? Haven’t heard of that. Maybe you can send me a photo when they get established. My sister bought some sugar snap peas to eat as a snack (raw) last time she was here, and I tried them and to my surprise, they were delicious! Maybe I should add that to my snack list. I am determined to eat more veggies since that’s the really worst deficit in my diet; I simply don’t love them, except for tomatoes and legumes. The one exception to that is if they are stir fried. We go to the local Mongolian-style grill where we are allowed to pile our plates up with whatever and watch them cook it – I get a ton of bok choy, bean sprouts, bell peppers, onions, shredded carrots, and a bit of lo mein and beef just to make it tasty. Sometimes maybe even a bit of zuchinni which is not my favorite, but I can enjoy it if it’s stir fried. Now that Jeff’s on chemo he can’t tolerate most of that kind of food so we don’t go much anymore, but hopefully someday we’ll be able to get back to it.
It is 33 degrees here this A.M. However it warmed up yesterday to 55 so I did get a little pruning done.
We had a bunch of die back on our California Lilac- also a favorite plant of mine. I have the variety “Victoria” which is a low lying bush form that gets about five feet high with purple flowers.
I totally love lilac and wisteria both (they remind me of each other for some reason) but don’t know if I could ever grow any here. It’s a gorgeous day today, sunny and warm, and I can’t wait to get outside and walk. Matt is at the yearly carnival at the College of William and Mary – the Greek clubs get together and host all the young people with disabilities for a day of fun outdoor games, food, and socializing. Each participant is paired with a W&M student. That college has some of the best kids anywhere. They have done so much for Matt and his friends, for so many years. It’s a perfect day for their carnival today; sometimes it has to move indoors because of rain but they got lucky today. Matt will be very happy tonight. 🙂
Julia, thanks for the beautiful flowers…a reminder Spring is here even if Winter insists on teasing us! lol
Yes Merry, it’s on the way. I saw a few magnolia blooms on my walk this evening, and lots of daffodils. It won’t be long now, even if we do get snow next week!