Polar plunge

Not to be mistaken for a "polar vortex" which includes snow and ice, tonight's weather event is a "polar plunge."  The north winds are howling at 20+ mph and we can watch the mercury dropping in the thermometer.   The forecast low in my backyard is supposed to be about 10 degrees.  We aren't supposed to warm above freezing for two days.

While not as severe as last year's polar vortex, my cold frame and garage won't keep my plants warm enough to survive this bitter cold.  After coming home from school this afternoon, I bundled up and headed out.  The cold frame containers are all on my kitchen table and the large containers in the garage are wrapped in bedspreads and table clothes.  The hoses are drained and the outside faucets are dripping.  We are ready!

I'm just a little confused about this whole global warming thing.

Meet Mordecai

One of our friends surprised Bob this Christmas with the gift of a baby sulcata tortoise.  At 3 inches long and 2 ounces, little Mordecai isn't very impressive.  But sulcata tortoises are the largest mainland tortoises in the world (only two island species are larger); when he matures, Mordecai will measure 30 inches and weigh in at close to 150 pounds.  If we care for him well, he will live to be 50+ years old, becoming our children's inheritance; they are already discussing who will get him when we die or when he gets too heavy for his elderly owners to move. 

Mordecai is making his debut in my blog because within the next 2-3 years he is going to make a major impact on the landscaping of our backyard.  He is already making a difference; this year I will be growing dandelions rather than diligently pulling them up.  Dandelions leaves are already Mordecai's favorite snack. 

Rain, rain go away

With the exception of Christmas day, we haven't seen the sun in central Alabama for weeks.  Although it hasn't been truly cold, it has been wet and gloomy, with an abundance of rainfall or high humidity almost every day. 

I had all kinds of outdoor plans for my Christmas break, none of which can happen in a backyard that more closely resembles a swamp than a garden.

Of course, "wet" is what defines the winter season here.  A wet winter is a good winter.  My well hydrated trees, shrubs and perennials are healthy and prepared to handle the cold snaps which will inevitably arrive during the coming weeks.

I just wish the rain would come another day. 

Merry Christmas from my backyard to yours

One of the benefits to Christmas celebrations in the south is the ability to just walk out in my backyard to collect Christmas decorations.  This year I kept the trimmings from my Christmas tree and added nandina, pine cones, and eucalyptus from my gardens to create colorful and fragrant arrangements all through my house. 

While enjoying my Christmas gardens, I was reminded Jesus, our Savior and Son of God was not born in a hospital, mansion, or even a humble home;  he was born in the "backyard" of an inn. 

I hope your Christmas is filled with gladness and joy.  Merry Christmas from my backyard to yours.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

I have finally finished decorating my Christmas tree! 

Each year I decorate my tree with a color scheme.  It always starts with approximately 1000 lights wrapped around the branches from the trunk to the tips of the branches.  This generally takes several hours.

This year, I wanted to create an illusion of snow on my tree.  I used all white ornaments and then draped the tree with tulle to give it that  snow covered feel.

Because I'm frugal (or the queen of cheap, depending on who you ask), all of the ornaments came from yard sales, including the stunning angel, and the tulle was leftover from my oldest daughter's wedding.  The total cost of decorating the tree (except for lights) was less than $10.

My Christmas tree will be as close as we get to a white Christmas in central Alabama.

May all your Christmases be white!

Poor Christmas tree

One of my favorite Christmas gifts is the natural, cut tree we purchase for our family.   Re-arranging the living room, choosing the tree, bringing it home, and decorating it with a color theme are all "Events" in our celebration of Christmas.

As is my custom, on December 1st, Bob and I went to Helena Landscape Supply to choose our tree.  I like to purchase my Christmas tree from a local business and their trees are nicely displayed, kept in water, have an excellent price, and the customer service is always wonderful. 

We don't own a truck, so the tree traveled home, delicately balanced, in my trunk.  My dedicated husband helped me balance the tree in the stand and proudly carried into our house.  The fragrance of the frasier fir filled the room and drifted throughout our home.

And there the tree sits, for almost two weeks now, without a single light or decoration.  It has been a busy holiday season for me so far and I just haven't been able to set aside the time it takes to wrap a thousand lights around its branches and then fill them with ornaments. 

Perhaps today?  Maybe tomorrow?

My Christmas ponies

One fun Christmas tradition for me is using elements of the garden as holiday decorations.

My first project this year has been to make a "wreath" in the shape of a horse's head out of materials found in the horse pasture.   I used cedar and long leaf pine for my holiday pony. 

It's now proudly displayed on the gate at the barn.  My ponies look festive together.