10 Inches of Snow

While New England is getting another layer of snow to deal with, we got our first significant snow for the season.  It is a very dry, fine, fluffy snow, and has been pretty easy to shovel or even sweep off the sidewalk and road.

I was out early to shovel off the snow from around the cars, the parking pad, and on the road. 

There is always something magical about snow in the garden, changing the way I see it.  All the shrubs and still uncut tall grasses stand out in dramatic contrast to the snow.  Low plants, even the early growing daffodil leaves, are covered up making a smooth, sculptural surface.  Shadows become visible and provide a slowly moving layer of detail on the white surface. 

This snow, since it came down so fine and light, doesn't endanger the health of anything.  There is no need to brush it off to prevent it from breaking off limbs and disfiguring the bushes.  It sifts down, into the inside, like confectioners sugar dusted over the leaves. 

That is why I was surprised to see the snow gathered on the plumes of the pampas grass.  The heads of the stems had enough small pieces that the snow was collected.  Neat.

The Feast of the Holly Berries

Bird Parking Lot

I declare a new liturgical holiday on February 2nd.  It is a much more important day than that over-blown and now commercialized groundhog day.   It will be the Feast of the Holly Berries.

Each year in February the ever larger holly tree that grows behind the house feeds hundreds of birds with its berries now softened by the freezing temperatures.  In the photo you can see the edge of the holly tree on the left.  In the distance is the broken, bare branches of the wild cherry tree with two clusters of birds.  On the top are the Cedar Waxwings.  On the lower left side are the Robins.  Further down the hill is a Tulip Tree with another flock.

Other birds are visiting, including Bluejays and the first Bluebird of this season!  Keeping it lively, a squirrel is scampering around trying to get to berries that are close enough to the larger branches that can carry its weight. 

I am glad I can be here to watch them all eat to their heart's delight!  Anytime a visitor asks why we don't cut down the tree to improve our view of the Bay, I tell them how important it is to feeding wild birds for a week or two every year.  I can now claim it a Holy Holly that is central to the Feast of the Holly Berries!

I keep looking for any sign of new growth and new life in the garden.  The last few weeks have been cold, with lots of rain.  Everything is so soaked, I do not dare go out to work.  If I were to walk through the cultivated areas, it would pack down the soil, collapsing all the pockets of air essential to good soil structure.  If I were to try to work in the wild areas, my feet would be constantly sliding since the wet soil cannot bear my weight.  

Even the Hellebores have kept their buds tightly shut, just barely protruding above the soil.  They wait for slightly warmer, sunnier days, biding their time.  And so do I.