Monthly Archives: December 2012

Winter

This morning we woke to a serene and beautiful snow covered world. Everyone is still on vacation here, and the house is full of tired  people who have been enjoying so many wonderful holiday celebrations they  are grateful for a day to sleep in and be snowed in. Outside it looks like this….

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.and inside it still feels  magical from the holiday decorations.  A few years ago I decided to make “winter” a bigger theme in my holiday decorating so I can leave many of them up through the dreariest pat of the year.

On January 6th , which is the Epiphany, and the last day of christmas for me, it  is always so depressing to take down the tree and the santas. Now I continue to display the snowmen, mittens,snowshoes,wooden skiis,  and other winter themed decorations through February, and of course  continue to have all the evergreen-ery and pinecones cut and replaced often to add to the winter feeling..

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Also inside, . many of the houseplants are working hard to bring some joy…this angel wing begonia has been in bloom for over a year . I do not know it’s name because  was a stealth cutting taken by a friend from a mutual friend who does not willingly share cuttings/plants. Little does that mutual friend know how very many people have this lovely plant gracing their home  :).

The clematis florida that is winding it’s way around the picture window  is about to

burst into bloom and I have been feeling a  little crazy when people sit in the window seat under  it becuase I am so afraid  the vine  will get broken off before it get to enjoy it. So far, so good though , and I expect lovely purple flowers to unfurl any day now.

And of course, forced bulbs like this amaryllis, will help brighten our spirits until winter is over.

Hope you all had a peace and joy filled holiday!

Dear Santa 2012

Dear Santa,

It has been such a wonderful year here in The Burrow,one so full of friends ,flowers and fun that it seems almost crass to wish for more. But that is not going to stop this gal from writing up a list of thing I would love to see for 2013.

Let’s start with the practical…my hip has been bothering me. Not in a way that forces me to sit a lot or scale back my gardening too much, just mostly an old lady annoyance due to arthritis I have had for a long time. If you could see fit to send  an elf or two on a permanent loan to me to help out here and there when the work load gets tough I sure would appreciate it.

Moving on to the charitable , I have a long wish list from Landreth Seed Company including these amazingly well put together gifts of seeds sacks , and you don’t even need to guess which one is on my list…the antique vines!

Landreth is the oldest seed catalogue in the USA and in recent years as we have seen the fall of so very many mom and pop nurseries and many specialty plant suppliers it would be nice  if lots of gardeners added a few Landreth items to their list to keep the company going strong. Their catalogue is the best in eye-candy ( which BTW does not pack on the lbs like other Christmas candies are wont to do) and I would also recommend the bulb forcing vases and any or all of the Thomas Jefferson weather instruments. I have met the owners at flowers shows where they vend, and they are super people who are dedicated to their company and it’s mission of heirloom gardening .

I have sent some handy dandy emails to Wil  and dropped  some post-it-note adorned catalogues on his  desk, but should he forget or decide I am lucky enough in life to just be married to him and should thus not pine for silly trinkets , here are some suggestions for under the tree.

This vase.

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..this twine holder .

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.and…well, really anything else that appears in the At West End catalogue ( or website) , or from Terrain.

While you are thinking of me, please ensure that the over 100 shrubs and 10 large-ish trees I planted in a landscape job done impossibly late in the season ( AND which turned out to be the bog I insisted it was to the owner who vehemently denied my claim although I have the mud and muck covered boots and jeans to prove it ) live through the winter  and leaf out in the  springtime …or at least live until I get paid.

For my garden I wish only the same one thing I wish for every  year……Snow,snow and more snow. At least 50 inches minimum scattered throughout a lovely cold winter with at least two hunker down by the fire for days blizzards ,pretty please. Last year you may have missed this wish as it was all tied up in a long list and I forgive you for letting it slide just the once. Deprive me again and well….well.. I can’t finish that sentence because I prefer to remain on the “nice” list and the words I was going to string together may have been naughty.

Just remember,OK?  Snow.

Thanks you Santa,

and Merry Christmas from all of us here in The Burrrow