Solstice

North northeast. The shortest day, the longest night. 

South southwest. 

Winter daphne is budding. Guess that's why they call it "winter." 

Another Month

North by northeast three months ago

South by southwest three months ago

North by northeast two months ago

South by southwest two months ago

North by northeast one month ago

South by southwest one month ago

North by northeast today

South by southwest today

Winter Casualty Report

Miss 'otis regrets ... she's unable to thrive in sub-freezing weather. It's been down in the low 30s/high 20s, and there was frost one morning. It rained last night, so the weeds are thriving, and most of the rest of the plants look okay. But I fear that the stephanotis won't make it. The basil has pretty much had it, too, but I trimmed it back and when the weather warms up as it's supposed to do later this week, we'll see how it does. 

The climbing hydrangea doesn't look too great (even when the picture is in focus), but I think this is seasonal loss of leaves. 

In the Bleak December

North by northeast. Not exactly the fell hand of winter yet, is it? 

South by southwest. Only the color of the leaves gives the time of year away. The vine at the left is doing splendidly, as is the morning glory back near the fence. But midway between them the hydrangea is yellow of leaf. I don't know whether it's supposed to be this time of year. 

The Rains Came

North by northeast. Right on schedule, mid-November, it rained for a couple of days, leaving the ground nice and muddy and causing the weeds and grasses to sprout.

South by southwest. The rain and wind deposited some leaves, too.

The pink bower vine has some new growth.

The pineapple sage is sprouting nicely, with the beginnings of what look to be orange flowers.

The morning glory is continuing to twine nicely. Still a lot of winter ahead, but I'm eager to see what happens in the spring.

A View From the Back Door

Left

Center

Right

Far right

Veterans Day

I wish the poppies were in bloom today, but ... 

...will Mums do? 

Time Passes

North by northeast two months ago

South by southwest two months ago

North by northeast one month ago

South by southwest one month ago

North by northeast today

South by southwest today

Progress Report

North by northeast

South by southwest

Pineapple sage is putting out shoots -- leaves or flowers?

Mums are doing well, but I need to stop pulling the hose over them

The arbor vine 

Climbing hydrangea

I keep forgetting the name of this flower, and the one below 

I have high hopes for my morning glory

Mobile

Digger and Planter

Something has been trying to dig up the diascia. Has to be something small, so I'm thinking a squirrel. Maybe it buried a nut there.

Yesterday at the nursery I saw these chrysanthemums. I don't particularly care for mums -- don't like the way they smell -- but they were only two dollars each, and I thought that they would be nice to fill that bare spot between the slab and the crawlspace opening. I like the color, too. 

North by northeast

South by southwest 

Climber

Seeing how well the morning glory was doing, I moved the trellis from the Boston ivy over to where it is.

I have a long plastic stake that used to support an evergreen in the front of the house (it was removed because it was growing too close to the house) and I stuck it where the trellis for the Boston ivy used to be. I'm hoping the ivy is just dying back as the weather gets colder and will re-emerge in the spring. 

Signs of Life

I had been thinking that it was time to let the garden be, and not keep expecting signs of change. But this morning I found a bloom on the morning glory, and it's starting to twine. 

There are buds on the pineapple sage, too. 

And the lantana has some new flowers coming. 

South by southwest

North by northeast