Kaseys Korner

Suffering from illusions of Spring

Spurred on by the occasional sighting of a seasonal wild flower:

Above:  Primula veris (aka Cowslip)

or hardy bulb:

Above:  White Muscari

Not to mention the calendar.  I get wistful notions it might actually have arrived. 

One look outside is all it takes for a swift crash back to reality.

There will be no May-Pole-twirling this May Day:

It looks more like Feb or March.  :(

I'd say it was a bit optimistic putting up the patio umbrella, wouldn't you??

This is one crazy Spring.

Every week brings a new snowstorm along with COLD temperatures.  Nothing has dared to leaf out...

High today of 33 with another record low temperature forecasted for tonight.

A little story to illustrate the severity of our weather:   Our local Home Depot received a shipment of the ever-so-lovely 'Coral Charm' peony (thank you Dana for the heads up!!):

Of course I rushed right down to purchase another one (remember mine got frozen in early April??)  and passed the info on to my other gardening buddies.

One of whom went to purchase only to discover they had already sold out.  She was told another shipment would arrive just NOT this week.  They had to turn the truck back because of our forecast!  Too many casualties already this spring.  Pretty unheard of at this date.

Thankfully this girl smartly brought Begonia 'Rose Petticoat'and all the other tender plants safely indoors to ride out the storm.

And now we wait for the sun to shine again.   And for this tiresome winter weather pattern to end ~ when, oh when, will that be????

p.s.  One positive side note about the snow ~ it allowed me to take the best photos of the handsome Spotted Towhee I've ever managed:

They aren't spectacular photos (taken thru the glass) ~ so don't get too excited ~ but this is the closest I've ever gotten.  Brought to the feeders because of the snow, made it a whole lot easier.   Usually they are found poking & scratching about the shrubbery further away from the house. 

Notice the characteristic red eye. 

Maybe the snow isn't such a bad thing afterall (since every snow event, I get a new bird capture!)

Ummmm, let's not get carried away!

Yet Another April Snow

I'm starting to sound like a broken record, right?

I wish I could change the "tune" but it is what it is...

This go-around has been a three day event, starting on Monday, April 15th, and continuing thru today.  egads. 

The photos you're viewing were all taken the first day ~ our totals are well into 20" now and there's still more forecasted for tonight.

Remember last summer when our state was on fire (and I said I would never again complain about snow)???  Trying to remember those words when all I want is some sunshine & "average" temperatures.  Highs have been in the 20's & 30's instead of the 60's. 

It's a heavy, wet snow tho that will go a long way toward helping with the drought in our state. 

Be happy Kathleen.  :)

The snow brought flocks of birds to the feeders ~ 17 lbs of black oil sunflower seed devoured in 3 days!!!!  To think I'm usually finished feeding by this time of year!

Look what all their twittering attracted to the back garden:

Not the greatest photo but this Great Horned Owl landed deep in my pine tree and was but a dark silhouette until I lightened it a LOT. 

Wow.  I never get over the thrill of an owl sighting.  It was made even more spectacular by the fact he flew right past me prior to landing (as I was shoveling the back patio)!!!!

Now, hopefully, tomorrow the snow will quit falling and start melting.  This weekend is "Rush for the Roses" at a local greenhouse & it feels anything like planting weather!

Primula Belarina Nectarine & some April casualties

I can't seem to escape death lately.  It's gone beyond people now & is pursuing me into my stressfree zone ~ the garden & its inhabitants. Stop the madness, I beg you...

Remember the last post?  Well, we had a record low temperature that night ~ 6 degrees above zero ~ extreme cold for April. 

It took out even the stalwarts of my spring perennial garden. 

Bleeding heart crumbled & turned to mush:

As did Rhubarb:

Before the storm, I snapped one photo of Helleborus 'Phoebe:'

thank goodness I did, for now her beautiful blooms lay sprawled across the garden soil:

horizontal & brown ~ blatant evidence of how severe the cold was..  Is there any amount of TLC that can resurrect them now?

What really brought me to my knees tho was the flacid shoots of my favorite Peony 'Coral Charm:'

'Coral Charm' is was a newcomer to my garden. 

I'm not sure what this devastating blow means ~ will she return??  Put out new shoots???  Is it a temporary setback or horror-of-horrors, a permanent one???  

I am left with no choice but to comfort myself with old photos:

or maybe looking at this makes me lament my loss even more???

Please someone, say something, anything, encouraging....  A complete wipeout is something I've never before (and never again) want to experience.

Now that you've witnessed the cruel hand Mother Nature dealt my garden (and read my diva dramatics), you'll understand why I went in search of something to bolster my spirits.  You would do the same, right?

I'm happy to say I found hope in Primula Belarina Nectarine:

My soul aches a tiny bit less. 

Maybe Belarina Nectarine is exactly the balm I need.

At least until I venture outside again....

Seriously Winter.  Enough is ENOUGH.  Go bother someone else already....

 

where does the blog go from here??

Pondering that question as I'm sure many of you have at one point or another...

I'm feeling "stalled out," for lack of a better word.

Thinking maybe the blog has run it's course??

or maybe it's time to change directions & do something different??

The time away from posting has me thinking....

I wonder what makes other people go on??  Any thoughts??  Have you felt the same way??

 

'Blue Zebra' Primrose

& what seems like the slowest transition to spring ever.  (my gas bill validates those feelings ~ last year average temps were 45, this year 33!)

At least the snow is almost gone (but only for now, there's more forecasted for Monday)

A happy milestone of spring ~ the first trip to the greenhouse with  'Blue Zebra' (from Hort Couture) taking the honor of being the first plant purchase of the 2013 season!

That title brings with it a lot of fussing & coddling so as to find just the right spot. 

The fun stuff that gets overlooked during mass planting season.

in a zinc carrier (second photo), nope.

in a vintage sugar canister (above), maybe...

in a rusted iron basket:

perfect....

and most importantly, very portable ~ so when the snow returns, they can be brought indoors ~ warm & undamaged...

Something I can't promise the first crocus:

maybe it will only be a dusting???

and hopefully won't arrive until after egg hunting is over! 

Happy Easter everyone. 

p.s.  Don't give up on me ~ I'm feeling dangerously close to blog visiting again... 

Valentine montage

My heartfelt thanks for all your comforting words & messages. 

I never could have imagined (when I started this blog over five years ago) how my Internet friends would come to mean so much, but (strange as it sounds) I know you all get that "tech connections" truly can enrich life.  Every comment means so much & is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

From our house to yours ~ a belated Valentine montage.

Pink & Red tulips:

Know the saying: "the best way to forget about your own sorrows/problems is to do something nice for others?" 

I believe it & just got it reinforced when we made Valentine Rice Krispie treats to hand out to our friends & neighbors.

Regular Rice Krispie recipe with Valentine sprinkles pressed into the top and a giant heart cookie cutter to cut out the shapes.

Place hearts on wax paper, let harden slightly, then slide into a clear party bag (Wilton.)

Tie bag with a pretty ribbon.

If you want to stop right there, it would absolutely be festive enough but of course, even on a bad day, I like to go all the way....

So I added a hand stamped tag. 

I wish I could give you a link of where to purchase but it's an OLD one ~ a 2001 PSX wood block stamp (#D-3241 if that helps).   

The tag is good for a short little message or just an "XOXO" and signature (which is what we did.)

I have to say, it was really wonderful to hand these out & see the happy responses.  Who doesn't love a Rice Krispie treat tho????  Consider yourself handed a virtual one!  and happy belated Valentine's.

p.s.  When I wrote that last post I thought I was ready to get back to blogging but as you saw, I didn't get very far.  Maybe now tho....    Cross your fingers.

 

Amaryllis 'Exotica'

Opened the indoor 'bulb-blooming season' on Thanksgiving.

If the upcoming holidays are anywhere near as lovely, we'll be in for a treat.

Busy doing what many of you are also ~ packing up Thanksgiving

Above:  Moss covered terracotta pumpkins in cloche.

Below:  Berry filled urn & stone turkey.

Cornucopia

and moving forward to Christmas...

btw, Lucky am I to have already received a Christmas present!

Isn't it gorgeous???

My dear friend, MaryBeth thought I might like to have it early so I could use it!!  And I absolutely will!!!!  Thank you so much ~ you know me well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Pretty dishes & birds, what's not to love???

Having had that first taste of gift opening, I feel the holidays are truly "on!"  Not that I'm actually shopping or anything ~ it's too crazy for that!! But the decorating proceeds....

Edited to add:  In case you're interested, my gift is from Temp-tations (Cardinal 2 qt Baker with Figural Lid)

 

November color

Aside from one October snowstorm, fall of 2012 has been exceptionally nice.

We've enjoyed very few windy days, beautiful foliage, sunny skies:

& relatively warm temperatures.

Conditions ideal for coaxing the few lingering blooms to hold on and even produce a few new buds ~ like the scabiosa below:

Sweet Alyssum began blooming in April, had a lull during the heat of summer but really came "on" with the cooler temperatures of Fall.

Perfect weather for bulb planting, compost spreading, leaf raking & plant inspection. 

Buds on the tree peonies were found during the latter, a happy day indeed...

This weekend brought a second snowstorm with lows in the teens and a high today of 30.  Cruel reminders that winter is impatiently waiting.

I've been fretting over the Oranda's added to the pond (on impulse) this summer.  Concerned they are not hardy enough to survive the cold like their counterpart koi & common goldfish.  A decision is imperative...

The weather is forecasted to warm again this week.  Enough to rake a final round of oak leaves & finish up remaining garden tasks. With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away & the holidays closely following it will be time to move the gardening indoors.

which, as you can see, has already begun...

dusting off the snow shovel

2" on Wednesday night followed by 5" more last night :

Waaahhhh. 

At least it stayed mostly on the grassy areas & melted on the sidewalks & roads.

Why am I never ready????

I promised not to whine after our dry, dry summer (and all those scary fires) so that's all I'm saying.   Plus, it could be way worse ~ we could be in the path of Hurricane Sandy!  For everyone who is, stay SAFE!

parting photos of fall

Anyone who watches the weather knows it doesn't always follow a calendar system ~ if it wants to act like winter out of season, it most certainly will.  That's exactly what's happening here tonight ~ with 2" of snow predicted to be on the ground by morning.  Mercy, it seems early!

At least we have warning, right??   Which means the past two days were spent readying the garden for a blanket of white.  You know it wasn't all work tho ~ of course time was taken to capture some last bits of fall!

'Autumn Brillance' Serviceberry for one.  This year it got the chance to truly be brilliant:

As opposed to last year when everything froze and turned brown. 

Above:  The front garden (past it's peak) but the colors really were magnificent.

More pumpkins....

Made even better with the addition of a certain special black cat!

The last of the containers (to be overwintered) were dragged indoors, including Buddleia 'Orange Sceptre' still in bloom:

Another "goodbye walkabout" was conducted.  Feel like deja vu???

It does to me too. 

But this time, it's for real ~ or at least that's what we've been told.  Three nights in the lower twenties should absolutely do it. 

A lone, self-sown petunia (under the mugo pine) ~ barely opened just to face certain death:

for even the overhang won't protect it from this cold.

and I wonder about the ornamental kale too...

Fairy garden pieces including the little birdcage below were also collected (a pink geranium bud is in the background ~ maybe I should have saved it too??)

Despite big plans, a genuine fairy garden never got created this summer.  The pieces just got stuck hither & yon.  Next year for sure....   Gardening is good for that, right??

btw, I told myself I wasn't hauling SO MUCH inside this year but now it feels like the same amount (or more??????)

I really do "need" that greenhouse!!!!  ;-)