and the first snow of the year. Say what??? Yep, you read that right ~ we got the first snow of the season last night and into today. It was heavy, wet stuff that left a TON of damage in its wake since most of our trees & shrubs were still fully leafed out. I was out throughout the night and all day today trying to knock it off the branches I could reach. Tomorrow I'll have to assess the damage but already I hear chain saws working on the many branches down across the neighborhood. The ground was warm ~ it was 80 degrees on Monday ~ so the pavements and streets mostly melted. Below you can see some of the accumulation on my patio table:
At one time I measured 10" using a ruler but I'm sure there was more since it was melting the whole time. Here's another look out the back patio door:
Isn't that crazy?? Melted concrete but piles of snow.
Thank goodness for 'Powder Puff' Hibiscus that opened in the middle of our wintry day:
Feeling grateful I brought it indoors to overwinter, I'd considered otherwise. It's loaded with buds:
which it also had last year but then they all fell off after coming inside?? That's why I was torn about whether to keep it or not. I don't know what I did differently this year, I'm just happy for a bloom when everything is cold and white outside.
Makes the whole snow thing a bit easier to swallow, doesn't it??
Kathleen: Your macros are among the very best! Those Hibiscus images are definitely warm and hopeful. Sorry about the snow! It's funny that we're so far ahead of you here with the foliage changes--but no snow predicted in the next two weeks. Weather is weird!
Posted by: PlantPostings | October 26, 2011 at 08:27 PM
We've been hearing about that first blizzard of the season. Crazy with ground temps at 80. The hibiscus is splendid. I have a red one here that I hope will do well now that I have put it in a south facing window. I just don't have luck with houseplants like you.
Posted by: tina | October 27, 2011 at 06:32 AM
Oh yuk!Not that old white stuff already. This is just not right.
I am glad you brought in your flowers too. The Powder Puff hibiscus is just gorgeous Kathleen. What great crinkly blooms.
Posted by: Lona | October 27, 2011 at 11:33 AM
Oh Kathleen, you have my deepest sympathies. I know that snow and winter are no friends of yours, mine either! No snow here yet, thank goodness. We've only had a few mild frosts, nothing deadly yet.
Posted by: RobinL | October 27, 2011 at 07:18 PM
oh my... 80 degrees and then snow in the same week... talk about a rough transition into winter! hopefully the warm weather will return for a bit and your plants haven't suffered too much from the early snow. We had our first hard frost this week, but I was picking zucchini the day before! I'm hoping my peas, broccoli, and cauliflower can keep on going.
Posted by: Alice Golden | October 28, 2011 at 07:17 AM
Sorry to see that you've gotten snow already but that hibiscus blossom is gorgeous Kathleen.
Posted by: Kala | October 31, 2011 at 03:51 AM
What? Snow? Actually I did see something on the news about this. I hope it's not a harbinger of things to come. I hope your trees and shrubs didn't suffer too badly. Here's to a few more 80 degree days.
Posted by: Grace | November 01, 2011 at 04:09 PM