Halloween Storm

Last Saturday, Mother Nature dumped 6 to 12 inches of heavy, wet snow on the Northeast US. Trees fell everywhere under the weight. Approximately 375,000 homes and businesses lost power. Almost 1,500 were still without power as of Friday morning.
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Entire trees toppled pulling up sidewalks.

Some branches remain dangerously hung up.

Piles of trees and brush are everywhere.

Chain saws hum in the neighborhood. It seems everyone is working on cleanup.

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The Morning Call Master Gardener Blog has some excellent advice in “Snow Storm Damage to Trees”.

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This timely blog deals with if and when to hire an arborist. How to make cuts where branches are broken. It contains links to help assess the damage as well as advice when replacing trees. Good information even if you don't have fallen trees everywhere.

I’ve been shoveling but it’s not dirt

It’s winter. Snow shoveling comes with the territory in zone 6, I guess.  So far we’ve been lucky with no major snowfalls just a bunch of minor ones. It’s not as much fun as planting a new perennial or starting a new garden bed.
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But, I’m told the snow is good for the garden. It conserves moisture in the soil. It insulates and protects perennials. It keeps the soil temperature more even and prevents heaving from alternate feeze/thaw cycles. And, it paints a pretty winter garden picture.

I wish it would only snow on the garden and not on the sidewalks and streets.
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Snow Day

10 AM

Two feet of snow fell on Wednesday. It came down fast.

For a day, the world was quiet – covered in downy whiteness.

2 PM

4 PM



10 AM

2 pm


4 PM

A bright Thursday dawned to nature’s whimsy. Garland on the deck rail and -

Upholstered furniture on the patio.

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First Snow

The first snow of the season fell on December 5. It created -


Feathery clumps on hemlocks,

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Fluffy cotton balls on shrubs.

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Snow hats on posts and lanterns,
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And popcorn on the lawn.

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Onion Snow

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Or wishful thinking.

The definition of onion snow from Answer’s dot com –

n. Chiefly Pennsylvania.
A light snow in late spring, after onions have been planted.

The onion snow is usually a non-event. A light, short-lived snow that disappears in a day or sometimes in an hour.

I call every snow the onion snow. I’m bound to be right sooner or later.

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Hemlock

Snow on the Hemlocks - 1/19/08

God made snowy days so gardeners could get the housework done.