Just in the Nick of Time!

Thanks, thanks, and ever thanks.
~Shakespeare

Normally I do minimal fall cleanup in the garden. I save the majority of trimming for spring. But the weather forecasters have been warning us of some unusually early temperatures in the 20’s F (-6C) and winds from Canada coming our way by weeks end. Normally we don’t get these low temps till January so I had to get moving on some garden chores. Saturday I spent the morning mowing the lawn for the last time, wrapping faucets, trimming roses a little so the winds wouldn’t whip and break them and generally tidying up some of the garden so plants wouldn’t scrape against the house with winds. But also I did a few winter protective things like tucking leaves and trimmings into neat little protective mounds around the crowns of some plants, covering others with burlap bags, draining and covering the fountains, wrapped bubble wrap around the hummingbird feeder and filled it with a heavier syrup, hooked up the birdbath heater so the water won’t freeze and so on. The temp was around 42F (6C) and breezy but I was moving at a good clip so I felt warm.

Later that afternoon we had to winterize the trailer and repair some fencing before more winds blew it down. The temps were dropping into the 30’s (2C), and with the wind chill it felt like -20 F to me. I was getting cold. I could no longer feel my fingers and I was getting a wee bit crabby. Ok…really crabby. I came into the house to put my hands in a sink of warm water and looked longingly at the tea kettle when I noticed the mail had come. And a happy package was awaiting! I tore into the envelope as fast as my stiff, cold hands could. It was a beautiful knitted fluffy, warm, cozy warm scarf in gorgeous colors and 2 tiny knitted bees from my friend, knitter and fellow blogger Cindy! Did I say warm? I was so cold that I wrapped that scarf around my head! It is a perfect length to go around twice and tuck into the collar of my coat around my neck! I was as snug and warm as my bees in their hive. I wore that for 3 more hours while we finished our chores. The sky was turning pink like it does when it’s about to snow and the dark was closing in. The air felt arctic-esque to me and we finished the fence by the illumination of the street lights.

Snow is on the way, but I’m ready. Thanks Cindy, you saved the day. You Rock.  I love it!

In Bloom In My Garden Today: Geum, Primrose, Gladiolus callianthus Abyssinian Glad, Cyclamen hederifolium, Gaura, Fushia, Alyssum, Nepeta, Schizostylus, Veronica, Salvia, Lavender, Daphne caucasica ‘Eternal Fragrance’ and ‘Summer Ice’

Author’s photo