Winter Activities on the Pond

What an incredible winter...it seems to snow at least once a week and it has been COLD!!!!! We haven't seen the ground for what seems like months...The birds must be fed as they have nothing to eat from the garden beds...the winterberries are long gone! We have had so many finches this year...we have been through alot of sunflower and thistle seed....The pond is very frozen and the ice fishermen have had a heyday....

See the marker...the fishermen have them everywhere...

Here is a father and son making their rounds to all the holes they have drilled...

What a great picture of father and son out on the ice....

This is their "campsite"...a small tent, a sled laden with all their gear and the auger to drill holes into the thick ice....

Dad checking a hole....

The long trek back to the campsite....my husband saw them pull a two foot fish out of a hole not long after I took this photo....

Kids skating and playing ice hockey...

We saw the Dad with a snow blower clearing the large spot for the kids to skate...good guy that Dad...

The water slide looks a bit out of place when the pond is frozen over....

Well the pond has been very active this winter...while it has been interesting to watch, I long for spring when the ice gives way to the inky black water and a hot summer for swimming and simply floating on my raft staring up at the blue sky and pondering and thinking....

Elizabeth

Snowy Photos

It is next to impossible to get over to our island once the snow falls...so we look from the main land and dream about summer...We rarely plow causeway and the cove really is never safe as there are so many active springs under the water that it takes an incredible amount of time to freeze even when the temps are below freezing for a week or so...The last time we actually skated on the cove was in 1996...the springs are very very active....the main pond freezes over very quickly but our cove is a different story...


This is a great view of one of the benches on our island....

In the fall we put out a couple of vintage 1950's snowmen on timers to light up for the holidays...they look so cute by the dock...

How adorable is this snowman?!

Elizabeth

More Winter in the Garden

Added a few more views from the garden....Can you guess what this is snow covered lattice thing is?????

It is a demi lune doormat....

A snow covered vintage trellis....in the summer it is covered with clematis...

A snowbird sits in the snow on the fence...

A view of the entrance to the raised beds garden...boxwoods are snow covered...

This is a small children's vintage potting table that I keep outside the greenhouse...it has silvered with age and is simply beautiful anytime of the year.

Old terra cotta pots sit in a wire carrier under the potting table protected from the snow falling....

Dried Annabelle hydrangea covered with snow...I love hydrangea in the winter...the bush itself holds snow wonderfully on the wooden stems and the old flowers add great eye appeal...

Some of the flags we have flying about the property...since September 11, 2001 these flags have been flying...we change them as they weather but there are always flags posted...on a grey day when the winter landscape offers only the colors of white, hues of grey and greens, our country's red white and blue look extra beautiful...

Winter in the garden is wonderful!!!!!

Elizabeth

Winter in the Garden

Our garden is so pretty in the winter...the fencing, bushes, benches, outbuildings and other structures provide a place for snow and ice to gather. This gives such wonderful eye appeal to what one may think would be a boring spot in the cold winter months....but....winter and snow offers spectacular gifts for all our senses!


Above is a little double birdhouse topped with a blanket of snow on our antique wrought iron fence.
Another view of the snow covered fence flanked by small boxwoods at the entrance...two blueberry bushes add more eye appeal.

The snow settles in the nooks and crannies of this lattice privacy fence.

The snow covered raised garden beds offer an interesting look....


The antique cast iron bench flanked by the old cement urns look beautiful covered in snow...the urns are filled with two small boxwoods...

The lilac bush in the corner of the garden is minus flower and foliage but is still has beautiful structure...

A nice wide view of the upper garden...this raised bed garden was created with a formal parterre look...it is planted with some formality but it does have a bit of a cottage look in the summer and it also offer us a potager garden as we plant vegetables and herbs to provide a quick trip out of the kitchen for fresh ingredients needed for lunch or supper!!!!!

These eastern white pines look so majestic and the snow only adds more beauty to these towering evergreens...

A pretty look at the other end of the garden...the greenhouse looks great in the snow...

The fountain is covered in the winter actually provides nice form in the winter garden...the stone wall and lattice panels are gorgeous...

I love the roof of the gazebo when it is snow covered...

This snow capped garden man has a stoic look...his profile is very stern looking...

Looking up the snow covered stairs to the deck...

The buds of this rhododendron look ready to pop...these buds are formed in the autumn and must endue whatever winter has to deliver...i always find it interesting how most plant stock had down turned leaves in cold weather, almost as they are protecting the stem of the plant where the bud meets the stem...I have noticed this in annuals as well as perennials and it is clear to see on this rhody...

Looking down the steps from the deck after I removed the snow...much easier to navigate now!

Winter in the garden is a gift for the eye...take a moment to take in a winter landscape, you will be pleasantly surprised for sure!

Elizabeth

Little Indoor Winter Garden

Well the paperwhites did their thing and this morning I had to change my little space I like to have adorned with a few things green and colorful...as the paperwhites are forced in water the bulbs cannot be salvaged. The bulbs are affordable so it really poses not problem for a nice display during the holidays...about the cost of a bouquet but with a much longer life...nice treat. So I moved a few things around and added an ivy and a couple of new African violets....this little spots just makes me smile....

The wintergreen is placed directly in the sun as it does well there. I like to "sprinkle" a few vintage items amongst the flower pots...little birds, turtles, a couple of my old hyacinth vases (we have a huge collection of these) and even an old lightning rod spike....

I have old pieces of coral in the copper plant stand with another violet as well....an eclectic mix that works for me!!!!!
Add a little bit of greenery to your indoor space...it will make you smile for sure!!!!!

Elizabeth

Santa Arrives TWICE as Brothers In Law Fit the Bill

Now that the little ones in our family believe in Santa the real fun begins! My brother in law Layne (Whitney's husband) played Santa for our niece's pre school class. Layne was invited to hand out gifts at the Wood River Pre School and he graciously accepted the task.Here is Layne assisted by my husband getting dressed...this was a wonderful suit and very realistic...

On with the big fluffy very curly beard....
White gloves complete the outfit....

Doesn't Layne have the best Santa "eyes"!!!!!

Santa in all his finest...fur topped boots, gloves, big black belt and a crop of curly white hair topped with a red hat finished off with a big white pompom!!!!! My husband delivered "Santa" to the school via a Chrysler Town and Country mini van....

Santa arrives...ringing bells
Posing next to the school's Christmas tree....

Everyone is waiting and anxious for their surprise "special guest"....

Santa is seated in a rocking chair and ready to talk to all the kids and hand out a gift....

The first little girl climbs up onto Santa's lap ready to spend sometime and let Santa know what she wants for Christmas...

This is our niece Emily preparing to get on her Uncle Layne's lap...she never knew it was him...ohh the magic of Santa!!!!!

Our niece Natalie was reluctant to visit with Santa, so she watched from afar coloring on her Mom's lap....

CHRISTMAS DAY

Because we still has the Santa suit, my brother in law Mark dressed as Santa and secretly went to the front door and rang the bell....the kids went crazy when Santa came into the house...

Before taking time with the kids, Mark as Santa took a moment to kiss his Mrs. Claus (my sister Catherine) under the mistletoe....

Here is my nephew Herbie holding his niece Natalie who was still a bit apprehensive on getting too close to Santa...

This is our nephew Randy sitting on Santa's lap....no one is ever too old for St. Nick....

The newest member of the family, Olivia meets Santa...she is such a happy baby....she sat on Santa's (Uncle Mark) lap and laughed and waved her arms in glee....

Herbie and his kids...Randy, Emily and Olivia after their visit with Santa...


We had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends....hope yours was as delightful as well...those most important to us gathered together and touched our lives....we are very fortunate to have been surrounded by family....the dinner "tables" were surrounded with parents, sisters, brothers, brothers and sisters in law, nieces and nephews all gathered together to share a meal and good time with us...how very blessed my husband and I are that they would take time out of their busy day to spend it with us...sometimes I wonder what have I done so good that they would travel so far and give of their time to share it with us...those most precious to us were around that table...life truly does not getter than that!!!!!

Elizabeth