Xmas Day 2010

The Artic conditions has meaned the garden has been frozen solid under a layer of ice. The only thing flowering is this tough Viola Labrodorica.
I love the small flowers with the patterned throat..
I hope you all are having a wanderful Xmas day wherever you are.
I hope to be blogging much more regularly after Xmas and New Year..
Happy Christmas Everyone!

Pink Poinsettia

The snow has returned back to Britain. We have had a small dusting of the white stuff. The pond and birdbath have both gone back to being frozen solid.
This Pink Poinsettia was an Xmas present from my Mum. It is pink leaved instead of the usual Red coloured bracts.
This Mexican weed has become big business in the UK, being sold in millions around Xmas.
It is sat by the TV in its velvety bag. The big freeze is set to continue for the next few days. Will it be snowy on Xmas day I wander?
The snow has caused chaos in other parts of the country. The houseplants are the only plants I'm looking at.
I do like the colours of this new Houseplant..

Winter Sun

The snow finally melted away, and the icy pavements have cleared now. The garden looked extremely green after a month of being covered in Snow.
The Winter sunshine is low, and casts a bright light on the plants.
This Teasel flower head is drying out nicely, ready for the Goldfinches to eat its seeds.
The pond has finally defrosted and the plants around it have sprung up slightly after being crushed beneath icy snow.
There is a mere ten days to go until Xmas. I have a lovely Pink Poinsettia from my Mum sat by the TV.
The Wildlife is still visiting the garden. The local Squirrels have been running along our fences today.
The garden day is only about eight hours in length now. Darkness keeps us indoors reading and watching TV programs!
I love the play of light and dark on this photo.

Winter Wanderland

I am back after six days away in London. We had snow storms, tube strikes, and violent student Demos in central London.
The snow has fallen much heavier in Yorkshire when we were away. The garden is covered in a foot of icy snow.
The birds have been flocking to my feeders. House Sparrows. Blue Tits, Goldfinches, Wood Pigeons, Blackbirds, Collared Doves, a Robin, and the secretive Nuthatch returned..
I bought three bags of Bird food today, and a new copper coloured feeder. The wild winds before blew the feeder station over smashing the old feeder.
There can be no gardening with the frozen snow crushing the plants. They have been bent over and compressed. I need to wait for the snow/ice to retreat before we can see the Damage.
The Clematis which has flower buds when we went away has keeled over, killed by the freezing overnight temperatures. The pond has been frozen, then covered in a layer of snow. Its like the wintery wanderland from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
I hope the Frogs retreated to under the plants that surround the pond. Springtime will hopefully see their return.
There are only nineteen days to Xmas. I wander what else the remainder of the year will bring. It is good to be blogging again.