Fall Back into Winter

Maple on our property line

Peering out of the back seat of a taxi Monday, I was glad to see leaves and color on the trees. From the air the earth had looked brown.

And then came the snow ... and now frigid winter temps.

We just had the seasonal "fall back" and now it feels like fall is over.

I bravely ventured out to bring two cordylines in to the slightly heated carriage house yesterday at my uncle's place. It was the last day of lightly freezing night temps. I cut down a stray  butterfly bush that was not yet frozen. I slid my Leonard soil knife along the  cement cracks there. And then I was cold and got back in my warm car with just one bag of debris in the back.

All the hostas that were not cut down are yellow mush.

I pulled out a few canna bulbs here at home the day before. They like a light frost before overwintering inside.

Next week I see a low of 15 in the forecast!

I had hoped to get more done, enjoying more cool fall days after those hot days on the East Coast.

But it's over for now. Winter has come early to the land. It's warmer in Alaska!

Half of the red maple somehow survived that brutal slicing by falling tree during last year's ice storm. This year the leaves are dropping before reaching that gorgeous peak red. But I have an awesome video in "the cloud" for my forever November red maple fix.

This year it is sad: