Pondering

I subscribe to the free weather tickler (the one at the bottom of this Blog) and also the WQAD weather notification on my Facebook page. Yes, I'm a weather junkie.

In addition, I have a weather system that reads the current weather and records the historical data for rainfall, wind, temperature, barometric pressure and notifies of changes coming. We have severe weather alert boxes and old fashioned rain gauges. Weather junkies moves into weather crazies!

There are certainly residents of the Midwest who hate cold weather, snow, ice and wind. Many become snow birds and a lot more just complain.

I'm one of those who enjoy the change of seasons and am thrilled (now that I'm retired and don't drive in it) when we have a big snow. Besides the obvious fun the teens are having in the field next to the house (pictured), the cold and snow is beneficial and sometimes necessary for some of our plants.

One example is the spring bulbs we northerners love. They need a period of rest during the winter to produce flowers in the spring. If not done by nature, they must be dug and kept in a refrigerator.

Cold weather (often freezing) enhances the flavor of some garden vegetables such as those in the broccoli family.

Winter snows are like an insulating blanket over our perennials. They help keep the wind and other damaging winter weather from having adverse effects on the plants. Cold wind is a major culprit for winter kill. It sucks the moisture out of the plants.

This is one reason I leave much of my dried foliage on the beds all winter - it traps the snow around the plants. A cheap mulch for sure.

The snow also provides additional protection for critters and birds. We have several brush heaps in our woods, purposely put there to provide shelter and nesting. Without the dogs, it could get out-of-hand with raccoons and other pesky critters but the brush piles are inhabited by nature's little curious beings. During a particularly cold and wet winter, the brush with it's covering of snow, is like a little igloo.

I suppose one of the most delightful benefits of a frozen snow covered garden is it gives the gardener rest and a time to ponder. Pondering is a lost art and I'm sure we need a global movement to bring it back. I was reminded of this yesterday while we were sitting at a local farmer coffee shop. Farmers are the world's best pondering experts.

I must go now - I have some serious pondering to accomplish this snowy day!

"A garden is half made when it is well planned. The best gardener is the one who does the most gardening by the winter fire." Liberty Hyde Bailey