“I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the landscape – the loneliness of it – the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it – the whole story doesn’t show.”
Andrew Wyeth
It’s cold here in frozen Wisconsin — not sub-zero yet, but cold. I much prefer the warmer seasons in my beautiful state, but there’s something about the snow-covered ground that I like. Maybe it’s the reprieve of winter’s long nap–a quiet rest which requires little work from the gardener. Maybe it’s the thought about what lies beneath that crisp blanket of sparkly snow. As I view our gardens from the vantage of my second story windows, the snow looks like a pristine white quilt with meandering quilting stitches in the shape of the tiny paw prints of critters. I love to imagine the floral joy that will awaken from winter’s slumber when that blanket melts away and the ground warms to the longer hours of sunshine in a few short months.
First will come the demure crocuses with their grass-like leaves and dainty flowers of purple and white.
Before we know it, the daffodils and tulips will begin their colorful show. Snow will likely throw a light blanket over it all a few times, but the flowers will survive and stand resilient over the brief and momentary trial of life.
For now, I’ll take a little walk through the new fallen snow, breathe in some fresh air, and pop a letter into our mailbox in hopes of bringing a warm greeting on a chilly winter’s day to someone I love.
So that’s my Six on Saturday for this week (well, I did get a little carried away in my tulip and daff slideshow). If you’re experiencing the chill of winter like me, you can tour the gardens of others in warmer parts of the earth from the comfort of your favorite comfy chair by visiting the host of Six on Saturday, The Propagator, where you’ll find 6-photo garden tours, planting tips, and inspiration from gardeners worldwide.
Barefoot Lily Lady 
Tiny paw prints in the snow. Nature sleeping under snow. I love the seasons.
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The trouble with England, especially the milder parts, is that there is never a time when nothing can be done in a garden, or even when nothing need be done. Most years, the ground doesn’t freeze, there is no snow cover, it only seems like it rains for months at a time. I don’t really mean “the trouble with” because out there is where I’m happiest. I think part of the reason many people don’t take climate change as seriously as they should is that they are mostly happy with the climate they have except they wouldn’t mind it not being quite so cold in winter.
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Well, I COULD be out there trimming bushes and clematis vines, but I’m too cozy sitting in my comfy chair browsing through seed catalogs and reading SOS blog posts. I will admit to a twinge of jealousy as I see photos of the gardens in England. So incredibly beautiful. For most of the year, once I get working on a garden project, I sometimes get lost in it and stay outside until I need a flashlight to keep seeing what I’m working on. Even though my hubby and I sometimes don’t enjoy the cold, we DO enjoy the beauty and quiet rest of winter and are “mostly happy with the climate”. As tempted as we might be to move from Wisconsin to someplace warmer, we think we’ll stick around. I have always lived within 90 miles of where I am living right now in Fitchburg, WI. In fact, for most of my life I lived within a block or two of Hampton Avenue in Milwaukee,.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Jim. I wish you the best in your garden and look forward to reading your posts.
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