What inspires- Winter 2010...part 9

Ok, so a few weeks ago I was dreaming about lupines in the summer... now it is the New Year of 2010! So...Happy New Year!

I spent a few days in the woods taking in the quiet surrounds and the snow covered landscape. On New Year's morning, I woke up to this lovely sight...

This is apparently a Barred Owl! Stands about 40 to 50 cm tall and wing spans stretch out to about 110 to 120 cm in length. It is a marvel for me to understand how such a large bird can land on a 3/8th inch diameter re-bar and perch there for a few minutes. When I first took his picture I was not sure what type of owl it was. When I got home I was able to identify him and as I read on, I discovered he has probably been living in the area for a number of years and he is the equivalent to having a neighborhood cat living in the yard!

Anyway, the next picture is showing what Nature does best...an arrangement of hills in the distance and placement of trees....followed by a nice winding road.

Believe it or not, these roads are much easier to drive on than a snow covered road in the city mixed with road salt! The sand mixes in with the snow and combines with cold air to make the tires actually grip to the snow... and it is pollution free!

This last picture is an American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

A baby Beech...or sapling coming up from a maturing forest in the background. These trees develop a smooth bark with a very long and straight trunk. They have an interesting form and in winter they hold their leaves as you see in the picture. The larger trees can add a nice look to a bare winter backdrop of trees.

What Inspires - part 8

Well the first day of winter is finally upon us and we are starting to feel it in the North East. December 21st is the Winter Solstice which signifies the official start of winter.

I was just talking with my Uncle in Florida last night and he told me it is cold there! In fact, he has stockpiled firewood in preparation for cold weather this winter. One tends to wonder about the effects of Global Warming when you need a wood burning stove in Florida to keep you warm!

Anyway, as we head into the Holiday season, I am wrapping up some old projects and starting on some new ones...I can't help but think about the Summer Solstice! It is six months away from now and it was six months ago!!! My one consolation that comes with the marking of this date is that the days will start getting longer by 2 minutes each day until June 21st...

The above photo was taken back in the summer of 2009 around the time of the Summer Solstice... this is the same place I wrote about in a previous article from 2 years ago. It will always continue to amaze me at how Nature can recover a landscape after it has been disturbed by man. It amazes me even more that it can do it in such a beautiful and graceful manner...

A unique looking bulb...

If you are into the spring bulb scene and are looking for something a bit more in the wow factor than planting various colors of tulips in your garden...try the Crown Imperial Lily! otherwise known as the Fritillaria imperalis Aurora.

I fist stumbled upon this stately looking plant while visiting someone's home last spring. In my years of gardening I had never seen this one before and wanted to find out more about it.

They will grow in climate zones 5 to 8 and reach a height of about 36" to 39" (inches). The bloom time is in spring just before everything leafs out...about the same time as the tulips come up. I have also seen this flower in a yellow color as well. So if you are looking for something to make people stop and enjoy your garden with a sense of wonder... try popping a few of these bulbs in the garden.