Finally Winter

Winter finally arrived in Southwest BC last week, and along with it snow, wind, and cold weather. I brought my container grown pieris  in to the garage, and tucked up my other containers right next to my patio doors. I hung the hummingbird feeder on the butterfly bush's  branches, only a few inches from the door. I have been bringing in the feeder at night, but even so the nectar has needed thawing out during the day. The cold weather has brought a large number of birds to my feeders, so I have been busy taking pictures of them all. I was really surprised to have a varied thrush visit my feeders for the first time.  He's a cute fellow even if he is a bit of a bully.

Pine Siskins

New Visitor, the Varied Thrush

Anna's Hummingbird carefully guarding the nearby feeder

Anna's Hummingbird

Varied Thrush

Song Sparrow

Junco in Pink Dawn Viburnum

Junco sitting on my sad looking pansies

Junco trying to stay warm

House Finch

Owls at Boundary Bay

Happy New Year! On January 1st my husband and I took a trip out to Boundary Bay to see if we could find the snowy owls that I had been hearing so much about. After what seemed like a very long drive, we finally arrived to see many people gathered in small groups along the dyke, carrying their impressive cameras, lenses, and spotting scopes. The first owl was right near the parking lot, and we were delighted to see many others along the dyke, some far off in the distance, and others closer. This was my first time seeing these beautiful owls, and I was so happy to be able to get a few pictures, though a nicer camera would have come in very handy. Wishing you all a great 2012!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Yes, it is in fact Christmas, and I always find it odd when people are afraid to call it such. Not a whole lot happening in my garden, but I am thankful to have pansies blooming cheerfully out on my patio.  Inside, I have been taking pictures of my favorite Christmas ornaments, my poinsettia, and our cat Tiger. The cat photos were a joint  project with my daughter, who bought the accessories, and arranged the cat and chair just so. She is a professional photographer (my daughter, not the cat) and will be sharing her pictures of the cat photo-shoot on her website:  Alyssa Schroeder Photography

Pansy

Pansies

Poinsettia Jingle Bells

Tiger

Tiger not exactly liking the hat

 Snow Globe

Angel

Autumn Color

 "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower"  by Albert Camus is one of my favorite fall quotes, and so very true in the case of many trees, shrubs, and even perennials. I grabbed my little camera and walked around my yard snapping photos of fall color. I even found a few flowers still blooming, including hydrangea flowers long past their prime but still looking lovely. Had a hard time choosing between photos, so there are many. What is your favorite plant for fall color?

Hydrangea

Hydrangea

Path to the Back Yard

Burning Bush

Burning Bush Leaves

Enkianthus

Enkianthus

Geranium Leaves

Balloon Flower Leaves

Hansa Rose Leaves

Spriea

Spriea Leaves

Viburnum

Yarrow

Feverfew

Mystery Plant, is it fennel?

Persicaria affinis

Houttuynia Leaves are this color year round

Ground Cherries & Tiger's Birthday!

Ever heard of ground cherries before? Me neither, until I spotted the seeds for them in a garden catalog this past spring. The flavor sounded intriguing, a cross between pineapple and citrus flavor, so I ordered some seeds and grew them this past summer. After a long, long wait, and being a little nervous about poisoning myself eating an unripe one, I finally tasted my first ground cherry! Nope, couldn't describe the flavor but not pineapple...or orange. I had to get a second opinion, and my son figured it out: a cross between a pear and a tomato. Ok, so now what to do with them? Recipes are few and far between for ground cherries! First of all I made a pie, it tasted similar to apple. Next  I cooked up a sauce and made a spice cake. Between the two, I preferred the pie, but then again, I love pies.  Not planning on growing them next year, but it's always  fun to try new plants in the garden.  Our cat turned 12 yesterday, so I made cupcakes in her honor.

Ground Cherries in their husks

Ground Cherries

Unripe Ground Cherry...Don't eat!

 

Ground Cherry Sauce

One Last Gladiola

Yarrow

Dahlia

Our Kitty on her 12th Birthday

Yum!

Fall Booms

I love sunflowers, for both their cheerful yelllow flowers, and their ability to attract birds to my garden. I planted two types of seeds this year: Autumn Beauty, and the black oil seeds I feed to the birds. I had to replant three times, because of our unseasonably cool spring. The Autumn Beauty was a no show, but the black oil ones grew & grew, once the weather finally warmed up.  Most of them are very tall, and have multiple flowers per plant. Then there was the little one, the smallest sunflower I've ever seen.

Sunflower

Little Sunflower

Black oil Sunflowers

 Here is a late blooming Gladiola called Purple Flora

 Another view of a Cobaea Bloom also called Cathedral Bells

 A Pretty Pink Poppy

Humming Bird Visiting Cerinthe Flowers, which she visits everyday now

Interesting Berries I found at Aldergrove Bowl Park

The rudbeckia, garlic chives, daisies, morning glory, sweet peas, and even a few roses are still blooming.

Rudbeckia, Oregano with daisies in the back