Two posts in one day, what is going on?
Well, I have a question for any green thumbs (mains vertes) out there.
Well, I have a question for any green thumbs (mains vertes) out there.
We've been having some unseasonal weather in our part of Provence: 18 ℃ (65℉) on New Year's Day, for instance. It hasn't been quite that warm since, but it's still pretty steamy for the middle of winter.
The mornings are still quite frosty though.
These pictures were taken in the field just across from our house.
I think I've mentioned we live kindof in the country. We are on the outskirts of a village, but outskirty enough that we have a septic system and drink canal water (filtered and deeelicious).
Driving back from taking the kids to school the frosty morning in question, I looked out the window and saw this stunning creature in the field.
Stock photo I had to buy - you'll see why below.
Phuck, it's a pheasant, I thought. Look at all that beautiful iridescent green and red - gorgeous. Must rush inside and get the camera.
We regularly hear gunshots from our house - hunters out and about looking for pheasants and other tasty winged creatures, not to mention the odd sanglier (wild boar). After I'd taken this guy's photo I was going to sit him down and have a long chat about camouflage and concealment and how he was doing it wrong.
I parked the car, grabbed the camera and raced back to the field.
And of course, I couldn't find that little bugger anywhere. Crafty pheasant: 1, Kirsty: 0.
So instead I took pictures of the foggy, frosty loveliness around me, until I couldn't feel my fingers properly.
This is the paving on our front doorstep. I have never seen frost patterns like this - it's incredible.
Don't they look like hand-painted feathery ferns?
So instead I took pictures of the foggy, frosty loveliness around me, until I couldn't feel my fingers properly.
This is the paving on our front doorstep. I have never seen frost patterns like this - it's incredible.
Don't they look like hand-painted feathery ferns?
So here's my question (that last one was just rhetorical). Our daffodils have been bamboozled by our higher temps and have already sprouted:
If the real cold weather finally hits, are they doomed? Can someone clever tell me what to do when your daffs jump the gun?
22 comments:
Hello Kirsty, love your photo's. Strange but I was going to do a post about the pheasants that hang out in our garden, but they didn't appear today! The daff's will be ok, they're pretty hardy. Everything is very early this year, we've got tulips coming up already. xx
I agree, daffodils at that height will have no problems - looking forward to seeing the photos when they're in full bloom.
Where I live in Va., it is not unusual for the daffodils to start coming up before Christmas. Right now mine are 5-6 inches tall. None of them are budding yet. What usually happens is that they slow down growing if we get a lot of cold weather. We don't get much snow, though, so I don't know what happens to them if they get covered with snow for long periods of time. My thought is always that I don't want plants I have to baby, so it is survival of the fittest here. I just let my flowers fend for themselves. You really can't blame them for wanting to come up and enjoy the warm weather. I have found that the daffodils here that bloom when it is cold (50 degrees or less) last a lot longer than those that bloom when it is routinely hitting 75 or more.
Hi Kirsty, no idea about the flowers coming up, I would be as surprised as you are haha.
But the patterns on the tiles... swoon... so.amazingly.pretty!!
Enjoy your day,
love
Maaike
Such beautiful photos! I love the icy feather patterns - gorgeous!
Well, the timing seems perfect to me. They should be in full gorgeous bloom when I arrive end of March! The frost on your tiles is incredible. Nature so rocks.
Sorry you were outcrafted by the pheasant - perhaps that's why he's still alive and not in need of the camo-lecture.hehe. Lovely frosty photos!
My daffodils are up too... even have a bud forming. I wonder what will happen...
I leave my dafodils care for themselves. They should be ok.
The frost in you patio is beautiful!
I don't know what to tell you about the daffodils because we have iris blooming which hubby is now calling stupid effing flowers. I just cut them off and pretended that it all didn't happen and that I will see them when it really is spring...
Jennifer :)
K-I love the spiderweb photo. And the frost on the tiles look like lace. Beautiful! As for that phucking pheasant, he should have waited.
Bisous,
Aidan
I've no idea on the daffodils, sorry.
Love love the pattern of the frost on the tiles, beautiful.
Just saw the first daffodils for sale at the market this weekend - maybe they were Provencal?! We have frost here too, must go out in the morning and look for patterns like yours - just amazing - they would make a good fabric design.
Loving your frosty photos especially on the tiles.
Anne xx
Those frost patterns on the tiles are amazing!!
I agree with Nicola, they would make a great fabric design. :)
If you could reproduce those frost patterns on fabric and then embroider them, wouldn't this be something?
I love the pictures, it is rather cold here too, but we have beautiful sunny days.
I think that the daffodils just stop growing till the temperature changes again.
Growing up in the Uk we always had daffs poking their new shoots through when it was still very cool or frosty...they just adapt and slow down. Often we would have a mild spell and they would flower only to be covered in snow a few days later. They always survived. As to your pics...just stunning. I love the frosty coating on the leaves and especially love the tiles.
Such beautiful pictures and the light is gorgeous! I love the frostpatterns, too, really amazing!
There are pheasants running around here, too. City pheasants ... Strange ... I grew up in the country and never saw a pheasant in the wild, but when we lived in a suburb of Helsinki they were strutting their stuff in the residential areas ... Next time you'll beat him to it! :-)
Stunning pictures! I love the frosty tiles and the frosty field ones...magic!
Ha, the little buggers are forever launching themselves under the wheels of cars round here. Next time I'll stop and post it to you ;o)
Phuck that's some beautiful frost x
Love your photos :) We have been having similar weather here in California...freezing nights and warmer days. I love it.
Hi Kirsty,
When I saw this website I thought of you. Perhaps you know about it already. Anyway I just had to point out the little coin purses made to look like macarons. : ) Not exactly practical, but...
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2012/01/diy-macaroon-coin-purse.html
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