Frostigt

Vintern är här och blombägarlaven fryser.

Winter is here and the lichen is freezing.

/Katarina

Critters in snow

Jag kan inte minnas att vi någonsin haft så här mycket snö...jag har redan varit ute och skottat två gånger sedan i morse.  Hundarna leker som barn i snön och fåglarna är hungriga!

I can't recall that we've ever had this much snow... I've already shovelled twice since this morning.  The dogs are playing in the snow like small kids and the birds are hungry!

Embracing our different seasons

Jag brukar gnälla mycket på mörkret och de kyliga vindarna under vinterhalvåret. Brukar säga att jag önskar vi hade vår och sommar året om. Brukar önska att jag kunde gå i ide - precis som björnarna - under vintern, och vakna upp när solens strålar börjar värma upp vårt land.
Men jag har ändrat mig - jag har insett att jag tycker om våra olika årstider. Till och med mörkret tycker jag om ibland. Då kan man sitta inne och mysa...och drömma...

All through winter I would whine about the darkness and the chilly winds. Would wish I could hibernate - just like the bears - and wake up when the rays of the sun start warming up our country. But I've changed my mind - I've realized that I like our different seasons. I even like the dark sometimes, when you can stay indoors ...cosy and warm...and dream...



















"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

Ann Bradstreet

Embrace October

October is a symphony of permanence and change.

Bonaro W. Overstreet

All good things come in three

Alla goda ting är tre, sägs det ju... Efter den mörka vintern kommer Våren, Sommaren och Hösten! Och redan nu har dagarna börjat bli lite, lite längre...

All good things come in three, they say. After the dark winter comes Spring, Summer and Autumn! And already days have become a wee bit longer...

/Katarina

Spring cleaning

Yesterday I got a lot of energy from the sun. I fertilized my potted plants, in the wintergarden, and gave some of them larger pots. I put my Angel's trumpet in a big, red pot, together with an Abutilon, a pink Passiflora and a white Hibiscus.

I even hovered and tidied up a bit. Now, I feel satisfied and Summer is welcome to arrive whenever it pleases... My frog got clean water and a new stone arrangement to rest upon (not that I think he will notice, but he looks kind of pleased).

My Pelargoniums are outside under a roof - that way they will slowly get used to the sun rays. You can see them outside the sliding doors at the far end.

The sun is shining from a blue sky today as well, and as soon as it does, my spirits rise. This is a good time of year! My hibiscus collection has started to bloom - today this beauty greeted me as I went out into my winter garden to have my breakfast:

Now I'm going to do some work in the garden. The borders are waiting for me...

Hoping the sun is shining at you too! /Katarina

In my Winter Garden

We are experiencing an unusually long and chilly Spring, here on the west coast of Sweden. But inside my Winter Garden it's already Summer. Last year we added a heater and extra isolation to the walls and floor plus thermopanes to the roof. It's the best investment we've done, I think - it prolongs the lighter seasons a lot.

So far, only four plants in there are in bloom but pretty soon there will be plenty more. The Passion fruit 'Caerulea' is spreading it's gorgeous scent all over the room.

As does my Angel's Trumpet 'Salmon Perfection'. It's a fascinating plant - the flowers are yellow at first, before they gradually change into salmon and finally - orange.

Two of my pelargoniums are in bloom. Both of them are my own crossings which I made a couple of years ago. My crossings are named for King Arthur and his knights, and the first one that I want to show you today is Sir Kay. It's a crossing between Great Blakenham and Natalie. The double flowers are orange and the foliage is golden.

The second one is Sir Gawaine. It's a crossing between Great Blakenham and Crystal Palace Gem. The flowers are pale pink and the foliage is golden.

Wishing you all a very nice day! /Katarina