It’s been unusually warm the last few days, 40s Wednesday – Friday, mid-50s today, 50 tomorrow, before we get back to our normal high 20s/low 30s. This is Michigan after all, and no matter what the groundhog sees on February 2, spring is at least a couple months away.
The sun felt so good this afternoon. Unfortunately the beautiful clear skies and warmth showed off the mess that the deep white snow had been hiding.
I didn’t finish cutting back my garden last fall. My beautiful peony in the front garden looks awful with their dead stalks like a cage holding leaves.
Peony Out Front After the Snow Melted
It looked better covered in snow; the peony is on the left just in front of the holly bush peeking up over the drift. This was just a week ago!
Small Garden Covered with Snow
We didn’t rake the leaves last fall. Yuck! The heather is taking a breather right now.
Front Circle with Leaves and Sputtering Heather
All was not gloom and doom, mess and clean up. What a beautiful surprise to find dandelions were blooming in January. I always liked these cheerful flowers, at least when they bloom, although they sure are homely when the stalks are empty.
Yes, A Few Dandelions in January
The evening the weather changed was very windy, gusts 50 miles an hour or more. We lost this tree, which was a unique type the former owners moved from the front yard. Unfortunately it never recovered from the move. It has been dead for several years but the birds loved it so we left it in the yard.
Fallen Tree
Among the birds flocking to the dead tree were bluebirds and swallows who enjoyed the house and the bugs living in the truck. I will need to move the bluebird house to a new location.
Bluebird House on Fallen Tree
Oh, and two more photos of a mess. These next two photos are the peonies out back today.
Peonies Out Back after Snow Melted
And this is what they will look like come June!
Felix Supreme, White and Large Pink Peonies June 2015
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