Crocuses are sneaking up

Never mind the snow, the ice, and especially not the cold. Crocuses and snowdrops are quietly poking up from the ground. Quick, take a look before the snow covers them again!

Tilty Orchid

The orchid is not dead yet. It feels fine. It thinks it might go for a walk.

Orchid fail?

This does not look good.

Simple fruit fly trap

I hope my fly trap isn’t too disgusting, but it’s so cold out, it’s so not worth getting a picture of the ice. I’ve tried some of the other designs, the cone over a jar, the holes in plastic, but this takeout cup is simplest and most effective trap I’ve tried.

Green shoots

Check it out: when the rain gets rid of the snow, it turns out green stuff was growing under there all along. I’m not entirely sure whether this is an iris or a daylily, but there’s several of them up on the hill. Who cares, they’re green! And there’s dirt! Now that’s what I call […]

Coy orchid

The sun is moving. Suddenly, it’s no longer pitch dark at four in the afternoon. There’s a big melt storming in tonight. And the orchid is two.

Icicles

Now that the January thaw has started and paused and started and paused, this stone wall is covered with icicles hanging from every protruding surface. How New-Englandy. As for the orchid, it’s still … opening.

An Orchid, yawn

First thing I learned today: don’t shovel snow before breakfast. You’re only supposed to do impossible things before breakfast. Shoveling snow is all too possible, but I felt wiped out all day. I had to rest up just to get the energy for a cup of tea.

Another peek into an orchid

Bit by bit, the orchid inches open. One, then two wings of petals unfold, drawing aside the edges of the veil cast over the insides.

A hint of orchids

It’s time for the annual orchid tease. Almost as if it can feel the moisture and sun of the January thaw outside, it’s peeling just the edge of one petal open, teasingly hinting at the first flower of the year.