Great idea Janice!

We're getting snow and 30 mph winds here.
Here's a picture from earlier in the day before the heavy stuff started.
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And just for comparision, this was taken back in September.
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So Janice, is this the first winter for your hostas in the barrels? Do you have covers over them?
I have several in pots that I'm wintering in our shed for the first time and am so anxious to see how they've faired.

Janet

Great Janet--thanks for making this work!! Your picture is "before" the heavy snow came??? Oh my!!!
I do hope you'll take an "after" tomorrow to show us! I love the comparison shot,too!

This is probably the 12th year or so for my oldest barrels and I've never done anything but let them "be"!
I've only lost a hosta in one of them, and it was one I forgot to put plenty of drainage holes in,
having planted it with more clay than not! Not a good combo! Otherwise, this Spring I will have
over-wintered 30 "barreled" hosta and I don't fear any losses, Lord willing! :o)

Any more "evidence" of what you all are going through?

janice

P.S. Hubby just hollered from the other room that Indiana is really getting hit badly!!

Andrea-----? You and those you try to take care of doing alright?

I heard back from her earlier today, having emailed her, that she's okay but very busy trying
to track down any homeless who may need shelter! Sounds like they are in for a rough one!!!!!
If you're one to "pray" please remember her and those who need shelter, all over these hard hit places!!!

Hey J,
My snow looks just like your snow - all white and cold!!!
I WAS very glad to see where I can pick up a few extra half barrels!! lol!!! BTW, Sam's has their resin pots in stock if you need any of those.
Dave

My first thought was to snap a photo of our horse named Snow out in the snow for you. However, it's going to be -27 windchill in the morning so I don't think I'll be doing that - and hopefully she'll stay in the barn tomorrow anyway. Maybe I can just get a nice shot of the blowing snow across the field (taken from inside the warm house of course!)

And thank heavens for all the Andrea's of the world and the help they provide to those who need it. They'll be in my prayers.

Okay, Dave--you keep your mits off my barrels!LOL And, thanks for the "heads up" on those resin pots!
You gonna get some?

And, "flowers" I hope your horse, "Snow", does stay inside with temps like that!!!
But, please, when temps and weather improve--get that pic.of the two "snows"! A great idea!

And, I know Andrea will appreciate your prayers!

Here in the Minneapolis area we got none. I think southern Minnesota got some but nothing like the rest of the country.

Teresa

Great idea Janice. I'm home today (great day to play on the computer) and all the schools are closed. If I can remember how to post a picture, I'll get one for you. It's 10 degrees here right now and snowing hard, but around here people don't really mind because it's ski country. I'm just sorry for all the restaurants that had heavy reservations for Valentine's Day.

I like this idea of "What's Under the Snow?"

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As usual, wonderful pics. and perspective "McT"!!! Beautiful either way!!!

We woke up to sunshine and clear skies and abit more snow! I'm not sure that we
have accumulated 12" though! It sure is beautiful!!

Not much traffic in the area but we're not like folks in Wisconsin and Michigan, etc.
that are use to huge snowfalls! Thankfully, we have a very attentive son-in-law who always
comes and digs us out and clears the paths and cars for us when it snows!

We're waiting for your pics., Candy!!!

Awww, thanks for all of the thoughts, prayers and concern everyone!!! Thank God for 4 wheel drive...I've been ramming all around town and haven't been stuck yet! Yippee!!

We had about a foot of snow...some areas more. I was able to get a lot of guys into the shelter last night and so far, we've had no weather-related deaths. That's a first for us...especially considering the frigid temps we've had.

Here is a pic of my backyard today. Not as much snow in the back b/c the fence kept some at bay when it was driving sideways last night. lol You can tell from the lawn chair that it's pretty deep still!

McT...your yard is just unreal. It belongs on magazine covers!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!

As for what is under the snow...here is my backyard in summer (don't know what year this is...I think '05 judging from plant maturity):

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Ok...that was a little "photo happy" but I got excited when I saw green. LOL!

andrea

Andrea...that is absolutely spectacular! Can I come live with you? Photo #3 is almost unreal.
We've got near blizzard conditions right now and temps of 15 degrees...thanks, I needed that!
Can I ask a question. What are the trees/shrubs with the white flowers on the right side of the first three photos?

Thank you, schenley!

Those are Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Snow Queen'. They are a smaller variety that stays very upright - the flowers don't droop like normal oakleafs do. They have grown quickly and this past summer were significantly larger than the year before. They have wonderful, shaggy bark in the winter and *incredible* fall color!

They are in an AM sun, shade the rest of the day placement. There is a period late afternoon where they get a little bit of western sun but they seem to weather it ok...just a little crispy leaf edges here and there by September.

What a difference!
McT I always love your pictures. What a beautiful place you have! And I like trying to spot a kitty, kind of like "Where's Wallace", lol.

Andrea, lol, yep seeing green can do that to a person this time of year. Love your water feature! The landscaping is great!

Janet

Andrea--you've never shown us your beautiful yard and pond before have you???
And, if I'm right, why not??? Absolutely beautiful!! Did you do the water feature yourselves!

What a relief to the snow-burned eyes! :O)

I'm loving this thread!

janice

I love all the pictures. The pond is spectacular. I'm going to "borrow" it when I get a chance and see what it would look like to have something so great in the wooded area I've talked about developing some day. That day is getting closer since hostas do grow and I can't seem to stop ordering more. I'm interested in what a difference a zone makes. The oakleaf hydrangas are definately not hardy here where we border a 4/5. I have a couple other hydrangas that I baby and some years don't get a single flower though the plant itself survives.

I was going to say that my snow was earlier this winter, lots of it, and it's been melting the last week or so. It's been that ugly, dirty, snow cone slush. I am looking out my window right now and it's snowing - again! I heard there's 9 feet of snow in New York somewhere. Is that true? McT

Running out the door but wanted to say these are woody hydrangea...not the "wussy" kind. LOL They are fully zone 5 hardy...you just might be able to make it work!

thx for the compliments! will post more later.

Janice, I love all of the fencing and wood bird houses, feeders, etc. in your yard. It looks great EVEN in winter!!!

Why thank you, Andrea! I actually think it looks pretty awful in the winter! All the stuff that I think
makes it woodsy and somewhat interesting during hosta season, just seems really tacky in the winter,
especially without the snow!!!

BTW--"Phil" aka "Phil 5 ohio" sent me a couple pics. from his place in northern Ohio!
He has had difficulty posting pics. on our forum so I asked him if I could post them for him,
which he graciously agreed for me to do!
Here are the two I received:

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I did take some photo editing "liberties" with your photos, Phil, but I used your "lines"! LOL

Thanks for all your "contributions" to this thread!

janice

LOL - that's funny!!! Poor dog. LOL

You did good Janice. I had to shovel her a path to the middle of the yard so she could pottie. She loves the snow, but not when it is over her head.
phil

Wow, there are some really great pics, though I have to point out, some are missing snow!!! lol Oh well, MORE than worthwhile, in any case.

Here is my humble shot, not in my yard, but just down the road. There is definitely some snow!

Beautiful shot, Dave!! Is that one taken with your new camera?

Good to see you posting over here!!! :O)

janice

That really is beautiful. I love how simple and peaceful it looks!

That is beautiful. How did you get that wonderful "star" effect. I was taking some pictures down the road yesterday and finally discovered a use for the flash on the camera. Up to now I'd felt it distorted the color. When I used it by accident trying to capture the red of the new growth against the snow, it really brought out the color. Anyway, love all the pictures - more, more more.....mct

Here are some temperature extremes of Wisconsin.

This one was taken this week when the temp was below zero and the windchills were -20's. Looks cold huh?

Here's one taken early last fall when the heat index was over 100 and an afternoon storm blew in. I was trying to get a photo of a funnel cloud over the field but it didn't work.

Janice,
Yep, that is the new camera! As soon as I figure out everything about it I am gonna really love it!!

McT,
I used a Cokin 8 point star-effect filter. The Cokin filters are mostly plastic and fairly inexpensive. No high quality optical glass, but in the right situation, they produce nice results.

Dave

Mctavish, can I vacation at your place this summer??? Just beautiful!!

Janet, love your gardens too,
And HeyJ, mine looks like yours, but add ice to all of the trees, and put another 3 inches of snow on top of the ice, (which we're getting this morning). I'll try to get some pics today, now that I finally have DSL and can upload stuff fast!!!!!!!

Oh wow, Lynn--I bet you are loving your DSL! I can't imagine life without it now that we've had it so long!
Computer-ing is much more fun, now, isn't it!

Hope you'll post your pics--it sounds beautiful and treacherous--stay in and play on your computer!

janice

Dave, thanks for the info about the filter. I don't know if I can even put a filter on my little camera but I'll sure try. It's just a very basic one but I am happy with the ease of using it and the quality of the pictures I get. I experimented the next day when we had some fog coming through trees. It gave some very interesting effects - not exactly the star, but beams of light.

Lynn, come visit any time! I can visualize a group of "hosta people" traveling from one house to the next viewing gardens. I guess in some areas down in the states you actually do that. I am the most "extreme" hosta person among my friends. I will say, none of them have the head gear of Janice - ha! Love that one. McT

Here's a few:

Wonderful pics. Lynne! Both seasons are just breathtaking for you, I can see!
And look at those horse faces!!! I love it! I'm such an animal and farm lover!

And, Lynne --I'd love to show up at YOUR place, only if "invited" (of course),
and you just wait "McT", I just might "surprise" you with a visit one day or worse yet,
one "night"!!LOL

Absolutely Janice... and you know, I'm right on the way to Cory's.....

And Im right on the way no where - or maybe the north pole. Looking like that Janice, who could resist you!! McT

Janice, I don't know what's wrong w/ me but I just NOW remembered that you are one state away from me! I realized it b/c I have Cory's down as a place to visit this summer. I would love to coordinate it w/ some other hostaholics in the area and hit some other great nurseries around there while I'm en route! :)

That's right, Andrea--you're only 2 1/2 hour away for me! I know that mostly because I have former
neighbors living in Greenwood, a suburb of Indianapolis!

That would be great if we could get a few more of us together sometime! We'll have to work on that!
We might be able to meet somewhere sort of in the middle for all of us! I wonder if there's another great
hosta place that would work for all of us???

However, I wouldn't mind a trip to Indie sometime! Now that hubby is retired, it's totally do-able for us!
Any good "sources" in your neck of the woods?

Snow's outside - I'm inside - sorry no pics (brrrr it's cold out there)but I loved looking at all of yours. The contrast between seasons is pretty cool.

Loved your pic of the horses Lynem - they have such sweet faces.

June

June,
those are my two ponies, Teddy Bear and Chico.. We just got them last year, after being horseless for about 3 years. Chico, the one with the white face, was a rescue pony, he was given to us. Teddy is the one the kids ride, our best guess is that he's an Amercian Shetland. Chico is just starting to really come around and warm up to us, but he's a real good companion for Teddy. He's got a real pretty gait when he trots, but we're not sure what he is. But it's so nice to have horses in the pasture again...

(I didn't name either of them, those were the names they came with!)

Lynne--I'm so glad your ponies have each other. I understand that horses need other horses as companions.
I am always sad for a "lone" horse, since finding that out!

We had folks renting/caretaking the home and using the barn and pasture of my parents' (deceased)
home in the mountains of N.C. and the folks had two horses at the time. One of them died and the
other horse really grieved over it and continued to until they finally got another companion for it!
It was sad to see!

I like the names, BTW!

June, I'm glad you are enjoying the pics.! It's always fun, to me, to see each other's views, and perspectives!

janice