Thank you for sharing with us, John.

John, do you mean to tell me that you escaped the heavy snowfall that we had on the Kitsap Peninsula on November 28th?!!! Lucky dog! Last night, however, all we had was torrential downpours and really high winds!

Yes, excellent WIND in Vancouver-- 100 km/hr in some places. The floating homes in the Fraser River had quite the time, I heard. But my rooftop garden survived unscathed-- mind you, there's not much left up there to scathe. John D, my sister's home in the forested hills around Victoria looks just like your first picture. I'll have to tell her to try a banana tree! Do the deer try to eat it?

Janet

Kellie:
I was on my way back from Ocean Shores to Bellingham when that snow fell! It took me five hours to get from the coast to Olympia. Bellinghm got no snow that day.

Today's snow fall was just a dusting. It was gone by mid-morning (the temp only dropped to 37F).

Janet:
This banana grows in an enclosed backyard. But I have two growing outside, near an alley frequented by deer. As far as I know, they have never even taken a nibble (my neighbors' roses must be too tempting).

Toronto is finally getting some snow tonight! We were all getting worried for a while: Pelagoriums shouldn't be blooming here in mid-December!

John, thanks for the pics!

Hi all,
Just found this forum. Just took some pics of my Icicle pansies being deluged by our first snowfall yesterday. Will have to develop then scan them--they were troopers for sure. We were well overdue for winter, but it is still sad....However, I think I've planned my best "winter interest" garden so far, so have something to look forward to (besides spring that is)...

Taryn

I'm waiting for enough snow to fall so I can take photos of my blooming camellias in the snow. Last winter was a washout--maybe I'll be luckier this season.

John you may want to move to W. Pa. where it has been balmy and no big frost as of yet. Of course the temperatures could possibly go down below zero the first of the year. Interesting, I have been to Vancouver twice now and have given thought to locating there. Probably won't, but the gardening must be fun in what, zone 7?

I'd go for Seattle rather than Vancouver. A lot more going on, the natives are friendlier, and the climate is milder and a lot less rainy.

As for WPA--thanks, I might as well move to Siberia. One unseasonable warm spell does not a warmer climate make.

The dollar exchange in Canada is interesting though.

Unless your paycheck comes in Canadian dollars. . . .

Pansies in December, in our first snowfall. An unexpected bit of winter interest:

Picture taken December 15th, they are gone now....

Taryn

Taryn:
Nice shot of some very tough flowers!

Thanks John. Yes, they were great, tough plants. I waited until late September to buy them, at about $1.50 (Cnd) per 4" pot, and was rewarded with non-stop blooms right up until mid-December. Well worth it! It is snowing here again now....

Taryn