Thoughts of Spring

We have had several snows and thaws already this winter. Recently, we received another fresh blanket of snow, with a couple more storms in the forecast for the coming week. We've had more snow and cold weather this winter than I recall for many years. Though it is all quite beautiful, I am beginning to look forward to spring...and warmer weather!

The trees are heavy with snow, but it was the morning sky that drew me outdoors to capture some photos....it was the most glorious shade of blue!

My greenhouse waits in silence for planting time....and I wait, too. In the meantime, I am browsing the seed and garden catalogs, planning, making seed orders, and starting some winter sown containers of perennials and hardy annuals.

The quacking aspen tree we planted in our front yard around 17 years ago has died, so it will have to be cut down and replaced this spring. But for the moment it is still beautiful, dressed in it's pretty white frock!

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Longing for Spring

Once a day and sometimes more
I look out my day dream door
To see if spring is out there yet
I'm really anxious, but mustn't fret.

I see the snow a melting down
and lots of mud and slush around
I know the grass will surely sprout
and birds and flowers will come about.

But why oh why does it take so long?
I'm sure the calendar can't be wrong.
Sunshine fills my heart with cheer
I wish that spring were really here.

Soon mother nature will sound the alarm
Wake up! get dressed, turn on your charm
Winter's gloom has gone its way
It's Spring! It's Spring! Oh Happy Day!

Edna T. Helberg

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Winter Sunset

The two photos below were taken in our neighborhood, on an evening in early January of 2005. It was unusual, in that we don't normally have such colorful sunsets in the winter time. The beauty of the sunset was greatly enhanced by the sunlight reflecting off a layer of fog, which is quite common for our area during the winter months, as we live in a river valley.

Sunset....with pines in the foreground.

A walnut tree in our neighborhood, with sunset as a backdrop.


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I'm afraid I have woefully neglected my blog...during the busy holiday season. And I have just returned from a trip to North Dakota on Amtrak with my daughter, son-in-law, and grand-daughter to visit my 85 year old Dad who still lives there on the farm. It was quite an adventure with an almost 2 year old, but she did remarkably well on the trip, in spite of a freight train derailment which made it necessary for us to be bussed for 6 hours on the return trip, and put us 4 hours behind schedule. It is good to be home again, and I will soon start my 2008 gardening year, with the preparation of containers for Winter-sowing.

Let the growing begin! :-)

Postcards from Idaho

In honor of the upcoming New Year, I thought I would send a couple of 'virtual postcards' from our beautiful state! The photos below were taken on Harris Ridge, about 20 minutes from our home, where my husband and I spent an afternoon Elk hunting this week. The land is owned by a cattle rancher friend of ours and it is a beautiful place....seemingly on top of the world!

There were 30+ plus Elk in this herd, including cows, calves, spikes and one big bull. (The two small dark spots on the left are 2 deer....who were watching with interest.) We hiked about half a mile in nearly a foot of fresh snow, and the scenery was spectacular....providing some great photo opportunities. The hunt was successful and we are grateful to God for the provision of meat to fill the freezer for yet another year. Just as our vegetable garden makes an important contribution to our diet in the summer, this wonderful low-fat grass-fed meat rounds out our healthy diet all through the year!




This tiny log cabin sat just off the road, not far from where we parked our vehicle. I tried to imagine myself living here, in years gone by. I venture to say there are no modern conveniences in this humble abode. ;-)


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Wishing you all a Happy New Year..... and your very best garden in 2008!