It is really cold here in Central Texas today! It is only in the 20's outside. I don't know for sure how cold it was last night, but it was damn near the teens if I were to hazard a guess. I wrapped up all my plants so they would be snugly warm and brought the meyer lemon and all my hanging pots into the garage. My Jar fountain froze nearly solid. I had to chip a hole through the top with a hammer and chisel. I have never had a problem with it freezing solid like that before. Luckily the water inside the jar wasn't frozen, so it was still running, just under the several-inch thick ice cap on the fountain. I also made sure to fill the bird bath bowl with new warm water after dumping out the block of ice that I found in it this morning.
Not all is frozen in the garden, however. The Paperwhites shrug off the cold and freezing winds and continue to bloom:
The possumhaw berries are looking quite splendid with silver ponyfoot beneath. I will note that this ponyfoot here is on the east side of the house by the brick wall where it doesn't freeze down. The ponyfoot I have in the back on the North side has all frozen back except for the bit directly snuggled up to the wall of the house:
And I have a new bird visiting my garden this week; a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. He's pretty little thing:
He has a pretty red tuft on his head that he can raise up when excited, hence the name 'Ruby-crowned':
6 comments:
Does the kinglet like the berries on the possumhaw? I sure do, esp. against the silver ponyfoot. Nice combo!
I'm with Pam, I really like the combination of the red berries and silver ponyfoot. Aren't those Ruby Crowned Kinglets just the cutest things?
Great shots of the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet! I saw one eating the dried berries off of one of my Callicarpa japonica (they were just the right size for him). They are the cutest birds.
Red and silver is a stellar combination. We have Possamhaw growing wild here and I love how shiny the berries are.
I envy your Paperwhites! I wish mine would bloom but all they do is increase and split.
Pam,
I dunno, but I am glad you like it! I love silver ponyfoot.
Cindy,
Thanks! They are so cute! I love birds. I try to provide them some shelter and food by planting shrubs and trees with berries and leaving the dried seedsheads on the plants over the winter.
Sweet bay,
Thanks! I didn't know they liked berries so well! I thought they were more bug-eaters. Now I know they like berries too. And my Paperwhites aren't looking so stellar anymore. A freeze in the teens the next evening took right care of that! Sigh.
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