White Morning

I woke up this morning to this...

What this picture doesn't do is give you a sense of the fierce winds ripping around everything.  The trees managed to look incredibly straight, but they are young trees, and strong.   My first thought went to my plants.  I have taken special care in checking the weather reports, and covering them all, very carefully, with any threat of frost.  Last night I didn't.  I forgot.  It had been rainy, yes, but things were greening up, and I didn't.

I stood by the window with my blanket wrapped around my shoulders.  There they were, right where I had left them, covered in icy, clinging snow.  "Perhaps I should throw on some shoes," I thought "and run out there, scrape all the snow off, and then cover them, bring them inside, put them by the heater..."  My mind circled around every possibility.  And then I thought that I am not doing this for sheer ornament.  I need to know.  I need to know about these plants I have started.  Can they handle a freak storm?  What effects does it have?  There is no way to create a perfect atmosphere for all of my gardens, so I've got to test the mettle, and see.  

I've planted strong plants.  Early Perennials.  Most of whom can handle a little cold and as much as I don't want them to die, I can't take away the cold winds, and the snow always.  They need to grow hardy and strong, anyway.  A few of my plants thrive in this weather.  That is what is best for them.  My Columbine would not like to be set down by a heater set at eighty degrees.

So I didn't go outside.  I watched, and waited, and hoped.  The sun came out, the snow began to melt, the wind still blew, and just so you don't think I am heartless, I pushed some of my pots out into the sun.  Maybe there will be a few negative repercussions with a plant or two, but I at least I will know, be a better gardner and remember to check the weather every day.  

- Red Clover