Liking Lichen

A little bit of rain can't keep some people down. Alex, my friend, took me on a river walk today. Who says the barren winter months have no beauty. Along our walk I found some interesting growths and she told me they were lichen. I knew I had similar growth in my own backyard...just so unique and so unbelievably interesting! I will now keep a look out for more.

 

As I have learned, these "flowers" are composite, symbiotic organisms....growing in the leftover spots of our world. On bare rocks, on desert sand, on dead wood and in my backyard. If I only knew how much science and art were also "symbiotic" I may have pursued another direction in my life!

Seems Some Have Snow!

I know last winter really did some people in but I still love snow and how it can make a garden a completely new landscape of shapes and textures. Possibly tonight...

This Purple Sage Survivor would look awesome with a dusting of snow.

And Bittersweet, as much as it is a menace, its twists and turns would be even more graphic with snow. The gray landscape would be transformed!

These branches on a stormy morning are reaching out to the skies....please snow!

Ok, now if we get a blizzard I will take all the blame.

White Christmas?

Wishing for snow here in Connecticut may sound foolish after last winter but I still have that old fashioned image of Christmas in my mind. We did not have snow here but a little white on the shore was just what I needed to wrap up the wonderful weekend I enjoyed with my wonderful family this Christmas!

The Christmas Eve Eve dinner with my husband, children, future daughter in law and silly little Sally was just the best gift I could receive. Following the lobster dip tradition (oops, will post tomorrow pix of that) they gathered for one of the last photos taken with my trusty old Canon PowerShot.

The old faithful camera's flash does not work and only one setting still even takes photos! Amazing I have been able to use it at all and actually post to a blog. Here is a kiss gone wrong from Sally and a bit of iphoto work to get the shot to this publishable point. Love it though!

Goodbye to my old Canon. Photo is clear, sharp and makes this old friend look better than her years. Photo taken by none other than.......

my new camera for Christmas!!!! Thank you Pappa D!!!! This photo taken by old faithful doesn't do my new friend any justice. Jealousy here????? Anyways, I have a new camera now to learn and take care of in sickness and in health. There may be some shots from the old gal in my archives that make their way into upcoming posts but I am so excited to have a complete and functional camera again.

And so we walked. I received a handful of seaglass from each daughter, scooped up while I was fiddling with settings on my gift. The perfect end to a perfect Christmas.

Autumn Colors

Aside from realizing my little point & shoot camera is partially broken down, I still see such change in the months between summer and winter and I appreciate the moments of COLOR that I have been able to capture. Here are some of my gardens and beyond.

The Burning Bush, the dried hydrangeas and the spent hostas are just as beautiful now as 3 months ago! Add in some mums and color is in abundance. Autumn is awesome.

The marsh turns from green to golden, the grasses follow and dry to perfection. Even the composted leaves have an identity of "mixed greens" but not green at all.

From one tree to the next, especially the Japanese or Chinese Maples the color is striking if you take the time to look.

The moss taken from inside my chimney (yes, it was growing there!!) was my last autumn awesomeness. Thankfully now my chimney and fireplace are clear and free of growth from neglect and we will be having a winter fire again. Bring it on.