Pansies in December

This is why I love pansies! These have looked pretty wilty with all the freezing nights we've had, but just a little warmer weather perks them right up and it looks like we'll have pansies blooming at Christmas!

Getting ready for Christmas

December 16. The Christmas tree isn't up yet because our college daughter wants to help with that and she won't be home until Saturday, but all the gifts are bought and wrapped, there are Christmas cookies in the freezer and there's a wreath on the door. We're ready! Hope you are too!

A chilly Sundae morning

December 8 and the thermometer says it's below freezing, but Sundae doesn't care. She's wearing the thickest fur coat in the county.

Putting the garden to bed

We took advantage of an unseasonably warm day December 1 and finished putting the garden to bed. Rolled up all the garden hoses and rugs, emptied all the pots that don't winter well, pulled up the Dahlberg daisies and drained the fountain. It looks awfully bare out there, but nice to have that done since cold weather is upon us!

Sunrise, sunset, swiftly go the days

We have some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets here in Kansas, and especially at this time of year, it seems. Too often we almost miss them when we're not outside to notice like we do in the summer. But this one didn't get away.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

No thanks to the gardeners at this house, but our neighbors across the street have decorated enough for the both of us! It's hard not to get in the holiday spirit with this view off the front porch every night!

Farewell, Frosty

We said a sad goodbye to our faithful old cat at the end of November. Frosty joined our family as a tiny kitten (born August 1997) and was our beloved pet when we still had a houseful of kids. He loved being a garden cat, and in spite of being diabetic–and in his final years, deaf and blind–he always managed to work up a purr for anyone who paid attention to him. The garden won't be quite the same without him sunning himself on a rock, or on the back deck. We'll miss him a lot, but he left us a wealth of happy memories.

Frosty morning

We woke up the morning of November 18 to a beautiful frost that edged everything in icy lace.

Our Sundae didn't think much of the icy deck. She tiptoed quickly back to the warmth of the garage. (If her coat is any indication, we have quite a winter in store!)

Rearranging pots

 

We've been emptying out pots and putting them away for the winter, but a few are still too pretty to get rid of. There are little bits of sedum and thyme thriving in the strawberry pot and I replaced the frozen coleus that was in the top with some ivy from the side of the shed. The front porch is well protected and gets nice morning sun, so things last longer there than anywhere else. We try to eke every bit of color and enjoyment from our flowerpots before we finally admit it's winter and time to store them away.

The view across the street

Autumn's last gasp is always stunning!

Mid-November views

We're starting to put the garden to bed, slowly emptying spent pots and pulling out raggedy flowers. Still, there is plenty of color in the yard and we're savoring the days before winter sets in.

Brrrrrr!

 November 5 and this is what greeted us on the deck this morning. Not ready for ICE yet! : (

November panorama

Click on any photo to enlarge.

 

Front Porch Views November 1

 It's a stunningly beautiful day in Kansas this morning. These are the views from our front porch.

Pansies

This basket of pansies has been the best $9.99 I think I've ever spent! They sit on the bistro table outside our kitchen window and they make me smile every morning.

October close-ups from the garden

Dahlberg Daisies (and a moth)

Frond from Purple Fountain Grass

Blue Daze (Evolvulus)

Sedum

Carefree Delight

Red Twig Dogwood

Pansies

BabyWing Pink Begonia

Bringing the garden inside

 I always dread the time when the first frost threatens the potted plants. I usually try to bring in a few plants before that happens so we'll have a little color inside to enjoy into the winter months. Tonight was the night to dig the ivy "accents" out of the pots and replant them. Ivy loves the steamy atmosphere in the master bath, so that's where these pretty pots landed. The flower pots on the deck look a little empty, but I'm sure loving the way the bathroom looks!