January 25, 2012

Daffodils In January?

We have been having Spring-like weather here in Alabama
and the plants have responded accordingly.
The daffodils and other normally Springtime blooming
plants have started to sprout in January!

This is a mass planting of daffodils beside our neighborhood pond.








These daffodils got a little beat down by the heavy rains we had a couple of days ago.
There was a tornado just north of us that did heavy damage to a small community and killed two people.
Springtime temperatures bring Springtime weather too.  Last April, over 200 people were killed in
tornadoes that struck North Alabama.

The Carolina Jasmine along my fence has started to bloom also.

These buds will probably be blooms in a day or two.


Baby buds with old leaves

The jasmine is full of tiny yellow buds.




These dried jasmine seed pods remind me of baby birds in
a nest with their beaks open waiting for momma bird
to bring them their next meal.

The Bridal Wreath Spirea has started to sprout new leaves.



A nearby garden center had these potted daffodils blooming too.
I'm not sure I'm ready for Spring decorating yet
(wasn't Christmas just over?) but I had to bring these
home after seeing the ones in bloom by the pond.





We will probably have some nights that go below freezing
before it actually IS Spring...I hope all the new growth
coming out now can live through it!

I'm sharing this post over at
Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here
Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello
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Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence
Anything Goes @ Type A Decorating




January 22, 2012

January Magazine Copy Cat Challenge


I was inspired by an article in
Better Homes and Garden's January 2012 issue to try
to bring the outdoors inside during one of our colder months.

In the article, Tovah Martin
(who has recently written a book on terrariums)
teaches how to make your own terrariums.
She says that they are "the smallest and simplest
gardens you will ever tend".
This is a close-up photo from the magazine of the shot I tried to copy cat...

...and here is my attempt...


...and from another angle.  So much light from the window made the front side of the arrangement
pretty dark in the photos.  There is probably an adjustment for that but I haven't gotten that far yet
in learning how to use my new camera.  I did try the flash but those photos were yucky.


The magazine photo used some "air plants" in the shot.  I compensated for that
in my copy by adding some small plants in tiny pots.

The orchid is a Chaculatum Golden Pacific.  The purple flower in
the dark blue pot is a Primrose in Primula Blue.

The ceramic bird (which was also in the magazine photo)
reminds us that Spring is in the not too distant future.

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