Snow in the Forecast

 The temperature has dropped and we've had wind and rain which is stripping the leaves off of the trees.  Tonight it is supposed to get cold enough to turn to wet snow and the next two days will be cold, wet and snowy.  But yesterday the weather was still pretty nice.

The skies are still dramatic, but not crystal blue.  More threatening rain.

The wet bark on the trees only enhances the color contrast.

The Firepit Maple

This Shagbark Hickory (below) was the last to leaf out this spring and was determined to be the last to change for fall.  We have a lot of Hickory trees on the edges of the woods.  This one is our favorite because it is so nicely shaped.  It was left behind as a small sapling when the White Ash trees died and it has flourished despite having everything around it changed.  You can still see a remaining stump at its feet where a large Ash was removed when the Hickory was just a 4 inch trunk. Every other year it is loaded with nuts.  Thankfully not this year.  I am still digging out saplings all over the landscape from last year's squirrel stash.

Shagbark Hickory

Yesterday as I waited for the weather to warm up, I stored the sweet potatoes.  The other day I took the tote out and hosed off all of the dirt.  Then I put it back here on the heat mat to dry.  I removed a hod full of small potatoes and stored them in a basement bin to be used right away.

These big tubers were individually wrapped in newspaper and packed in a box.  I filled this box to the brim and it will go in the coolest back corner of the basement where these have stored well in the past.

I lifted the last ten dahlias and rinsed them off.  They dry very quickly on top of the strawberry cages.  I am now left with a beautiful row of Parsnips right along the cages where the soil was rich and deep.  I will wait for colder weather to begin digging the Parsnips.  I said I would never grow them again because of the cold and the mud I associate with them.  But this was just the perfect spot.  I couldn't resist.

I didn't get to the deck planters yet.  We'll see how they handle the wet snow.  Next weekend will be nice again so I can dump them and store the soil.

Then we will also start dealing with the leaves.  The rain and snow will take a lot more down.  We use gas powered blowers to blow everything out of the landscape to where we can mulch them with the mower.  Much of it goes to nourish the lawn and the rest is driven towards the wooded areas where they break down naturally. Gas Powered Leaf blowers are a real hot topic these days, and they are trying to pass a ban in NY state which would prohibit their use between May 1st and Sept 30th.  Which is fine.  I use my battery blower for small jobs all year 'round.  But sometimes you need to break out the big one.

I've seen on Facebook and some other garden forums that people accuse others of being too lazy to use a leaf rake and I just laugh.  I don't mind using a rake at all.  In fact I've put one to good use all week digging the Horse Chestnut hulls out of the front lawn.  Anyone who prefers to use a rake as an environmentally friendly option is welcome to come and show me the error of my ways.  You can start right here,