Snow and Sun
And now for something completely different: on Saturday it snowed. It was just an inch or two of light, fluffy snow. Then on Sunday we had an odd meteorological phenomenon – I forget what it’s called – in which bright light seemed to emanate from an object high up in the sky. Now I remember what it’s called – sunshine!
This event inspired Judy to grab her camera and see what things looked like under these unusual conditions. Here’s an anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) seed head wearing a thin layer of snow. If you look closely you can just sort of see the individual flakes of snow at the top of the layer.
This Sedum spectabile ‘Matronna’ seems to be trying valiantly to keep its head above water. Bits of snow glitter in the light.
Here’s some more anise hyssop. This plant can be kind of interesting in a winter landscape.
I like how the fresh snow seems to be reclining on the dark branches of this (mostly dead) maple tree, as if it were taking a rest.
Icicles grow best in full sun, though they will tolerate part shade. This is actually the neighbors’ house.
How is the sun shining where you are?
gardeninacity 
Today was a brilliant day. Enough so that I had to get the sunglasses out to be comfortable while driving. I want more of it to melt this miserable snow. I want to see if my snowdrops are actually up. I want to see when and where the daffodils are poking up. Enough snow already. And we haven’t had near as much snow as you have.
It wasn’t sunglasses bright here, but the sun was still nice.
I am a bit confused — it’s still Feb 11, only 8:41 pm. How does your blog show that you wrote it on Feb 12 :-)? Nice pictures. Same situation here with more snow and solid ice just like Antarctica. That light is up there in the sky but it can’t do much work, it seems, against all these snow and ice.
I think my wordpress account is set to Greenwich Mean Time. I should really fix that.
We also have lots of snow but there has been a good deal of sunshine in February (more than half the days).
Isn’t Matrona a nice cultivar. It seems to have so much “presence”, more than other cultivars.
This was my past year growing ‘Matrona’. I look forward to it settling in.
Looks like NH. 🙂 We had snow yesterday, freezing cold with sunshine today and tomorrow, and Thursday we have more snow coming our way. It’s been a wicked winter. I guess it will make spring and summer all the more sweet. 🙂
Just 16 days until March. I for one am hoping for an early thaw.
Nice pics! We had sunshine today, too! Also warmer weather on the way to melt this snow!
Lucky you! I think we have a long ways to go before our snow will be melted.
Yes, it has been very sunny here, too, which is helping a bit with the heating bill. We have lots of windows on the south side of the house. Your photos look very familiar.
When the sun is out our back porch also gets very warm, even on a cold winter day.
Lovely photos! I always love seeing sun shining on fresh snow! Both snow and sun have been rare here this winter, so I’ll just have to enjoy Judy’s pictures instead! 😀
Hope you see some sun in the near future, at least!
We had sunshine in the mornings at the weekend and this morning, yesterday it RAINED! Your snow is lovely, looks much deeper than you said.
Well, it was just the last snowfall that was a couple of inches. We’ve had feet and feet of snow since the beginning of winter.
Oh how lovely to see a blue sky and that strange glowing thing in the sky…I haven’t seen that for a few months. Lovely pics and I laughed out loud at your description of icicles growing in full sun and liking part shade. brill.xxx
Somehow seeing them grow from the drops dripping from the roof reminded me of plants growing in the garden.
great pictures of snow…where are you? i’m in Pembrokeshire Wales we are getting battered by 80mph wind. Can’t wait for spring…:-)
We’re in Chicago, which is supposed to be the windy city, but I’m glad to say we have nothing like your winds.
Beautiful photos – glad you’re finally getting some sunshine!
Thanks, me too!
Doesn’t the sun feel so nice. Makes even temps in the low teens feel just a bit warmer.
Having the sun out does make a difference even during a cold day.
Judy’s pictures are gorgeous but I’m still unclear about this weather phenomenon you’re talking about. I remember something like that from summer many months ago but being in the middle of the Pacific Northwest Rain Festival (October 1 – July 5 annually) I haven’t observed such a thing recently. Hope you’re keeping warm!
Scientists are baffled by the phenomenon, at least the northern scientists. Of course, research funding has been cut. On the plus side, I hear there’s going to be a documentary on PBS.
Judy’s very good at getting some great shot Jason. Nice to see the snow arrive but better to see it leave. We had our first snowfall last night but thankfully it came to nothing.
First snowfall, really? Do you normally have snow in winter? I thought Scotland was a cold northern country, like Sweden.
I like your explanation of how icicles grow best!! ha!
Well, icicles are the only things we can grow outside in winter.
It’s not. I hope we don’t actually get the ice that is forecast.
Ice is no fun, I hope you don’t get it.
We’ve had a few sunny days but very little warmth to go with them. Tomorrow they say it will warm up just long enough to give us another foot of snow.
If we get another foot of snow I’m going just going to stay in the house until April.
Sun here too! I think it has been a great winter for the sunshine here though. I found out (news report) Buffalo is the second snowiest city with 94.4″ this year behind Erie, PA with 107.5″. I thought Chicago would have been on the top 5 list after seeing all your snow and hearing news reports on your area, but it did not make the top 5.
And here we are with our measly 65″ or so. Though I’m not sure I would want to be on the top 5 list for snowfall.
You most likely wouldn’t. Dealing with snow here is pretty common and routine, but in so many places this year it is not the case. Poor Southern states. Buffalo is always the but of snow jokes, but honestly there is many places here that celebrate it and look great covered in white. I have been enjoying seeing Chicago in the white stuff on the news, so was surprised you did not have as much as here. Syracuse usually gets a bit more than us and is only at 81″ as of a few days ago.
Great photos, Jason! Yes, I guess we should be thankful that we at least have sunshine in the midst of all this snow and cold. I haven’t ventured out to take pictures, though; keeping the bird feeders filled is hard enough in the cold temps. I’ve also found that icicles do grow best in sun, but they’re not too picky about conditions:)
I know what you mean about the bird feeders, I hate to think what I am spending on sunflower seed.
Terrific photos! My compliments to Judy. 🙂 The lack of clear sunshine in winter was the one thing that was so hard for me the six or seven years we lived in Chicago. Coming from the South, where the winter skies are clear most of the time, the eternal gray-ness was harder to come to terms with than the deep cold or the quantities of snow (I remember the first time I had to get up and drive to work in the snow…a great story for another time).
Today as I look out the window the skies are bright but gray, but I don’t mind the change of pace. We expect more snow and ice today. We had 4.5 inches of snow as of 6 p.m. yesterday; I haven’t taken a measurement since, but perhaps a quarter inch of ice coats the limbs of the Japanese maple outside my window.
My husband had to ditch his car on the commute home yesterday afternoon and walk the last mile and a half home. He’s just phoned to say he’s gotten the car two blocks from the house, but it’s solid ice now and he needs some help. Time to suit up! Stay warm and safe, and enjoy the sunshine.
By all means don’t slide into any ditches! I hate driving in bad weather, but often have no choice about it. So glad you liked the photos!
It’s a good thing the snow looks so lovely in the garden. Great shots Judy!