lodgepole pine

mockorange

pine, fir, and cedar

cedar cones

Snow!

We had a huge snowfall this November, inbetween a series of 3 or 4 big storms, all of which put the power out, sometimes for multiple days. But we have a woodstove with a good cook-top, and fared very well! Actually we quite enjoyed it, except for the trees that were sacrificed to the weight of the snow: a juniper, an arbutus, and the lodgpole pine behind the house. The snow lasted about a week, broke quite a few trees besides our own, and created a winter wonderland, which has thoroughly melted in time for midwinter. :--)

orange quince leaves

star magnolia

inchworm... snow sacrifice

Rosa canina hips

green quince leaves!

oregon grape

lodgepole pine

sadly, the top fell out of this pine in the heavy snow

grapes

ginkgo

rhododendron

eucalyptus

ponderosa pine

hybrid rosehip

sword fern

November

In September I heard (was it the farmer's almanac?) that the rains wouldn't come until November. Well, it's November 3rd, and they've been here in force for about 24 hours. Finally the creek is rushing, and the view out the door is a mess of lines. This is just how November ought to be. :--)

(This is my jasmine.)

winter is here in earnest

There is frost every night, and the woodstove is going 24 hours a day. The daring flowers that still blossomed (nasturtium, rosemary, echinacea, hazel, etc.) have suddenly shriveled and faded, their stems left mushy by the night's ice-crystals. And the trees that were billows of colour a few days ago are dropping their leaves en masse, now. Here are a few photos of the leaves...

japanese maple leaves

horse chestnut leaves

ginkgo leaves

aspen leaves