961. The wind shows us how close to the edge we are. ~Joan Didion   

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 I hear the wind among the trees
Playing the celestial symphonies;
I see the branches downward bent,
Like keys of some great instrument.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Screen Shot 2015-11-21 at 3.16.26 PM

And this time of year the edge is often closer than we hope or realize. But oh so visible did that brink become when we awoke this morning to find a cold, blustery north wind bearing down upon us. I’m never ready to say goodbye to the still blooming remnants in the garden. Nonetheless, I sensed earlier in the week that their demise was imminent and started putting the potted ferns and clock vine in the greenhouse. What’s more I decided to buy a large container in which to plant pansies, snapdragons, stock, alyssum, Sweet William, and cyclamen for like Monet, I always, always have to have flowers. So now I’m guaranteed to have flowery beauty along with luscious scents and colors even as late autumn’s unraveling continues to roll us over into winter’s drab and ofttimes forbidding realm. The potted beauty is on a much smaller scale than what grows and blooms in the yard, and the display is not as visible from my recliner in the house. However, the descent into winter’s “vale of grief” and the season’s allotted time thereafter never seems as stark when I go out to the greenhouse to check on the warmth inside, to look after the plants, and to give them all a drink of water.

National Weather Service Forecast:
This Afternoon
Sunny, with a high near 50. Windy, with a north wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Tonight
Patchy frost after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 30. North wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday
Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 53. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Sunday Night
Clear, with a low around 33. South wind around 5 mph.

The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. ~Ecclesiastes 1:6  ✝

**Images in my collage are from photos I took in my garden last week.

34 thoughts on “961. The wind shows us how close to the edge we are. ~Joan Didion   ”

  1. Yep–same here–lows will be heading down into the 20’s—so I worked all day moving everyone inside—the citrus trees, the little peach tree, the tropical plants on the porch and all the plants on the deck—now I wait ready with neem oil for the waiting spider mites—-the fruit trees are loaded with young fruit that I hope will tolerate the transition —ode to that north wind 🙂

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    • Oh, wow, the 20’s??? That’s much colder than we get this early. Bless your heart, I’ll bet you are worn out after hauling all that stuff in today. You made need some kind of balm for you this evening. I’m glad you got in all in though. I hope you can take it easy tomorrow. Love, N 🙂 ❤

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    • Bon soir, France! Comment-allez vous? Our wind this time only lasted for 2 days. I love the idea that it blows seeds and they go in search of a place to be nourished into blooming next spring. I hope you have a wonderful week and that you remain safe from harm from evildoers. Hugs et bises, chère France 🙂 ❤ xoxoxoxo

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    • Oh, Wendy, I love my little greenhouse. My son-in-law built it for me and it’s not especially fancy like the ones for sale, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of is since it built it. And he is such a sweetheart to have done that for us. The only thing I wish I’d done that James take me out of was having a plumbing line run out from the house to it so I didn’t have to drag the hose over there to water things. Oh well, maybe I’ll find the funds to get it done one day. I did have it wired so I could have a light in there and plugs for the heaters. The yard cats love it this time of year and think that it’s their place to stay in out of the cold. So it serves multiple purposes, but my favorite is the fact that I can have flowers all year round. Warm hugs and blessings to you too, my friend. Have a great week! N 🙂 ❤

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      • Oh my is too, Wendy. It’s just too hot here without some kind of AC out there in the summer. And that’s too expensive more me. It is shaded by a huge oak tree when it leafs out, but it’s not enough to keep in cool in our awful summers. It is nice in the winter though when it loses its leaves as it provides the light the plants need and does provide some warmth on sunny days. Oh well, we can’t have it all, but I’m very grateful for mine and the joy it provides the rest of the year. It would be lovely to have water or a spring like yours to have water out there. It’s not that far from the house, but when it’s below freezing I have to uncover the hyrdrant and drag to hose over there and then go back and reposition the darn cover over the spigot which is always a trick. Love, N 🙂 ❤

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      • Dragging hoses around often leads me to repentance for the things I’ve muttered as the silly thing gets caught on every imaginable object. And then I think how blessed I am for having a garden in the first place. Oh the sources of guilt and subsequent thanksgiving never ceases. 😉 Goodnight, dear friend. xo

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  14. Dearest Natalie, just yesterday I finalized my gardens to be closed for the winter. I had up until 3 days ago, a Rose still growing, but the hard frosts took their toll. I wish I could bring some of my flowers inside, but I have no where to put them. My cats eat green plants thus I am unable to have any greenery inside. I will have to wait until next Spring to joyously see my Beauties again. Until then I have all my pictures I took, that I can browse in to my Heart’s content. Beautiful post, my friend!!! Love, Amy ❤

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    • Thank you, Amy. And isn’t having a camera just great for saving images of our blooming babies in winter! It keeps the dream of spring alive as do the seed catalogs that start coming in late December. So we’ll hang on to hope with the visions of “sugar plums” (AKA) roses dancing in our heads. Love, N 🙂 ❤

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