A Light Snow Over My Farm
Temperatures at the farm today are expected to be in the 40s with a big winter drop tonight and snow showers over the weekend.
So far, this December weather has been very erratic. Just a couple of days ago, we had springlike conditions with temperatures reaching almost 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The day before, I woke up to white covered gardens and grassy fields - the temperatures dipped just enough for a dusting of snow and then rose again for a full day of rain. It was a dreary, wet day, but still an opportunity to capture some pretty images.
Enjoy.
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- Earlier this week, we got enough snow at the farm just to cover the ground. Here are the trunks of the mighty pin oaks that grow alongside my large Equipment Barn.
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- In general, warmer winters have become more common in the Northeast. Forecasters say this season is expected to bring above normal temperatures and below normal snowfall. Here, the snow piled on this 100-year old white spruce fencing I purchased in Canada.
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- These garden beds are behind my gym building and Tenant House. The light fluffy snow forms when all layers of the atmosphere are below freezing. Because the air is cold, all the way down to the surface, snowflakes don’t melt. It was just about 32-degrees Fahrenheit in the early morning with temperatures rising to the low 40s by midday.
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- This is an allée of lindens between the paddocks. A long building at the end, perpendicular to this allée, houses a carport, my flower room, a generator room, and my studio.
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- The Boxwood Allée looks so different in winter. Our annual “burlapping” chores continue, but I am glad these boxwood are draped in burlap shrouds to keep everything protected from the snow, even if it’s light.
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- Japanese maples can tolerate snow pretty well, but when heavy snow accumulates on the branches it’s important to brush it off to prevent them from breaking, especially on younger trees. Thankfully this snow was not problematic.
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- Also covered in a light layer of snow – the evergreens in my pinetum. My pinetum is where I keep a collection of pines, spruces, firs, and others.
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- Just off the carriage road leading to my tennis court is this grouping of dawn redwoods, Metasequoia, with their straight trunks. They are impressive trees by any standard and beautiful in any season. They have a very uniform conical shape with horizontal branching.
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- The base of the trunk is fluted and well buttressed. The bark of a dawn redwood is reddish in color and peels. As the tree ages, the trunk also develops a deeply fissured appearance, similar to a bald cypress.
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- My back hayfield is bordered on one side by these growing evergreens. A light coating of snow can be seen on the branches.
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- Thankfully, the wind was not strong on this day, so none of the trees suffered any damage.
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- And not far is my majestic sycamore tree, the symbol of my farm. It is one of the largest trees on the property.
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- More dawn redwoods are near the sycamore along the carriage road.
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- In October, the stream beds were empty. Now that we’ve had some rain, they’re filling up again.
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- Here are two of my handsome Friesians, Hylke and Geert, taking a morning nap in their pasture. Do you know… horses only get about 30 minutes of REM sleep a day? During this time, they often lie down. Horses sleep in multiple cycles, which can be as short as 15 minutes. These cycles include deep sleep, REM sleep, and an intermediate period of somnolence, or drowsiness.
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- In the middle field is my allée of London plane trees and smoke bushes. I planted 46 London planes in all here and they are doing so well.
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- On the left is my long clematis pergola bordered on both sides by boxwood. The uprights for this pergola are antique granite posts from China originally used as grape supports. They’re perfect as posts because they don’t rot over time like the wood overhead.
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- Next to my old corn crib is a row of six weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus Pendula. They line one side of my soccer field I set up for my grandson, Truman.
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- In the center of this part of my farm, it is hard to miss the stand of eastern white pine trees, Pinus strobus. White pines are the tallest trees in eastern North America. On the right is my peafowl enclosure. These birds have quite the view, don’t you agree?
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- Here are young evergreens planted in the field. I am so proud of all the trees I have planted around my farm – thousands and thousands. It’s one way I can give back to the Earth and help to create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable planet.
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