The alders and birches are almost bare, and the chestnut tree by the
henhouse has dropped all its large leaves in a heap at its feet. Scores
of small and large birds are gorging themselves on autumn fruits, the
rowans already stripped by fieldfares and pheasants patrolling for the
leftovers. After a terrible wet cold floody day yesterday we woke up
this morning to see snow on the mountain tops; winter's here :-)

Janet (Scotland).

Janet Baraclough wrote:

After a terrible wet cold floody day yesterday we woke up
this morning to see snow on the mountain tops; winter's here :-)

You must have a nice long view from there; I couldn't see the mountaintops
for the fog, but there's an inch (25mm) of the predicted "flurries" on my
lawn. My Scots ancestors must be thrilled!


The view out the window looks like a bad horror movie. Think moors, gloom,
howling dogs... Think I'll just have another cuppa.

....And me with garlic yet to plant. It's early yet.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at www.albany.net/~gwoods
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1200' elevation. NY WO G

On Wed, 23 Oct 2002 13:43:13 GMT, wrote:

Janet Baraclough wrote:

After a terrible wet cold floody day yesterday we woke up
this morning to see snow on the mountain tops; winter's here :-)

You must have a nice long view from there; I couldn't see the mountaintops
for the fog, but there's an inch (25mm) of the predicted "flurries" on my
lawn. My Scots ancestors must be thrilled!


The view out the window looks like a bad horror movie. Think moors, gloom,
howling dogs... Think I'll just have another cuppa.

...And me with garlic yet to plant. It's early yet.

Ha ha. Here, we are getting light radiation frosts on the roofs
in the early morning, but the days are bright and clear. Perfect
weather for shuffling the coldframe contents around! At long last
all the potted crocuses are keeping one another company.

Cyclamen continue to provide color. Some schizostylis in flower.
Witchhazel foliage is bright, brighter, brighter!

But envy not: any day now, the winds will howl, the rain pelt
down, and we will be socked in by winter wet.

[I did graduate studies in Rochester years ago, so have some
inkling of your conditions, but your 1200' altitude surprises
me.]

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in
message ...

Witchhazel foliage is bright, brighter, brighter!

Yes, but I'm stunned by the colour of the red dogwood at the bottom of our
graden, never seen it like that before. I'm reluctant to cut it back yet but
it's hiding my expensive witchhazel :-(

Mary
--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...

The alders and birches are almost bare, and the chestnut tree by the
henhouse has dropped all its large leaves in a heap at its feet. Scores
of small and large birds are gorging themselves on autumn fruits, the
rowans already stripped by fieldfares and pheasants patrolling for the
leftovers. After a terrible wet cold floody day yesterday we woke up
this morning to see snow on the mountain tops; winter's here :-)

Janet (Scotland).

Well I'm testing out a piece of folklore. Apparently, the longer the
berries stay on the trees, the harder the winter will be. Now in 2000, the
Rowans still had many beries well into Nov and that winter was mega hard -
like permafrost for 4 months:-( Last year I didn't notice much cos I was
away before daylight and back after 'sunset'. This year, as you say Janet,
the birds have finished all our berries already. Could this be a sign of a
mild one?????

From: "Alison" o.uk
Subject: First snow of the winter.

Well I'm testing out a piece of folklore. Apparently, the longer the
berries stay on the trees, the harder the winter will be. Now in 2000,
the
Rowans still had many beries well into Nov and that winter was mega
hard -
like permafrost for 4 months:-( Last year I didn't notice much cos I
was
away before daylight and back after 'sunset'. This year, as you say
Janet,
the birds have finished all our berries already. Could this be a sign
of a
mild one?????

The local lore here on the Black Isle is the *more* berries on the
rowan trees, the harder the winter. Since we have masses of berries,
and they are still on the trees, it doesn't sound too promising! After
two frosty nights (Ben Wyvis now covered with snow), we were lashed by
two days of non-stop rain and gales. Maybe now the midges are well and
truly gone for a few months.

Kristina
www.black-isle.info/orchard