Here's the garden after our hard frost on Friday night, looking white and icy. You can see Olga sniffing around in the flowerbed, taking in the changes. We had another frost last night, down to -4º C (25º F).
The banana tree is not happy. We wound up not covering either it or the tree fern -- Dave is convinced they'll be fine, though the banana will lose its leaves -- so we'll see how that works.
The acanthus isn't too happy either, but I think it will perk back up.
I left a few things out that in years past I've tried to shelter -- the Asiatic lilies, for example. Dave is sure they'll be OK, and I'd like to reduce the number of flowerpots I move around every winter. I also left out one pink dahlia in a pot, as I did last year. It's kind of an experiment, to see how well it overwinters. If I could leave all the dahlias out (rather than putting the pots in the shed) that will save me a lot of work.
Dave had another concert yesterday, and with him gone I became a proverbial white tornado. I gave the apartment a top-to-bottom cleaning, including under our bed and the couch, and I took care of the plants. I also did two loads of laundry and took our sheets to the cleaners. I'm trying to get this place into shape for the dog-sitter, even though she doesn't come for another nine days. I'm thinking ahead.
In the afternoon I took Olga to the cemetery for a frosty romp. As you'll see in the video, right after we got there I threw her tennis ball and it fell into a big hole left by the removal of a tree stump. She was quite distressed, but we got it back. Whew!
One funny thing I forgot to mention about yesterday's MRI. You know how you have to answer all those questions about whether your body contains metal bits before they'll let you into the machine? Well, one of the questions they asked was whether I was wearing magnetic false eyelashes. I didn't know that's even a thing, but apparently it is -- if I understand it right, they attach onto your regular eyelashes with the aid of tiny magnetic strips.
You know, sometimes people marvel that humanity went to the moon. And that is marvelous. But I am also incredulous at the crazy inventions we use in our everyday lives. Magnetic false eyelashes?!
Olga is a cold weather dog. I can see joy and energy in your clip.
ReplyDeleteWe had acanthus and our problem was it wilting in the summer. If well watered, it would pick up once the sun had set.
I think Dave's opinion of plant hardiness is probably right. What doesn't kill them makes them stronger.
"Mummy! There's that funny man with the funny dog again. You know the one that you said was always lurking around the cemetery!"
ReplyDelete"Oh yes! Come away Emmelinne!...Now!"
I love seeing Olga full of puppy-like joy and I love your piano accompaniment. You should play more often for your videos. I saw the photo of the hole in the cemetery and thought it was left by something else, a bit creepy. Are you sure it was a tree?
ReplyDeleteFunny how the cold weather invigorates our older pets. When we get a cold snap here Tuxedo becomes far more active, dashing about the house. It's nice to see Olga doing the same.
ReplyDeleteThat Olga sure can skitter! I love it! She's so happy in the cold.
ReplyDeleteYeah. You're probably going to have to cut back those bananas. I'm interested to see how they do.
I didn't realize eyelashes were magnetic! How else could a magnetic strip stick to them. People go to an awful lot of expense and time to 'improve' their bodies. I found it infinitely easier and cheaper just to accept the one I have.
ReplyDeleteMy banana trees are in the ground. They generally lose their leaves and sometimes freeze to the ground but they always come back. Even after that winter where we hovered in the 20s for two weeks.
The cemetery looks so beautiful in that light with the frost. Where is it?
ReplyDeleteYour dog sitter will be delighted with your place I'm sure.
When it comes to plants freezing , I like to err on the side of caution and cover things up. We have to know what survives and what doesn't.
ReplyDeleteYou're a lot more conscientious than some of the people I house sat for in the past. Some places I was lucky they'd cleared a chair to sit on!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing Olga out having fun with so much energy. I'm surprised to see so much frost there in the afternoon. We've been having morning frosts here, but all melted by mid-morning.
ReplyDeleteI loved the video. The cemetery looks so moody with all that frost all over it. I bet that spooky Highgate cemetery is looking even spookier with a coating of frost.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of magnetic false eyelashes. I can't even imagine although I've seen some ladies recently with unusually thick and long lashes. I wonder if that's what they were wearing.
I cleaned out my microwave when I thought my daughter's in-laws might be staying with me. I wish I had an excuse to deep clean the rest of my house! False eyelashes are wildly popular (I hate them and think they look ridiculous); I never knew how they attached. Huh.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere along the line, I've seen a video of a guy with a magnetic nose. It was a prosthetic that attached to imbedded magnets on his face. I don't remember the reason he lost his original nose.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of magnetic eyelashes either. But for a time just a few days ago, I sported a magnet as an ear ring as I demonstrated to my youngest how magnetic waves can go through flesh.
I love the video of Olga! What's the musical accompaniment?
ReplyDeleteClearly Dave is more optimistic than you are about the hardiness of your plants and whether they'll survive the cold.
Best Video On The Inter Webbie - Olga Girl Would Like To Know Why There Is This Big Open Area And You Threw Her Ball In A Hole - Whats Up With That There Human - And Boy Can She Get After When She Wants - Way Cool Brother Man
ReplyDeleteCheers
I have never heard of magnetic false eyelashes. That's beyond my scope....
ReplyDeleteYou were super productive. Do you go to Dave's concerts? We went to a small town symphony last night. We didn't realize the first group was the learners group (1 year of study or more but obviously, not much more.) It was what Christmas music sounds like in Hell. We were relieved when they brought in the more experienced people who were actually very good for a group of amateurs from a variety of professions. It was (eventually!) a most enjoyable evening!
LOL! I didn't know magnetic false eyelashes were a thing either. With the frost, your back garden looks like a magic portal to some storybook place.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of magnetic false eyelashes. I am embarrassed to say that I even watched a demonstration of them, because I was trying to figure out how it could possibly be.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6szJykQKd0I
The take away from this? Not nearly patient enough to be messing about with this.
I want to know if anyone went into an MRI with magnetic lashes. I have a vision of caterpillar like things flying through the air to latch on to the machine!
ReplyDeleteDave seems to have a slightly different approach to gardening than yours!
Andrew: Our acanthus wilts in the summer too. You can't win with this plant!
ReplyDeleteYP: Fortunately I am not the only lurker. There's a whole squad of familiar dog owners I see rambling around the cemetery!
Mitchell: Ha! If I were playing it would be an out-of-tune rendition of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Yes, that really was a tree stump, and not too long ago.
Bob: I guess it makes sense that they feel a need to move around and keep warm!
Ms Moon: I kind of hope the whole thing dies, to be honest. It's gotten so big.
Ellen: This banana is a Chinese variety that's supposedly more cold-hardy. I think it has its limits, though!
Pixie: It's Hampstead Cemetery on Fortune Green Road. You can find it on Google Maps. It's just north of where we live in West Hampstead.
Red: I think Dave and I are both feeling more like the plants need to fend for themselves. We have too many anyway.
Boud: Ha! Well, it's not perfect, but I want her to be comfortable.
Robin: Yeah, ours sticks around all day. We're having quite the cold snap!
Sharon: Well, I guess there are still plain old adhesive false eyelashes, too. The old-fashioned kind!
Margaret: I'm no expert (ha!) but I don't think they ALL attach that way.
Ed: A magnetic nose! Now that's a concept. Seems fraught with peril.
Kelly: It's from the iMovie library of copyright-free music to use with videos. It's called "First Snowfall," as a matter of fact!
Padre: She gets very concerned when her ball is in an inaccessible place!
Jeanie: You made me laugh with "Christmas music in hell"! I usually go to Dave's high school concerts but not the middle school ones. I have my limits.
37P: Frost DOES make everything look a bit magical. Sparkly, I guess.
Debby: Good grief. What a faff, as my Northern Irish friend would say. That's a lot of trouble and they look stupid anyway.
Merlot: Ha! That's what I pictured, too! I guess it wouldn't hurt anyone's eyes but it might be startling!
Olga looks to be having fun. I suppose there is a place for magnetic eyelashes, drag queen shows comes to mind, they wouldn't want their eyelashes falling off during the show.
ReplyDeleteMagnetic false eyelashes. What will they think of next? Love the piano accompaniment to your video of the mighty adventuring Olga.
ReplyDelete