Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Snowy Shrubs and More


Today, I want to share some of the pictures George and I took of our big January 29/30th snow storm here in Fairfield Glade. As I have mentioned in other posts, we had about 5-6 inches of snow and an inch of ice. I love seeing snow in the evergreens and all of the shrubs---so this post will show you some of the shrubs in our yard and around the area. The picture above shows the shrubs in the yard of one of our neighbors. Below are more.






This one was taken at the same house ---but a little farther back. Isn't it interesting how the snow and ice stuck to some of the shrubs and didn't stick at all to others??






I love this picture since it also brings some RED color to the snowy scene.






We have four Holly bushes in our yard. This is one of them---showing off the snow!!!





Can you guess what this one is????? I have featured it in two different recent blogs. This is a close-up of our Confederate Jasmine Bush (after the snow/ice --and then more snow)!!!






This pine tree sits in our back yard --near the woodpile. We were amazed that the ice was weighing down the bottom branches so much. I thought that some of the branches would break--but thank goodness, they did not.





Here is a close-up of the bottom part of the pine tree. The ice was really weighing these branches down.





I love this picture also--of the pine tree in the bottom left corner ---and the shrubs nearby.

What do you like most about seeing snow???? I guess my favorite part is seeing the beautiful white snow clinging to the bushes and shrubs and trees. BUT--I also love just seeing how it makes the earth look so clean and peaceful --if just for awhile. I also enjoy watching the snow as it falls.

NOW---Bring on some SPRING.... Okay?????? ha

Hugs,

50 comments:

diane b said...

I like the pristine look that it gives to the landscape.

Lisa said...

Wow. You got snow. No doubt.

I like all the pictures especially of the Holly bushes.

Hope it got better since then because it looked so so cold to me:)

Neal said...

Now you're ready for spring huh? Only after one snow? :) You need about 4 or 5 more good snows. :) The pictures are beautiful. Now if I could arrange for it to snow on everything except the roads and driveways I'd like snow. :)

Beth said...

Your pictures are so beautiful, Betsy. Snow really does transform the barren winter landscape into a magical world. But at this point (and please forgive me for saying this!), my favorite thing about the snow and ice is seeing it melt. I felt like I'd been reborn when we had blue skies and sun and 50 degrees two days ago.

And, apparently, more snow and ice are coming just in time for the weekend...

Rose said...

I wanted to see some photos like this...I love snow draped on the evergreens and everything else.

We may get a bit more snow...supposed to have some move in tonight and maybe 3 or 4 inches by tomorrow night. I will believe it when I see it.

Bhavesh Chhatbar said...

Snow has a very special beauty. And to add to the beauty, there are the colors of the flowers and the mild greens.

Thanks so much for sharing these lovely pictures :)

The Day

Connie said...

Pretty pictures, Betsy. It always surprises me, when we have an ice storm here, how much the tree branches are weighed down. Sometimes they do break if it is a really heavy storm or if we have several storms in a row, but most of the time they just spring back once the ice melts off of them.

Darla said...

I love seeing how freshly fallen snow makes everything look so clean, and I love, love seeing the beautiful colored birds in the snow!

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

I love the first couple of hours after a snow...until it gets all messy and then I'm ready for it to be springtime and the earth to wake up and stretch...

Busy Bee Suz said...

Beautiful pictures.
I have not seen real snow in about 20 years. But I enjoy it better via the TV and PC...it is much warmner that way. :0

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Betsy: You sound like you have taken all the photos of snow that you want. Let me tell you what you need to say. "Snow
snow
go away
come again some other day."
That will surely make the snow go. LOL

Carol Murdock said...

AWESOME SHOTS BETSY! YOU AND THAT NEW CAMERA ARE QUITE A PAIR! XOXO

Dorothy said...

Good Morning Betsy! Love your snow pictures! The best thing I like about the snow is that it covers everything with it's perfect blanket of sparkling white and makes all things look pretty. It decorates the trees and shrubs with tinsel of ice and the glitter of crystals. Have a wonderful day!

Arkansas Patti said...

Your confederate jasmine gives me hope it will grow here. I love the smell and it lined my fences in Florida.
I love seeing the actual snow falling, it makes me excited and peaceful at the same time. The clean beauty is also an appeal but the quiet is what I love the most. No cars,no man made noises, just an occasional bird squabble. Shuush.

Unknown said...

I love untouched snow. In its purest from it sort of reminds me a sinless life that then becomes our life when the snow captures our sin. Does this make sense or am I babbling?

I Am Woody said...

Tubing is my favorite thing:)

Dar said...

Looks like you got more than your share too...the ice is usually what I worry about ruining my shrubs...it's amazing tho, how quickly the plants seem to revive.
Have a great day
God Bless

Sunny said...

I love the first snow of winter but I love the last one even more.
Your pictures are so pretty, especially the one with the reds in it.
Spring is on the way!
Sunny :)

Small City Scenes said...

So now it is time for Spring eh? I totally agree. YES!!!

We only had one snow this winter and it was in November. It has been record setting mild since then.

The snow images are so lovely. You and your new camera are doing great. MB

Together We Save said...

Wow - you got lots more snow than we did.

You asked about the youngest... she is feeling better. Back to school for a full day today.

Roses and Lilacs said...

So pretty for a while but it gets old fast:) We keep getting a few inches every couple days. Love the red berries.
Marnie

Rosa said...

LOVE your new banner!!!! It was so pretty, wasn't it. I hear we may get more next week? tehe. I went out yesterday and bought some tulips for the kitchen. So perty. xo

Ginny Hartzler said...

Great pictures! I love the one with the red berries sticking out! I recognized the pine as the one George stood by earlier. I had remarked on the ice on the bottom and was hoping you would show it again, just the bottom. I love the holly bushes! Did you know they are a natural lightening rod? It's true! It's hard to find too much info by googling, but I plan a post on that in the future, and am building a Bible Study around it to teach at church sometime.

Regina said...

A gorgeous winter and lovely header.
Its warm out here and I love you beautiful photos!

Great post Betsy.
Have a wonderful day.

Jo said...

*Gasp* Betsy! I cannot imagine so much snow, yet here you've shown it. Thanks for sharing. Very pretty, too. (((hugs))) Jo

Anonymous said...

Is that cotoneasters with the red berries? I remember when I bought mine, years ago, they had different kinds. I didn't even know there was a difference but soon learned that some will drop their leaves in the winter and some don't. Some have berries nothing eats and others have berries everything eats. Some are prolific spreaders and I like them for that quality. Anyway, I can't imagine what else that is looking so neat in the snow.

Thanks for the visit to the birds blog. I spent an hour this morning watching and taking pictures of the now resident Sharp-shinned Hawk. What a young male comic he is. He is learning how to hunt and find himself a meal. I hope he soon gets luckier than he was today or he will be one thin bird and he is not as wide as the board he sits in which is 6 inches.

MadSnapper said...

Wow, what a snow storm you wished on yourself. I see a little color peeking out of the snowy bushes. great pictures using that new camera.

Cheryl said...

Beautiful photos. I love the first snowfall especially, a pretty white coating on everything. Sounds are muffled and when the sun comes out everything sparkles! Now I would love to see some bare ground!

Big Dude said...

I love your snow pics, but don't put away your snow lens yet as the biggest snow in my 40 years here happened in mid March, 1993 (2' here) and I think it was 2008, we had a 4" snow on April 1.

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

Beautiful pictures snowgirl!!!

Looking for Spring already? LOL We're supposed to get more winter weather this weekend.

Joe Todd said...

The snow is beautiful add a little red color and you can't do much better... Been fighting with insurance company today. Not good for my blood pressure LOL.. Have a great weekend

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

LIving where we do,the novelty of snow does wear off pretty soon.I do enjoy watching a good snowfall and even a storm.There is a certain beauty in the snow covered landscape.Your scenes look wonderful.Isn't it amazing how the branches hold up under all that weight?
Blessings,Ruth

Kay said...

I agree. We don't get snow where I live, except maybe once every 20 to 30 years. I love to see it on the branches of the trees.
Kay

LV said...

When will it ever end?

Tipper said...

Pretty snow! My area hasn't had a big snow fall yet-we've had 2 that was about 2 to 3 inches. I'm wishing for a big one-although like you I'm kinda thinking of spring too : )

Betty said...

I love your snowey bushes. Your pictures are great.
Your header makes me laugh every time I come to visit you. You are grinning from ear to ear.
♥♥ Hugs ♥♥

carolina nana said...

HI BETSY, REALLY NICE PICTURES,SNOW AND ICE MAKE THINGS REALLY PRETTY. BUT I'M HOPING I DON'T GET TO TAKE ANY SNOW AND ICE PICS TOMORROW.IT IS ALREADY SNOWING THIS AFTERNOON,STARTED ABOUT 5. BE SAFE MARILYN

Diane AZ said...

That is interesting how the snow sticks to some shrubs but not others. All of the snow pictures are very pretty!

Diane said...

Here's some hindsight for you, Betsy. Remember Jerry Baker the gardening guru from the 60s or 70s? He said to roll up big snowballs like you're going to make a snowman and put them under your evergreens to keep the bottom branches from breaking. You and George can get out there and do that when the snow starts melting!! teehee

Great shots of the snow on your shrubs and yard.

Diane said...

Here's some hindsight for you, Betsy. Remember Jerry Baker the gardening guru from the 60s or 70s? He said to roll up big snowballs like you're going to make a snowman and put them under your evergreens to keep the bottom branches from breaking. You and George can get out there and do that when the snow starts melting!! teehee

Great shots of the snow on your shrubs and yard.

Stephanie Suzanne Designs said...

Pit-e-ful whining blogger here...hehehe!! haha

I've always said my next computer would be a MAC..so now I have you to tell me about them...have you ever owned anything other than a MAC?

I got the computer to a guy today that will let me know Saturday what exactly it's malfunction is...but it appears to me that the graphics/video card is gone bad...very simply put....this should not be happening at it's young age.

The computers that I've had built over the years NEVER gave me any problem...it's due to it being custom built instead of assembly line built with cheaper parts.

So if I do have to buy another computer I'd like to seriously look into what a MAC would cost me.

They really are the best especially with graphics and that's my main focus on a computer.

It's raining and foggy..supposedly there's a chance of snow on Saturday as the rain comes to an end.

Thanks for dropping by for my PITY Party. :0)

(((((hugs))))
Stephanie

Wendy said...

I love your new look! Your header is especially nice.
Snow pics look like home to me. I can't believe you have so much snow.

I also like the evergreens "wearing" their gowns of white snow. And like to watch falling snow. But, as you say "let's bring on spring!"

Plain Chicken said...

Beautiful snow! I am with you though - bring on spring!!

Ms. ~K said...

Gorgeous photos of your greenery!
We had sleet and snow today for a couple of hours...I sat, watched it snow and watched the birds visit the feeder while getting pelted w/ the frozen stuff. The Chickadees are the spunkiest!!!

Anonymous said...

Everything looks so lovely in white! we are getting snow right now but ice is on its way!

The Retired One said...

Nice!
I love the forms that snow takes in drifts when it is windy...but also how it clings to the trees too!

Janie said...

I love the quiet of the snowfall, the beautiful spread of white across the landscape, and yes, I love how it clings to the bushes and trees. Lovely photos!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Betsy!

WE are expecting show this weekend ..and I belive mor emay be coming your way too? What a winter for you! Your photos looks beautiful ... a winter wonderland!

To answer your wuestions: The Russian Tea Room is pricy ..just an entree alone would clost about $40 so that is why a three course dinner is so good for $35 a person.

No, this will be the only special restaurant we will visit for restaurant week this time around. We will go somewhere else during the Summer restaurant week. We like to try different places, new experiences, but do it on a budget :-)

Unknown said...

Hi Betsy, my corner of the world was just beautiful this morning after a fresh fall of snow. Just like these pictures, it had clung to all the trees and shrubs. The whole area reminded me of the movie 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' and it's Narnia snow covered scenery.

Snow can be a pain, but when you get piccies like this it's wonderful to behold.

SquirrelQueen said...

You got a lot of snow, I love how clean and fresh everything looks just after it snows. The way the pine boughs are drooping from the ice is what I remember most about winters in the south. I'm glad the limbs didn't break.