Lisa Earthgirl – Gardening Tips and Helpful Advice

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Frozen beauty in the front yard. Winter 2015 has been colder here than Alaska.

I’m back — sorry to have been gone for so long. This has been a challenging winter. I am never sick, but this year the flu struck, and took me out of commission for way too long. Then we were hit with ice and snow, wild wind, and some of the coldest temperatures this area has ever recorded! It makes me really appreciative of central heat. You won’t hear me say this too often, but it was too frigid to be out in the garden for any length of time. So I did what any snowbound, earth loving person would do: perch in the window, camera in hand, to photograph the wildlife and snow scenes outside. I know I’m going to love looking at them in July when it’s 100 degrees!

We have broken many of the record low overnight temperatures this last month. Many days have been colder here than in Alaska, and windchill has made it almost unbearable to be out. I have been filling the birdfeeder daily, and trying to keep clean water outside for all my wildlife friends. We have a fox that lives in the yard, and possibly a small kit of hers as well. She is very timid, so we were so pleased to finally get a good picture one morning.

This is our resident fox. She has been with us for a few years. A friend to our feral kitty, and rarely visible. We had a lucky photo op!

The robins have been swarming the feeder, and I have set up a suet basket as well. I am hoping to lure some bluebirds here with it, but so far it has been visited by a starling and several cardinals.

Robins sunning themselves on the window sill to stay warm, they fluff out their feathers for insulation.

For about two weeks the entire Potomac River has been frozen as far as can be seen. No winter boating around here, even the Coast Guard ice cutters have not come through, so barges with supplies have not been able to venture up towards D.C. — I wouldn’t recommend ice skating though!

We have had so many different types of snow this year — everything form the lightest powdery stuff that looks like sparkling sugar falling from the clouds, to wet snows which stick to all the tree branches. I have to admit that I do love to watch it fall, and swirl around in the wind, but after this winter I am going to really be grateful for the warmth of spring!

One last thing: if you are like me and want a touch of life in your home to usher in spring, this is the perfect time to cut some flowering tree branches to bring inside. Place them in water in a cool room, and in no time you will see buds appear. When you start to see color bring them into a warm room and watch them bloom!

From the frosty mid-Atlantic, wishing you a beautiful winter, and a much warmer spring!

Robin surveying the snow-

We have had every different type of snow this year, but this heavy snow is so beautiful the way it sticks to all the branches.

The frozen Potomac River.

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