Well, here we are starting off a new year with Garden Blogger Bloom Day. Sad to say there aren’t many flowers to show from a tour around the property. Certainly the most spectacular on site is a very nice Moth Orchid growing inside the house.
Stripped Phalaenopsis
As is true with most of our orchids they blossom with incredible staying power, 4-6 weeks I would guess, and the flowers will stop you in your tracks.
It’s a good thing we have the orchids going on because outside there is not much to show this month. I took a pretty good walk around and saw only the same little snowdrop that has been out for nearly a month now.
Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) in January
Otherwise it was a lot of promising buds but no cigars (to borrow a phrase). We’ve had a lot of freezing or below days that have only just ended with 50 degrees yesterday, today, and tomorrow. One warm spell has trouble making up for a lot of frigid temperatures. Things like the hellebores and quince are just waiting in the wings and I see lots of daffodils sticking up their little green spikes. Scary to think that we are not even at the middle point of the winter as far as the ground temperature goes. That could make one start to plan a trip to Florida for spring training (which I plan to do this year…).
Of course even when the plants are dormant many of the birds are still here to keep us company. The red Cardinals are always a comfort when we get up in the morning. But today I was noting how nicely even the House Finches are colored when they are not side by side with the Cardinals.
House Finch in January
Another surprising element to me is just how much color is left on the male Goldfinches even in the dead of winter. Is it always this way and am I just paying more attention?
Goldfinch in January
Along with the warm weather we have had a couple of amazing sunsets. I sat outside and watched this one with a cup of tea last night. Those red adirondack chairs on the pasture hillside are wonderful for contemplation until the sun goes down and it gets cold enough to chase me inside. May your winter seed catalog dreams match glowing colors of the sunset…
January sunset
John, Your post is simply splendid! From start to finish and what a finish~~I wish we had this beautiful view from our front porch! gail
Oh how wonderful: A non-snow post ending with shepherds’ delight.
Snowdrop rather than snow.
I like the way the branches show up in the house finch picture.
Know what? I am not a birder or twitcher or whatever they call themselves, but I can’t help thinking that our UK gold finches look different. Rounder somehow, more like a goldcrest. Can you give me their Latin name? Or don’t they have Latin names?
Our American Goldfinches are quite a bit different than the European Gold Finches. They look more like a Canary. In fact, they are also called ‘Wild Canaries’. I try to be rigorous about the latin names for the plants but get a little sloppy when it comes to birds. The Goldfinch is Spinus tristis and it may be one of the most common birds around a backyard feeder. Especially if you can provide thistle seed.
That sunset is very nice, so would be a trip to Florida.
Your orchids are beautiful. Love the bird pictures, we don’t seem to have any up here in winter and I really miss them.
I’d be happy with a single Snowdrop. Mine are still buried in snow. Love the Orchid.
A snowdrop, for a month? Sigh…I adore snowdrops but it will be several months before I see any here, that’s for sure. Lovely photos!
Wow, that IS a beautiful sunset! What a nice backdrop for all the other lovely things in your yard. 🙂