"Joy is a Miracle...like Flowers in Winter"

That phrase was on a card I received over the holidays. Today, I went outside in the bitter cold (23 degrees and windy) and took the following photo which seems to encapsulate the idea.


Heather January 2, 2010

The flowers on this heather shrub have been blooming since late November. It seems like a miracle that the flowers survived 14 inches of snow that was piled on them for a week.


Honey Bee on Heather November 29, 2009

When the temperature rises to the high 40s, the bees will come out to feed on the shrub which they have to themselves (no wild bees out in this cold). I'm assuming my heather is the Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) which grows in the Scottish Highlands. The honey the bees make from the heather nectar is prized for its dark, caramel taste according to the book Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper by C. Marina Marchese.

White Christmas

Although a lot of snow has melted on the south side of the mountains, the north sides are still deep with snow. I don't remember snow hanging around this long. On New Year's Eve, we received another 2 inches of the pretty stuff--better than the freezing rain that was predicted to fall. Here's some photos I took of the snow and ice.


Castle Rock on New River December 22, 2009

This photo was taken on Pembroke Bridge a few miles from where I live. Just below is the canoe and boat take out area.


December 25, 2009

Freezing rain on Christmas Eve helped to make the snow melt on our front porch roof creating interesting shapes.



On Christmas Day, the snow had slid off.


Hope everyone has a great 2010!