Okay, I stand corrected... it did stick! We got a total of 3 to 3-1/2 inches of accumulation, which is a record for here. I should have known. My best friend lives in Baytown and we almost always get her weather just a bit later.
This message was edited Dec 11, 2008 11:59 AM
So glad that you got my shipment Bliss! LOL!
I think knocking the snow off the plants before it froze helped. Most things look pretty good.
Most of the snow has melted now. There are little puddles all over the backyard.
Hopefully not too much will suffer. Everything in the makeshift GH looks toasty and warm!
Most all of the plants look just like normal. A couple of banana tree's leaves turned really brown, but they can do that just with a freeze. Everything is nice and green! Thank Goodness!
I'll get a better idea of what we're dealing with tomorrow. About 1/2 of the snow melted here today and the rest should go tomorrow as we will get highs in the 60's. I'm shocked that it's lasted this long! So far, the Buddha's Hand is about the only thing that looks truly bad, but they always bounce back in spring, so it should be okay. I'm glad your plants turned out fine!
Blissful, hope your plants are OK as well! I am surprised that you still had snow today also. Ours is only in the pictures! Haha!
The ground is wet as if it had rained, otherwise you never would have known that it snowed!
Have a great weekend!
Wow, this is what I call nature's cruel beauty! Wonderful pictures. I sincerely hope that your beautiful tropical garden will make it!
I've had some snow falling from the sky a couple of days ago (I forgot how this can happen...), but it didn't stick. Only on the mountain it stayed for that day, but by next morning (when I had time to go for a picture) it was gone.
I managed to get inside the garage all the potted plants that were hardy to zone 8 a couple of weeks ago, when night temps dropped in the low 40s. Since then, there were a couple of nights below freezing. Lucky (or unlucky, depends on how you look at it) for me, I don't have anything in the ground that could be classified as tropical.
Glad yours are inside Alexandra. My orchids are also. Have a great weekend!
Hi, Texas Gal, How cool to have snow like that, my childhood dream, I'm sure you enjoyed it. What a major surprise. It also snowed in Houston and New Orleans. The video on CNN showed almost blizzard conditions in New Orleans. Apparently the last time it snowed in the L.A. area was in 1949 and 1954. Since the city goes from sea level to 5, 300 feet technically we have snow each year but only on the high elevations. The forecast for tommorow here is snow down to 2000 feet. Pretty dramatic for us, so I can imagine how it felt to you. I'm at 700' elevation, so you never know, we could get some flurries here! Heres a pic (I didn't take) of some snow in the higher areas of L.A. probably around 1,500'. Anyway, TX, keep your plants warm, I'm sure they will be OK. And take care my friend.
We have been in the upper 70's all day and the wind is turning around to the north...should be in the upper 20's by morning. Hard on my tropicals.
Christi
In the morning we will be in single digits with ice on everything. My dad isn't sure if he is gonna work tomorrow because of the ice. Since my 4wd still isn't fixed he can't use my truck to get around. It's nasty out there but sure will be gorgeous in the morning. :~)
Pepper, whatever we have is always mostly ice. Snow is not the same.
Moon is full still and just beautiful tonight.
I didn't know you called Jeanne. Never saw anything on the caller i.d. either.
It did snow, and I know alot of you have already seen the pictures, but since there's a thread....seems like I need to pay more attention..didn't know this was posted.
I went to the Australian Gardening forum, and posted this picture of the Australian Fern tree, the new Merry Christmas Card...lol
By the way, snow insulates plants from freezing, so when you knock the snow off, leave a bit on in case it freezes that night, there won't be so much damage.
With the recent storm, we now have snow on Mauna Kea!
Dave, pictures?
RJ, beautiful Christmas card!
I want to confess... we transformed into tropical beings! So, we left a four-season country and spent the last 6 years/winters in Miami. As I was told, Miami hasn't seen snow since 1977 (but at that time I doubt I even knew what Miami, luscious evergreen or tropical meant), and in those 6 years we've not seen snow at all, Christmas in shorts, you get it... I think we forgot those almost 30 years of spring, summer, fall and winter.
So we were staying on our patio a couple of days ago. DH looks at my lilac (evergreen, though pathetic, last "winter" in Miami), sees the leaves falling and says: "another one dead!"
Ya know, when I lived in Africa, I never once missed season changes, and was amused by the dedicious trees defoliating in one day, and all new leaves the next week!
Hey Alexandra, I'll get some pictures out soon. At the moment Bill Gates has disabled my photo capabilities because he decided I need an update for my Olympus Master program, and I have failed to pay. I am trying to convert to an MSN-free system. Once they get into your house, they are like rats, they don't want to leave!
Here is Mauna Kea without snow; soon I'll show one with!
Aloha, Dave
Hi all! Randy, either you or Brian were probably on the other line when it went to message. When that happens to me, my caller ID doesn't catch it either....no problem....just wanted to check on you guys and see if y'all were getting the same treatment we were! Ya know....that white stuff falling from the sky! Dusty didn't know what to think. He went out on the porch for a second and flew back into the house!!!!!!!!! (He normally doesn't go outside ever.....so I don't think he will attempt it again soon....LOL!)
For the first time in many years I conceeded and thought that "It's beautiful!" After growing up in it the first nine years of my life in Northern Indiana and walking to school and back twice a day for three school years, I haven't always maintained those thoughts. (yep....no buses if you lived less than a mile from the school and it was .9 of a mile.....not a long ways unless you are in 1st grade and it is very cold!)
Alexandra may know that feeling.....
My plants don't show any damage whatsoever from my brushing off the snow. All seem OK....just as if nothing happened! I, on the other hand have paid for it dearly. My left shoulder resented it for days! Couldn't figure out what I had done, then all of a sudden it hit me......"OH Yea..........!!!!!!" But since the plants all look fine I guess it was worth it. My shoulder has eased up, finally.
Thanks for the picture Randy, it's lovely! Alexandra, no fear, I'm sure the plant will come back....most of mine have, most of the time any way!!!!! Don't toss it until the first of April!
Dave hope you work everything out and can post some pictures also!
Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas! I know that we will. I may sleep thru January in order to recooperate (like I did last year), but it'll be worth it!
Jeanne
Jeanne, I hope the weather gets better for you, RJ, Christi and all the Tropic friends. Of course I remember those winters. Until I came here, most of my transportation was by feet and bus (regular bus, not school bus). Without snow, I would spend almost 1 hour walking to school ('t was about 3.3 miles). The bus would get me there in 20 minutes (took a longer route), but what was the worst was waiting for the bus! On rare occasions, Mom would drive us to school (her schedule was different than ours most of the time).
The wind is howling strong tonight, sometimes it seems that the roof wants to take flight... It will drop to low 30s tonight. I don't have much left outside though, so no worries.
The lilac should be fine, it's just that he forgot, we used to have a Lilac in front of our house, losing their leaves every fall, and coming back to life in spring. He's definitely staying out to get some cold.
Jeanne, are you planning to come out with the groundhog in February?
Merry Christmas everyone!
Alexandra
OMG, I thought you were going to say you walked 3 miles in the snow..the one all of our Mothers told us growing up?
how are u?
Well, if you ask me, it's always better to move if it's cold... by the American criteria, probably 3/4 of the Romanian parents of my generation should have gone to jail, for letting their kids to go to school by themselves, LOL! My husband laughs and asks me: "did you have your keys tied to your neck too?" (as a necklace, you know, not to lose them). My answer is always "No, but I lost about 4 sets..." The kids that didn't have a grandparent to take care of them, by the age of 7 (school starting age), would turn the stove (gas stove) to warm up their foods by themselves too... We knew not to talk to strangers, and to scream from the top of our lungs if any would try. I learned to cross the street when I was 5.
I've had fun many times by walking to school. I had a few schoolmates that would meet with me on the way, so the trip wouldn't feel so long. The best walks were when it was snowing, we would snow-ball fight and get home soaking-wet! eh, memories! We would rather walk than stay and wait (20-40 minutes) for the bus. But I doubt these days it's the same anymore, the cities lost that safety. I also grew up in a drug free era, too, or at least I've noticed it when I was already an adult (a young one though).
I couldn't fall asleep, the wind is so noisy tonight! I didn't want to start the TV. So I dressed back, went on the patio, took some seed starting mix, and I started some more seeds... I should wash and go back to bed.
How's your weather RJ? Do you still have snow?
No, the snow only lasted a couple of hours. It was balmy and warm saturday night, and darn right fridged cold today...36F...with a bounce back to the 70's by Christmas
All this talk of snow almost has me wishing for my Colorado white christmas...but not quite. We have had two days of stormy rainy weather, but the temps are still mid 80's. Getting ready to grab the kids tonight for a golf-cart tour of the island to see all the Christmas lights. One of my favorite things to do. Calling out "Merry Christmas!" to all the people we see and getting a similar sentiment returned with happy smiles, hearing carols and we toodle along...listening to my motormouthed granddaugher explain every new house (...and my friend Jody lives there, and Billy lives there...his daddy is a kernal...is that a popcorn maker Nana?)...
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Yokwe,
Shari
Well, our snow is mostly gone and replaced by ice. This was taken this afternoon after the rain stopped. We had alot of trouble making up these hills around here.
This hill is next to my house.
This is the hill going the other way.
Shari, have a fun filled Christmas in the Tropics!!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Wow, Pepper! That really should be a skating ring! I kinda like Shari's ride better!
Lots of hugs, and best wishes for all,
Alexandra
MY CHRISTMAS E-MAIL
I have a list of people I know, all logged in my computer,
and now at Christmas time I have gone to take a look
and that is when I realize that these names are a part,
not of the computer they're stored in, but of my heart.
For each name stands for someone who has crossed my path sometime,
and in that meeting they've become the rhythm in each rhyme
and while it sounds fantastic for me to make this claim,
I feel that I'm composed of each remembered name.
And while you may not be aware of any special link,
just meeting you has changed my life, a lot more than you think!
For when I do a Christmas E-mail that is addressed to you,
it's because you're on the list of people I'm indebted to.
And whether I have known you for many years or few,
in some way you have been a part of shaping things I do
and now that Christmas has come, I realize anew,
the best gift life can offer is meeting people like you.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS SEASON to you
AND HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY
AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR !
Christi
That is beautiful Christi! Thanks!
Happy New Year Everyone!!!!
