Second Snow Fall and a Walk

It's been nearly 70 days since our last snowfall. Madison received from 4 to 7 inches depending on location.  I would guess our neighborhood had between 4 and 5 inches. I cleared the driveway and sidewalks in mid-morning with the Snow Commander snow blower. Tomorrow morning I will once again start-up the Commander.  A mixture of gas and oil powers the Commander. I am sorry to say the engine emits fumes, causing me to smell like a refinery after the job is done.  I wear a special outfit, which  includes a heavy hooded cloth coat purchased years ago from the old Burlington Coat Factory, once located on Odana. 

After I finished, I decided to visit the Gardens and go for a walk. I love walking in a winter snowstorm. I bought myself a Fitbit for Christmas. One of the cheaper ones that you clip to your clothes. Fitbit has assigned me the goal of 10,000 steps a day.  I have no idea how the number was calculated. Anyhow, the assigned goal was an additional incentive to head West on the path.

A combination of sleet, snow and freezing rain fell as I approached the
Gardens. As expected, the Gardens were blanketed with snow. Plows already removed some the snow from the path leaving about an inch of newly falling snow covering the path. Before walking West, I looked around and here are a few scenes from the Gardens on this winter day.

The cherry tree in the middle of the picture is in dormancy with it's roots now protected with snow.  The plants in the foreground are remnants of Purple Cones.  The orange snow fence waits for more snow while I am hoping it signals city plowers to stick snow to the right.  I am optimistic that the fence will serve its purpose, since this is the third year we put up snow fences.    

 Here is what remains of the once green wispy grasses that waved in the warm summer breezes. I imagine, like me, they are enjoying the peace and solitude of a winter day. Winter offers so many opportunities to turn inward or to curl up with a book.  My daughter, Emily, gave me Jim Shapiro's "The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606" for Christmas.  I am enjoying this book that combines literary analysis and historical insights of what is often considered Shakespeare's most creative year. In late spring, I completed a great online course focusing on several of Shakespeare's plays, but not King Lear.

Here is a silhouette of Bee Balm against the mural. The mural features stencils of individuals using the path. Today I witnessed bikers with bikes having fat balloon tires made for the snow, walkers like myself walking alone, people walking their dogs, joggers, and of course, cross country skiers.  Despite the snow, sleet and rain,  it seemed like we were all out enjoying ourselves. For me, the elements added to the enjoyment.

Eventually, I made my way to Glenway Street and turned around to head home.  As I turned to head home, I felt the full effect of the strong East wind and the pallets of ice against my face. I readjusted the hood on my jacket, pulling it more over my head and tightened the two straps, creating a slit for viewing the snowy world as I continued my homeward trek.  

The storm outside has subsided as bedtime approaches.  I will turn off the Christmas tree lights and the electric candles in most of our house's windows before retiring. Maybe I will read a chapter about Shakespeare and his best year. 

Oh yes, the Fitbit informs me that I made my goal:  10,416 steps or 4.97 miles to be exact. Today, I also burned 2,297 calories and climbed the equivalent of 39 floors. Now what do I do with this information?
Eat another cookie?  

Bringing Home the Holiday Tree

This morning, while enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, Ann and I purchased a Frazier Fir.  Once again, we went  to the University of Wisconsin Stock Pavilion, where the Forestry Club sells trees. Proceeds support student career development for those enrolled in the Department of Forestry and Wild Life Ecology.

The Stock Pavilion is a grand old building finished in the fall of 1909 and during an era when barns were like cathedrals, built to tell others the spiritual value of agriculture and rural life. These agricultural cathedrals had style and grace in contrast to the utilitarianism of modern day farm buildings. Today's mega-farms, with over 3,000 milking cows, stress efficiency and profit and less the spirituality of agriculture.

I have special childhood memories of the Stock Pavilion. If you have been reading past entries, you know that I attended a one room rural schoolhouse, near Pulaski Wisconsin, for six years. Through the Wisconsin School of the Air, we received our music instruction from a Professor Gordon. Some of his programs were broadcasted from the Pavilion. Professor Gordon directed the audience made-up of students from throughout the state. I always imagined the Pavilion packed with students like myself.  

You drive into the Stock Pavilion, park your car and a cheerful future forester helps you pick out a tree. I always like to look at several before picking one that I think "speaks to me."  We chose one that is about 6 feet tall and full, of course. 

The picture to the right shows the available amble supply of trees. Along the wall to the left are more trees waiting to be unbundled.

While Ann and I picked out a wreath, the cheerful young man tied our selected tree to the roof of our Honda Civic. The young man thought we had a brand new car.. When I told him it was a 2012 model, he remarked that his car is so much older than ours and had some rust.

Ah yes, graduates school days. When I was completing a Master Degree in Political Science in 1968, I bought a 1962 Chev Blair, using funds from a National Defense Education loan. The price was $500, if I am recalling correctly .  I needed a car for transportation to my various part time jobs. One summer I had two jobs besides managing a student apartment building.  Those were definitely not the good old days.

On one trip with the Blair, I discovered why the car was such a deal.  The frame under the front end was welded and the weld gave way, making steering quite challenging. The car was repaired but eventually junked.

 Here I am pointing to the wreath that Ann picked out. The lucky one is not in the picture. It's a beauty that now hangs on our front door. The wreath joined our other front stoop decorations that include lights around the door and the small roof over the stoop, plus greenery in the short pillar-like planters. This weekend I will place the electric candles in the windows.  

  

Home with the tree. Most likely tomorrow, I will put the tree in a stand and place the tree in a corner of the sun porch, an extension of our living room . We like to have a bare tree for a few days; enjoying the beauty of a unadorned tree.

Once again we will haul down the ornaments from the attic storage area. Many now are approaching being 40 years old, bought when we lived in Portland, Oregon during the late 1970s.  Hanging lights is my specialty; while Ann and I hang the ornaments together.

All will be in place when our daughter Emily comes home on December 19th. She will be with us until the 26th. Before her arrival, I must buy some wood for a couple of fires in the fireplace. The wood box out in the garage is finally empty. I will fill it in anticipation of cozy fires and pleasant holidays. 

Sunny Day and Green in the Gardens

On this spectacular day of sunshine and with a temp approaching 50 degrees, I went on a long walk that included a stroll through the Prospect Gardens.  I went walking after buying our Holiday Tree, the subject of my last entry. These five pictures are a testimony to the mild weather while revealing how all the snow, the topic of my last blog entry, is gone. 

I noticed all the green in the Gardens and reacted with mixed feelings. I enjoyed the warm sun and the shadows cast by the winter sun, low in the sky.  On the other hand, the gardener in me noted the lack of a protective snow cover and how some plants were still growing. Dormancy just was not for them; at least not yet.





These lush and green strawberry plants may be fooled that spring time is already here. They will surely be surprised when winter returns, as it certainly will.

Likewise, these sedges are still tinged with green instead of being a dull brown.  They too have escaped the mild frosts, at least for the time being. 

Notice the green foliage, most likely weeds, in this picture of the raspberry patch.  Weather, like today, promotes growth of weeds. Maybe if this weather continues, I could do some weeding and that would certainly set a record for early gardening.

Notice the terracing up the hillside.  About two years ago, Dave, a neighbor, and I did the terracing with stone donated by another neighbor.  This prevents erosion while providing steps for easier access to the berries higher up the slope.

In the top portion of the picture is the orange snow fence put up a few weeks ago. The aim is to prevent the city plowers from pushing the snow into the Gardens and it worked last year.    



A few brown leaves still cling to the cherry tree. The tree is two years old and is part of a memorial section for Peg, one of the first gardeners. In the right lower corner of the picture are the green remains of Coreopsis. These sprung up from last season's seeds and late in the 2015 growing season.  I was surprised when they showed up.

Certainly, all of these scenes will change in the upcoming weeks as we move through December. I am indeed waiting for a white cover and a white Christmas.  I do love sunny days and yet... hey.. this is Wisconsin and snow is important in the cycle of life.