Garden Peeping _ A January Walk

Hi! Despite the sudden cold, Mo and I go out every day for our long walks.

"Layers, that's the secret!" I assure poor Mo as he stands so sweetly, allowing me to dress him in his halter and leash, then a little parka, sweater or fleece. I think he must like the comfort of the warm garments, especially on very windy days, because he is so patient and docile about being dressed up three times a day.

As for me I wear my trusty REI wind pants over jeans---and I have new adorable UGGs I got for Christmas. Tee shirt, sweater or fleece, fleece vest, down jacket or parka. Hat or headband. Scarf. [I'm tired just listing it all!]. Chapstick. I don't wear gloves because I m afraid Mo will tear the leash from my hand if a crazy-doggy fit comes over him. He has a love / hate thing with the wind--it hurts his eyes and thrums his leash [bad], but it whirls around leaves and pine cones and sticks---maybe, maybe a Big Mac wrapper!?--- [good, so good].

And off we go, at least a mile, usually 1 1/2 or two. We like to peek into the silent empty gardens of our neighborhood.

I so admire gardeners who plan ahead and plant lovely shrubbery for winter beauty. I'm not too fond of basic evergreens, but I do love the berry plants, so prolific this year after our mild fall and winter.

A natural fairy garden, with tiny grasses and alpine moss.

The last rosebud in January, before Monday's deep freeze.

My dad always planted a good assortment of berry bushes in his yard and woods. Partly to harvest for Christmas ''holly and ivy'' decorating, and especially to attract wild birds to his yard and feeders. He loved holly, as do I, and each [very early] spring he and my mom would be so thrilled when the first migrating robins would descend in huge flocks, feasting on his holly berry bushes and trees after their long journeys home to the Cape..

I don't see many songbirds, of course. The oceanfront is too harsh for them. I have been seeing Mr Mockingbird! Once with a friend! Yay! And near the koi pond I see another pair of mocking birds.

The koi grew huge over the summer. And there are twelve of them. They now seem to have some sort of heater or aerator gizmo.

We also get these big flocks of starlings. Mo gazes at them in amazement as they wheel overhead, then alight on rooftops or the ugly locust tree.

Do you feed the birds in winter? Year round? Do you have songbirds or like me, a brown world of sparrows and starlings? All God's creatures...needing a bit of help in the dark cold days of winter.

PS What's a garden walk without a visit to the Goose family!? The parents have cute ski outfts but Baby is shivering and naked in the cold. Oh dear, oh my.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...