November

Hi guys! The past few days have been  grey and drippy, with a high grey sky that makes it feel like November here.

I like November a lot more than I like March so I'm happy. I think the light must be similar, this week just before the spring equinox, and the same angle of sun appears in November, just past the autumn equinox. Or maybe it's just the clouds and temperatures. Forty degrees is much nicer than 10. I have all the windows open just to bring in the fresh spring air---and 40 MPH gale wind.

So let's gather up all this energy and enthusiasm and go for a walk on the beach! Mo has to stay home today, the blowing sand can damage his eyes.
The path through the dunes is a bit dismal---but open and safe, so it looks fine to me.

Snowdrifts still, on the shady sides of the outer dunes and fences.

I am looking for the return of the Oystercatchers [LOL I typed oyster crackers! My mind is on the pot of soup, simmering on my stove.]
Oystercatchers are to the beach as robins are to the woods and fields---a much anticipated first sign of spring. They usually arrive on St Patrick's Day (and leave October 2nd), but I start watching as soon as March begins.

No OC's! I wonder if the very cold winter will delay their return? Just a few die-hard gulls are here to watch me as I walk the shoreline.

The tide line is decorated with garlands of black and silvery blue mussel shells. Lots of good seafood here when the birds of all sorts return.

Looking for treasure. These are wintry outwash patches.

Gravelly looking areas of tiny shells, pebbles and sea glass sometimes.

The beach is bare however. Only the pink clouds, reflected in the wet white sand.

And a few odd treasures for my windowsill...

Isn't this an odd thing to find on the beach? It's not a button or a brooch or pin, maybe a scarf clasp or, hard to imagine, a shoe trim? It's not old, or weathered; it hasn't been out here long.

What could it be? For now I hung it in the window , with my chandelier crystals, so I can enjoy the rainbow sparkles of the rhinestones each morning when I wake up and stand at my window, looking at the day and the ocean and the ships.

edit: The blue thing is a plastic ball, like a blue ping pong ball.I thought it looked like a giant pop-it bead. I brought it home for Mo but decided he might choke on it, so---no.

Here's the back of the rhinestone piece, there's little nubs, not really prongs. But they must have attached it to something, and probably why the piece fell off. Car remote for scale.

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach.....

Looking for a Hint of Spring

Hi everyone! We've had a bit of a thaw the past couple days, but the melting snow just accentuates the dull brown and grey barrenness of our winter world. My friend L and I headed off today on an adventure, hoping to find the spring flower show at the big nursery on the north shore. [This is the garden center where, in Nelson DeMille's bestseller Gold Coast, the hero meets the bad guy for the first time. I always get a kick out of that, since it's a favorite book of mine.]

Oddly, the greenhouses are filled with little birds,
who must come inside because
they're attracted to the flowers and warmth.

I took lots of photos, so that you all can walk with us in the warm fragrant greenhouses, and we can all enjoy this little afternoon of springtime.
Colors were very intense and brilliant, mostly

 

I love these colors

 

These funny potato things are Elephant ears. They become huge palm-like plants [in back of the bulbs], very fun, though perhaps too exuberant in size for my deck.

l especially enjoyed the Easter decorations. I love all the traditional spring bulbs in bloom and mossy Easter baskets filled with tiny real plants. They even sell bedding flats of tulips and daffodils, in case you forgot last fall.

Then they had a selection of very beautifully planted, detailed Wardian case terrariums.

Even the parking lot is beautifully planted for the Spring Garden Show.

Back home I had to be content with my homegrown blue hyacinths. Small scale in comparison, but I am very pleased. The dumpster Delft pot finally is a success!

Mo of course had to stay home. Here he is this morning when I tried to get him up. He has daylight savings dysfunction!

''don't wanna...''

Later he perked up and sat out in his chair at my friends' house.

And on our walk we found tiny green daffodil shoots.

Spring hasn't sprung but the earth is awakening at last. Anything peeking through the snow at your house? Or is it warm and wonderful year round?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach......