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Saturday 21 November 2009

November Skies

Yes .. I am still 'reaching' for posts .. and if I am reaching now .. good grief how bad will it get later is anyone's guess ?
Dealing with typical November skies .. typical meaning gray, dull and boring .. as you can almost feel from Winthrop's pose here ... he looks a bit depressed .. but then again he is rather an inscrutable character .. you can never truly know what he is thinking about.
This picture is almost black and white , if it weren't for some very small cracks of blue.
Click on it and look at that edge of white .. I found it rather amazing on the whole .. but then I am a sky person and this post is mainly sky for a November slant on the weather.

Tops of bare tree limbs looking black against the gray .. stark .. cold .. but no snow yet !
A peek-a-boo bit of blue
Another bit of blue fighting it's way through the gray
It is a struggle but the blue is determined !
Ahhhh ! now that is better
Amazing what a bit of blue can do ?

OOPS ... looks like the clouds are going to win again
So how about a plant called "Stairway to Heaven" aka Polemonium reptans variegated Jacob's Ladder .. it has violet blue flowers Spring time with the variegated foliage that brightens the shady garden for the rest of the season.
Then in the Autumn it turns this shocking chartreuse colour .. how amazing is that ?
Blue tones from the juniper, lavender, and gray blue from artemisia Valerie Finnis play up the colour contrast.
Dave with the boy's in the hood are relieved that this November is fairly mild so far .. ice freezing in certain cracks can be a very tricky situation for ... gnomes and gargoyles ?
... and yes, I have to show off my gorgeous little planters that are still alive and thriving and filling the bill for the mental health of a gardener here ;-)

35 comments:

Linda said...

I'm having a hard time coming up with any decent garden related posts too Joy ... it must be the November blahhhhhsssss!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Those nearly black and white photos are tremendous. They show the feel of november. I like you little pot of hens and chicks. I can't seem to grow them. Some say they are indestructible. Not in my garden.

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Those dark skies with the branches against them look very "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" - perfect for November!

Your little characters 'in the hood' huddled against the weather are a charming bunch of rogues, as well :)

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Love the sky pictures, and the guys!!!
It was sunny here for half a day then clouds rolled in and its colder now.
It is hard to even think of a post when its cold outside(-:

Aunt Debbi/kurts mom said...

Love the snail. Does she have a name?

Sunita Mohan said...

Oooh! I felt like shouting, "Go Blue, Go Blue..."
Your planters are looking really good. I really like that lantern. And, oh yes, a snail outside the pots is so much nicer than one inside, isn't it? ;)

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

What a beautiful post, your sky picures are enchanting. I really like your gnomes & gargoyles, are they ready for winter? I also have the veriegated Polemoium, it's really a wonderful plant. :)

Gail said...

Hello! Joy, I always enjoy your sky shots~~Really, and the blue peaking out from behind the gray makes me happy. We are hoping for rain...after having the wettest October in years...November is the driest. gail

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Linda .. I think you are right about the November Blahhhsssss .. too early to really start writing my garden plans down .. and then that bit about Christmas is coming (low key here) .. it is blah-time time LOL

Hi Lisa : ) yes when I looked at my photos they struck me as black and white the day I shot them was so NOVEMBER ? LOL .. Try growing the Hens'Chicks in a pot first .. see if they can make it that way ?

Hello there Garden Ms. S !
Yes .. the ideas attached to these shots were quite Halloweeny to me too ? LOL .. The boys have been through some fairly rough winters but they are grateful to have a mild one here and there ;-)

Cindee girl ... how cold is cold for you there ? I'm trying to decide if I have to take Mista G in or not .. he would miss the 'boys" now that he has gotten to know them : )

Hey there Debbie girl .. I did have one for 'her" but I don't think it suited .. I might have to do a post asking for suggestions (good excuse for a post eh ? )

Hello Sunita ! Thanks girl : ) .. Yes a snail outside the pot is much better than in the pot or garden .. if they came this size it would be scary ? LOL

Hello Rebecca and thank you so much ! .. my little gang here thanks you too : ) .. I love this plant and the chartreuse colour it changes to in the cold is amazing : )

Gail girl thanks ! Isn't it funny we are having the same type of weather .. October the same way with November having been the driest .. we have had a bit of rain but not all that much .. each year is stranger and stranger !

Anonymous said...

Joy~~ I almost jumped out of my seat when the bat flew up through the Halloween sidebar photo. LOL You got me!

The sky is beautiful for sure. I love the pot with the little hens and chicks trying to escape over the side. They must be teenage daughters wanting to free themselves from the clutches of an over protective mother. [Sorry. I'm making this all about me. LOL]

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Grace girl, you are not the first to tell me that has happened ! LOL .. I feel a bit guilty but it is all in fun and I have to have Halloween reminders all the time ?
I thin that is a hoot about the Hen's Chicks being the teenage daughters and mom .. too true ? I have a son and it seems he is too comfortable in this nest ? hahaha

easygardener said...

Grey is not a colour that belongs in the sky - it should be banned. Dull, dull, dull!
- the sky not your post :-)

Carrie said...

I refuse to believe November is happening, I am so stubborn that the calendar has been taken down and put away.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

LOL .. I got that you didn't mean my post ... or blog ... or me ? LOL
Yes .. having to get used to such gray gray colours ? rather ironic eh ? .. well this month sucks doesn't it ? : )

Carrie girl ! I can just see you hiding the calendar so you don't have to see what is actually going on .. I think some rose coloured glasses are in order for us both too ! LOL

RURAL said...

I love the moody drama, and texture of those photos. So the garden is not revealing it's treasures? There are other subjects that you can write about, and photograph. Surprise us!

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Jen

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hey Jen ! Thank you girl : ) I should be experimenting a little more since the garden will be tucked in for a long nap soon .. is it that thing when you have to stretch yourself to 'grow' ? LOL

Unknown said...

The November blahs are spreading..but only a few more days until we're out of the No-month and into December. Better days are a-comin....

Les said...

I just wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog. I love your almost black and whites.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Jodi girl .. the "get-on-the-treadmill-time" is getting CLOSE ? YIKES ! .. but yes .. November is one BLAH month and it is time to move on to the next silly month ? ;-)

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Les ! You are very welcome : ) Those type of days are rather amazing when the lighting reflects back an almost black and white picture .. we have to see the "up" side of days like that some how ? LOL

Rose said...

Looks like Dave and the boys are sky-watching, too, Joy. They're probably dreading that first snowfall. Thanks for reminding me that Jacob's Ladder is the plant I wanted to add to my shade garden next spring; I think he'd get along well with "Jack Frost," don't you?

Here's hoping for some blue in your skies very soon!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, Joy, the little planters are so wonderful! I would never guess that they are living in Canada's cold temps. The sky holds great fascination here too, something about those dark bare branches and the drawings they make against the clouds. Yes, the blue does change the mood. Hope you continue with milder weather a bit longer. I think our Indian Summer is coming to an end, just in time for my family to come for Thanksgiving.
Frances

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Rose girl : ) YES ! You have to have at least one kind .. this one is a new one to me .. the variegation is nice and bright for the shade garden and the beautiful little blue flowers are so sweet !
Yes .. Dave and the boys know it isn't long before the s*now ? hits the fan ? haha .. they literally brace themselves when it starts .. kind of funny to watch ? LOL

Frances I'm not sure how well these pots will survive our winter but you don't know until you try sort of thing ? It is sunny today but we are in for rain the next few days .. time to stretch out in front of the fireplace for sure : )

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

Just wanted to let you know that I’ve given you the Beautiful Blog Award, you can visit my blog for details. Totally up to you if you want to participate or not, I understand completely if you don’t. I'm so glad I found your blog, especially since we share so many plants. :) Rebecca

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Rebecca .. I am glad you found my blog too girl : )
I just don't participate in the award thing because I have so little time and energy on here .. I wouldn't do it justice .. I have a little disclaimer on my side bar explaining that sort of thing.
But I am honoured that you thought of me, thank you ! : )

Kathleen said...

A little bit of blue does wonders for me too Joy. Our November has been pretty good as well (after the one big snowstorm moved out). I'll take whatever nice days we can get although I have to stretch for a post now too. Everything is brown, brown, brown. Seems like it's going to be a LONG winter.
Can't believe your 'Maypop' is still going strong. You blew me out of the water with that one!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Kathleen girl .. this Maypop is scary .. it is STILL GROWING .. I took pictures yesterday, the weather was so gorgeous I couldn't believe it .. now we are in the gray sky mode and yes .. I think this is going to be a LONG winter is too right !

Pat said...

I have Jacob's Ladder somewhere in the shade...da
Love yours !!
Aren't fall color the best ?

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hey there Patsi girl .. I wish we could see the new episodes of TB and Nurse Jackie (that is going to be GOOD !! haha) .. I used to have the standard JL years ago .. but this variegated one is new to me so I'm looking forward to seeing how it behaves next year : )
Dust yours off girl ! haha

D said...

Joy, love the "almost" black and white photos and then the emerging blue sky.. oooh, indeed.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Di and thank you ! The sky always fascinates me .. lighting has such an affect on me natural and artificial .. meaning lighting in the house has to be just "so" for me to feel comfortable too .. but when you see the sky and how abruptly it can change .. it truly does take your breath away !

Vetsy said...

Hello! Joy.. I love just about everything in your garden post, the photos are lovely.

I like the potted plants and the snail...So cute!

And yes, I agree those white Sedums are very pretty.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Vetsy and thank you so much ! Winter sort of slows the postings down a bit for me but I manage to squeak out a few ? haha
Yes .. I do have a thing for white sedums they are a great contrast to the regular coloured ones aren't they !

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

No problem at all re the award, I only intend it as a thank you, not to increase anyones workload. :)

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Rebecca girl , I really appreciated it ! and it was very kind of you to do that for me : )