Botanic Bleu: Snowflakes on the Porch

Snowflakes on the Porch

Following Christmas, winter days are calmer with time for relaxing and enjoying the season without the frenzy that often accompanies Christmas. Falling snowflakes bring even a greater sense of peaceful days with the excitement that time stands still, even stops. No school, canceled meetings, changed schedules, sweat pants and hoodies, slow-cooking soups, and movie marathons.

All without guilt.

True the spitting snowflakes at my house last week were tiny specks hard to see, but there they were blowing onto the rustic blue box on the porch. I was caught unawares, surprised to see the swirling flakes, but giddy at the sight.

There was just enough snow to cushion the metal chair and to coat the exposed wood floor.

Small drifts were on the ground, but none were on the warmer sidewalks.

Just enough snow to cover the exposed wood floor, but not enough to accumulate on the left-over cedar Christmas tree. The skies looked wintry and the temperatures were below freezing all weekend.

adirondack-chairs-on-porch-with-snowflake-lanterns

Too cold for this southern girl to sit in the Adirondack chairs. Just a few days before the Arctic Blast (favored expression of local TV weathermen), the 70° days meant lunches in the chairs on the porch.

white-ceramic-snowflake-lanterns-with-urn

The white ceramic snowflake candle holders look right at home with the smattering of snowflakes.

The potted ivies and yaupon hollies on the porch will survive the snowy cold.

Snowflakes on ceramic candle holders are ideal decorations for all winter. Fortunately, real snowflakes melt quickly, and the temperatures climb beyond freezing for most of our winter days.

As usual, the only winter snowflakes on the porch this week were the ones on the ceramic candle holders and ...

the glass snowflake ornaments hanging in the kitchen sunspace window.

Time began again, and normal schedules for school, business meetings, regular clothing, and no-time-for-movies once again quickened the pace, but still not to the frenzy level of the holidays.

The temperatures were back into the 70° and lunches were eaten once again in the Adirondack chairs.

For those of you with snowdrifts taller than I am, you will be enjoying al fresco dining in July when I am sweltering in 100° temperatures... staying inside with the air conditioner running non-stop.

Some years we do get larger amounts of snow, ice, and freezing spells. See the following that chronicled some of those days.

Christmas Sayings 2

Christmas Sayings 4

How do you decorate for winter?