Snow!

The first snow this year fell Sunday night, December 4. Before I went to bed I snapped a photo. It had a weird reflection:

Since I left town November 17-30, I did not have time to finish removing all the leaves and pods on the lawn. They will be there for me in the spring. Once it snows, I am done and I become an inside person whenever possible.

A pumpkin that was too heavy for me still sits on the deck and is visited every morning by a fat squirrel. I dislike squirrels, but this one is so cute I had to take a video!

Nature's timing is a little off sometimes. It should not snow before all the leaves have fallen. This photo was taken on December 9th at the edge of our side yard.

Did this tree not get the memo?

Some trees (the oaks, especially) are stubborn about shedding leaves. I have one variety of shrub that is also reluctant. I call them "bitter clingers," taken from the words of the current president in 2008* referencing those suffering from small town malaise in Pennsylvania, for instance.

Fine Line Shrub in December - clinging in the bitter cold.

"And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."