winter is on its way

It appears winter is on its way now.... This isn't our first snowfall of the season and it won't be our last. I wish Fall didn't leave us in such a hurry though, but would find reason to linger a little longer. The colors of Fall are such a simple pleasure, and even more so once you realize that it wasn't so long ago when the only landscaping here was the color of ice....

With the Mendenhall Glacier just down the road from us, we've been watching it recede for years. As huge chunks of ice break off and melt, more of the mountainside underneath becomes naked; now a bare canvas to the possibility of cottonwood, spruce trees, and other foliage transforming the bare rocks with a carpet of color. And it is!

When I moved here in 1970, I found it to be a very difficult transition for many reasons. But one of the biggest was that there wasn't any color in the landscape. Despite rumors that nothing would grow because of our weather and the poor poor soil, die-hard gardeners plunged forward, finding the perfect blend of plants and colors to transfer our gray town. Slowly, over the years, seeds are deposited in the forested land and new foliage takes hold. Today our town is filled with color all season long! Cottonwoods have found their niche in the Tongass National Forest, adding their personal touch to the landscape painting. We have nurseries that bring the perfect addition to our yards.

Our color is all gone now. For another season. And, in its place, we'll have the color of black and white for the next several months. The darkness that winter brings and the snow that helps lighten the days. But that's okay because it brings its own mystic to the landscape and goes perfectly with the winter Holidays!

Have a wonderful weekend! Nancy