Early with her preparations?

Is the rhododendron a she? I think mine is anyway :-) And like so many shes, she is early with her preparations. Buds are already formed and will now sleep through cold and darkness, to eventually open into huge, pink beauties next spring.

Booktalk in The Blue Garden 1

I have a basket filled with garden magazines and books. In the summer this basket often find its way outdoors, and in between garden work I sit down to get some new inspiration, or read stories written by other gardeners. Outdoor life is history in The Blue Garden for this year, but the basket has alot of new books. On Sundays I have a booktalk over at Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods, and with winter just around the corner it is the perfect time to start a booktalk tradition here in The Blue Garden as well. So put the tea kettle on, wrap yourself in a favorite quilt and come travel with me to the land of garden books.

Barbara wrote about The Essence of the Garden by Hannah Willets some time ago. I did a search on amazon and didn't hesitate long before I ordered a copy. It arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago, and now I spend long, dark autumn nights enjoying Hannah Willets musings from her Shropshire garden. A perfect bedside reading, and at the same time filled with information and descriptions. I wish I could compose symphonias with words like Willet does.

Rain or shine

Rain or shine, the garden needs its man and its woman. Snow is coming and going every second day now, though luckily no frost yet. There were still some pots waiting to be emptied before the long darkness sets in, and today was the day we had to do it. Raining cats and dogs? No, it was raining elephants, but as born stubborn Norwegians, rain doesn't prevent us. We just wear wellingtons and waterproof jakets, raise our shoulders up above our ears and are ready to meet any task.

Some of the clay pots have been hosting annuals this summer. I gathered the plants in a corner under a fir tree down in the backyard, where Terje covered them in a thick quilt of fir branches. Hopefully the plants will make it through the winter months and can be planted out - somewhere - next spring.

Because of all the snow we get during the winter, we carry all pots inside the garage in autumn, but first a cleaning prosess was essential. Icy cold water from the pipe and icy cold water from the sky.

Now we are back inside and I am baking a sweet foccaccia. As soon as it is finished I'll make a huge pot of coffee and we can get some warmth again.

Through my studio window

I was out this morning photographing the virgin snow which came during the night, and had planned to show a few of the photos here. I lifted my eyes from the computer screen and looked out my studio window - and here is what I saw.

Two mooses passing just outside the window. Having my Nikon at hand it was easy to get these photos.

You don't need to travel far and wide when you live in The House in the Woods, excitement can be found both inside and outside the studio window.

Every season.......

I am a summer girl. The Nordic summers are never too hot not to be comfortable, the light is on all night and the colours are divine through our summer months. But walking in the garden a morning before work in this red light I have no problem in admitting that every season has its charm.

I was out this morning with my usual ration of sunflower seeds for the birds and animals which visit daily, some of the creatures have even moved into the garden and can't be called visitors any more, when this warm, glowing red light filled the air.

Lucily my camera wasn't far away, and though the colours on a photo can never be the same as real life, I think you here can get a good image.

We have had several snow showers already this autumn, but every time the snow has melted in a few hours. And luckily no deep frost yet. I still have winter preparations to finish, and hope to find time for that this week-end.

Welcome trick and treaters.

Short Days

It is dark when I walk to the bus stop in the morning, dark when I come home from work in the afternoon. My daily garden walk is a memory from lighter, longer and warmer days. The garden is going to sleep, just like the bears, through the winter. Though the sleep will be filled with dreams of another spring and another summer. I am a dreamer, and a Nordic gardener is forced to live on dreams months of the year. Dreams of seeds to buy, dreams of new beds to make, dreams of colour combinations to try out and dreams of laughter in a garden which never goes to sleep.

Though being a gardener still is something you are all year round. I still fit in my daily garden walk, if only to feed the birds and the squirrels. I read garden books, I visit garden blogs, I buy garden magazines, I write letters to other gardeners around the world, I draw plans for what we will do in the garden next summer, and I write invitations for my BIG 50th which will be celebrated in The Blue Garden next summer.

Photos: the playhouse is ready for Halloween. While I write this, Terje and Marta are busy in the kitchen making a pumpkin ready for trick and treaters. And through the house flows the fragrance of freshly baked sweet rolls which will be our treats for those who come.