It's Snow Problem!

The forecast on Friday was for 6-12" of snow from the storm, then I saw 6-18" but that evening.  By yesterday afternoon it was 24-28".  We got at least two feet when it was all over.  

By yesterday afternoon, the view out on the deck was already ridiculous.  Those are some of the troughs on the left.

My wife and I shoveled our way out in the late afternoon, fearful that if we didn't, we'd never get out the front door today.

Snow selfie, or portrait of Sarah and Todd Palin, as my sister snarked.

My Subaru is under there.

The front garden, post-cleanup this morning.  I couldn't throw the snow any higher.

On the left is the driveway this morning.  On the right is the same view last Monday.

The tender plants were warm and cozy inside with us.

Remember when winter used to be spread out over a few months, instead of all delivered all at once?

What's Going On?

It was sixty degrees today, the 10th of January, and it rained like crazy.

Hellebores have started blooming, 

with more waiting in the wings.

It was 9 degrees Monday morning, and looks to be cold again this week.  The bitter cold day pretty much destroyed the nice show that the winter jasmine was putting on.  At least this chamaecyoaris thiodes 'Red Star' is doing its purply thing on schedule.

I love the pinkish cast it takes on in the winter.

Even soaking wet and windblown, I can appreciate the mix of evergreen sweet box, skimmia and pale grasses in the beds along the garage path.

Achoo!  Even the fern is still green this strange winter.

I don't know whether to root for winter to finally set in and stop this silliness, or for spring to just start and forget about snow and cold.  I feel like an insomniac at 4AM.  Should I keep trying to sleep or just admit it's over and make the coffee?