Spring snow, great for the landscape, easy on the eyes

This Spring snow storm in the Ozarks was well worth the wait. It had been anticipated for days. Predictors promised an early morning start yesterday, but it wasn't until 5 p.m. that the first flakes began to appear. Once they did, the dance was intoxicating. It was hard not to look out the window to watch.

We don't get lots of snow in the Ozarks; in fact, this is the first measurable snow of the season, despite it being just a day or two past its season.

As a former Midwesterner, I am not accustomed to a winter without snow, so it was good to finally satisfy my snow fix.    

And a beautiful sight it is. Just walking past any window in the house is like passing a beautiful piece of artwork. You just can't help but stop to admire it.

The best part about this wet, heavy snow is that it is all about moisture, something we have not had measurable amounts of in these parts for a very long time, in any form. We really need to make up for a huge deficit from the 2012 drought. Thankfully, this will go a long way toward  making that happen. This is just what the doctor ordered for our parched landscape. And did I mention it is very beautiful too?

I could be wrong, but I believe the Bradford Pear, (top right) which has just started to bloom and the Magnolia (next photo) with its swollen buds seem happy with the new-fallen, slow-release moisture.

The next photo indicates that just the right amount of snow fell. It is fairly deep. Walking in it would certainly require boots.

I haven't always been fond of the snow. Having been stranded in it not once, but twice in my lifetime, I always appreciate when the snow flies and I can observe from the warm comfort of home. The only responsibility when the flakes fly, is to see to keep our feathered friends well-fed. This Goldfinch, who is just starting to take on the vibrant yellow feathers he will wear during the summer months, seems content enough as he makes his way back and forth from the bird feeder to a nearby perch in a red oak along with his many pals.

Drought is taking its toll at our house

The Arkansas Ozarks remains the darkest red color on the map, which illustrates our exceptional drought. Moisture is about a foot less than where it should be at this time of year. That is frightening since we don't get all that much rain in the summertime anyway.

We have had to water to keep things going. I've managed to save  tomato and pepper plants; they continue to produce, for which I'm very grateful. I've planted some new seeds for a fall crop of beans, cucumbers, cilantro, arugula, Swiss Chard, lettuce, radishes, and some other things. They are starting to sprout now, so watering remains essential.

The understory of the woods is coming back, due to a recent quarter-inch of rainfall. It is amazing what that small amount of rain can do to help what some people call weeds. To me, the only "weed" we have is the Bermuda grass that invades everything and is nearly impossible to pull out of where it doesn't belong.

Everything else, to me, is a wildflower or wild vine--but that's just me.

The local deer population has made it a habit to feed wherever they can during this dry spell. Here, a doe drinks from our rain barrel. It sits next to a garden where she has helped herself all summer. 

Watering the flowers was a mixed bag. I worked hard to keep my flowers alive, but they represented the only greenery around. So, I could hardly be upset Mama Deer eating them when that was the only food she could find. The result is that I have no flowers left, but the deer are happy.

The same is true for these cute little fawn siblings. They actually make a daily trek to our front porch-literally onto the front porch to do their grocery shopping. 

I am starting to wonder if they want to come inside to watch a little TV or play a board game with our cats. 

Even though the weather is improving a little, meaning it isn't over 100º anymore, it remains very hot and dry. We have had less than one inch of rain since last May with the most being a half inch. 

Hurricane Isaac is due to visit the Ozarks in a couple days, bringing us a valuable gift--lots or rain. We will be very grateful.

Brutal heat and extreme drought affects the Ozarks

So this is extreme drought, eh! Make it stop.

                                  This is my backyard, where lush green is transitioning into brown.                                             All growth has stopped as the trees struggle to survive.

Extreme drought is what they call the transition from a beautiful green landscape to one that is dying before my eyes. The redbuds that line the backyard in the spring seem to be the first ones to lose their leaves in these hot, dry conditions North-central Arkansas has experienced since mid-spring. I believe where I live, there has been just a half inch of rain since April. Rain has occurred in areas all around us, but we are at a little higher elevation. It must be drier up here. We also must be closer to the sun because the temperatures have also been higher here than elsewhere around us.

It isn't just the redbuds, but other trees are losing leaves as well. Some of them are visible in the distance. What is normally a palette of lush, green colors is being replaced by the dead look of drab brown.

Bushes and plants aren't faring much better. Pots of marigolds, zinnias, petunias, and newly-planted trees continue to wither despite daily watering. The joy I once felt from just sitting on the front porch overlooking all the growing things in the yard has been replaced by the need to stay indoors where it's cool.

The string of triple-digit temperatures combined with weeks and weeks of no rainfall is not just hard on us humans.

It is also hard on the flora and fauna.

Tufted Titmouse

This poor little bird is trying to cool off by keeping its mouth open.

We keep several bird baths full at all times in both the front and back yards, refreshing throughout the day, just for our feathered friends.

This guy is sitting on a pot of marigolds which doesn't look too great either. It has been very difficult to try to keep  flowers alive in this brutal heat, even though they are out of the full sun. Even the pots in the shade of the front porch or along the north side of the house are drying out.

A White-tail deer forages for food

I followed this deer recently. She was foraging in our front yard, getting dangerously close to a young Bradford Pear tree and a pair of lilac bushes. That is not acceptable, even though she thinks she can help herself to anything that grows. We don't always agree.

Moments before, she was right next to the front porch munching on my flowers. By the time I got the camera, she had ambled this other garden area.

It seems that all animal behavior is altered by the excessive heat and arid conditions. Squirrels are more frenzied than normal in their desire to eat as much bird food as they can grab. In the past two days they have destroyed two bird feeders. One feeder which they had been unable to pilfer for the past eight years, has finally been squirrelized. They dragged it up to the roof of the house where they promptly ignored the squirrel baffle and feasted on its contents. Then, they proceeded to throw it to the ground. Needless to say, we went bird feeder shopping. Same story, another day.

Ruby-throated hummingbird

The hummingbirds have continued their zeal for the sugar water we make for them when needed.

There don't seem to be as many hummingbirds as in past years, but the ones that are here remain hungry. This little guy perches atop what is left of a red geranium. I thought about trimming it,  but this little hummer has taken to sitting on that tiny stem, so I decided to leave things as they are for now.

At the moment this picture was taken, his mouth was closed. Often times, they too open their mouths to cool off. It is like panting, and helps to expel the warm air from their bodies. Birds will also fluff their feathers, allowing heat to dissipate. Poor little things have no means of sweating to keep them cool.

I see by the radar, that rain is in the area, even though it is a hit-or-miss proposition. I'm always hopeful!

Finally, gardening success

Everyone who knows me, is probably familiar with my struggles to maintain a productive vegetable garden. I want to report that this is my year!

Since John and I moved to the Ozarks eight years ago from the land-of-glacial-till, topsoil-rich Illinois, I have been relatively unsuccessful at raising my beloved tomatoes, probably one of the easiest crops to grow in all the universe. Yet, every year, one thing or another has destroyed my chances to harvest big, red, juicy tomatoes. I have been successful with cherry tomatoes and some tiny, under-sized Roma tomatoes, but their larger cousins have eluded me. 

This is the year we finally got it right! 

Today, I picked my first tomato pictured here during its last few moments of life on the vine. 

This is a relatively new garden, installed by John. It is a raised bed and is filled with store-bought dirt. I started some  heirloom tomatoes in the house this winter. I also bought some plants. I believe this is one of those, although my grown-from-seed plants are doing well also.

This little heirloom tomato, of an unknown variety, is the first of what I hope will be many, is the product of years of observation. To me it represents a successful learning experience.

When we moved to Arkansas, one of the first things we did was pick a spot for a garden. I ignored all the people who told me not to bother trying to plant a garden. 

"It's just too darned hot," they said. But, I wouldn't listen. I am a firm believer in gardening and eating fresh, organic food that you grow yourself. Besides, there is nothing like the flavor of a fresh-picked tomato right off the vine. 

Our property is largely forested, but when we first began our gardening quest, we assumed that if we picked a sunny location, all would be well. We even overlooked all the rocks in the soil as John ran our little rototiller through it, stopping frequently to leverage a huge rock out of the tines. To me, nothing holds more promise than a newly-tilled garden. 

Our early efforts looked promising. We had planted corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, peas, strawberries, and asparagus. In the early spring, the plants looked lucious. Then it started getting hot. I underestimated the hot, arid Arkansas summers. I watered now and then, but was afraid to water too frequently since we use well water. The plants stopped growing and soon withered.  

Another year, we noticed that our sunny spot was now in the shade most of the day.  The plants never really did very well. I know that some trees have a cycle whereby one year they produce seeds and another year they are more leafy. I assume Oak and Hickory trees have such a cycle. They had also grown bigger and blocked more sun. The garden was on the east side of the house, so the garden had to rely on its sun during the earlier part of the day. The plants soon looked malnourished--probably because they were. I recalled hearing how the least fertile soil type is that of forest land, simply because trees take all the nutrients out of the soil. What I needed was a fertilizer rich in nitrogen. I tried that, but with mediocre results.

We decided we needed a new plan, so John built a raised bed garden in the back of the house adjacent to the patio. We had an herb garden there that was doing pretty well.  

That was the year we learned the hard way about rabbits, deer, squirrels, and other woodland creatures that were drawn to my garden delicacies. 

This year our answer was to take some of the chicken wire fencing around the initial garden and install it around the raised bed. That seemed to do the trick. I water every day. There isn't much in the garden except for tomatoes and peppers, but, that is OK with me for now. At this point, all I wanted was to eat a fresh tomato.  I consider this to be a very successful venture. In the future, and maybe even this fall, I can plant a variety of vegetables.

For the record, I almost couldn't lose this year. I also planted tomatoes in pots on the deck and in pots on the front porch. Pictured here are a pot of nice-sized Roma tomatoes. A couple of them are turning red, so it won't be long for these either. 

I've always been successful at growing one of my favorite things--Serrano peppers. They were introduced to me by a dear friend and former neighbor whose family is from Mexico. He brought me a couple of plants one year and I always grow them now. I always think of Cel when I plant them and when I eat them.

They are my favorite hot peppers. They have a much better flavor that japalenos and a different kind of heat. I eat them both fresh, cut up in tacos and in fresh salsa. I really like to cook with them though. They have the most delightful flavor. One of my favorite things to use serranos for is canned salsa. 

I've been wildly successful with these. Hot peppers must love Arkansas. They seem to love the conditions here.

I started this plant, shown at right, in a pot last year, brought it into the house for the winter, where it continued to produce peppers. It was a shadow of its former self this spring when I transplanted it outside, but it is perking up nicely. I have already picked a few peppers from it. Though they are hidden by leaves, there are a few peppers on on it, along with future peppers in the flower stage. I don't often wait for the peppers to turn red. They are just as good at any stage.

Critters can be challenging

I absolutely love living in the woods. There are certainly challenges, however, such as trying to also maintain the place, not to mention, trying to have flower and vegetable gardens. There are many reasons I find gardening here in the Ozarks to be a challenge, not the least of which is because of all the critters that run around like they own the place.

OK, I know, they do own the place. We are all just squatters in the forest. And I'm very grateful to be sharing the woods with them, but there are times when we humans just have to act like the top of the food chain. I insist that we learn to get along. I will just not tolerate the deer eating my tomatoes, or rat snakes climbing into the bluebird nest, both sad topics I've written about in the past. As long as we can have an understanding, I am thrilled to be able to be up close and personal with all the wildlife that seems to abound in our little Ozarks forest.

Bandit, the raccoon

This is bandit. He and his pals appear nightly, although this time I caught him during a lazy afternoon. It is really hard to resist that face. This has to be a young fella, evident by the fact that he didn't pull the feeder, the pole that holds it, and all the seed onto the ground for easier pickings.

We have resorted to bringing the feeders in at night, simply because these guys, while cute, are pretty destructive. 

Even the noisy crows like to get into the act

Rarely do I see the many crows in the area come into the yard. I have no idea what that means, except perhaps that it has been pretty dry this spring. They are probably looking for an easy handout.

This morning I saw them foraging on the ground, but at other times, they have been hanging out at the bird feeder with the rest of my feathered friends. Wanna see a tiny chickadee run for its life?--Just throw a giant, noisy crow into the mix. These guys are huge. 

They aren't shy about talking about what they want either. Crows are beautiful birds, but their voices will never allow them to be American Idols.

A myriad pesky squirrels

Of course this little guy is no stranger to anyone's garden. He and his extended family are just about the biggest pain in the neck in our lives. 

While the antics of squirrels can often be quite charming, it has started to become a little annoying. In fact we are getting pretty aggravated about their trying to steal ALL of the bird food we put out. The little buggers are smart and apparently smarter than we are. We shall persevere however. 

Suffice it to say, if one or more squirrels get eaten by a bigger animal, there would be no crocodile tears shed by me.

Terrible the terrapin

The other morning, I was sitting on the front porch enjoying the beautiful weather of late, when I had to actually scold this little fella. Normally I just ignore him, but when I saw him take a big bite out of my impatiens, I decided it was time for him to go. I picked him up and carried him to another part of the yard. 

Darned if he didn't come back, so I repeated the process. I know it was him because he has a little cut in his shell, right near his right hind leg. The other day I found another--a different tarrapin--trying to follow in his footsteps. Sheesh!

I ran into a rabbit this morning, but it was too dark yet to get his picture. So far, I haven't caught them doing anything I didn't approve of. I really don't mind if they want to stick with the clover. If they start heading for my vegetable garden though, that will not be tolerated. I've seen chipmunks, skunks, and some other critters, but not when I was armed with my camera. Who knows, that may be something to strive for along  with growing pretty flowers and lots of healthy veges.

Taking the spring cleaning outdoors

Wow, I'm still tired from hours spent working in our Ozarks gardens.

It was time to move the nesting instinct closer to where nests usually are--outside.

Our toil involved raking, leaf blowing, burning, digging, mulching, weeding, cleaning, planting, mowing, and lots of other things.

 Pictured here, was our biggest accomplishment. At left, my husband John is trying to coax down a branch that had fallen during the ice storm in January, 2009. For the past three years, the huge branch that had broken off has just been hanging there teasing us into trying to pull it down. Unfortunately, all our attempts only succeeded in wedging it more tightly into the fork of two branches. Last winter, we decided to just wait until Mother Nature took care of it, finishing the job she started three years ago.

Piece by piece, the old branch weakened. Pieces of it would fall here and there--until this week. With a little coaxing, we are finally rid that old oak tree of this hideous reminder of that horrible storm when the power was out for five days and so many trees were damaged, not just on our property but in the whole southern portion of the country. Arkansas was hit hard; so were Missouri and Kentucky.

I'm so happy the thing is finally gone!

One of our other accomplishments was rejuvenating the magnolia garden next to the porch, so named by its most prominent occupant.

It may not look like much, but getting this garden back into shape is always  a chore! When we created the garden, we got rid of as much Bermuda grass as we could. We pulled, tilled, burned and mulched. It was like a never-ending task to keep this garden weeded. But this year, after our seven-plus inches of rain, the weeding was fairly easy. The soil amendments we have been adding for years seems to have finally paid off too. We now have a nice little bed in which to plant more perennials and perhaps a few herbs. A few are coming back from previous plantings.

John cleaned the barrel and got the pump running in the little water feature on the left. It is always nice to hear water run while while sitting on my wicker rocker and sipping iced tea. In the late afternoon, while taking one of my many and final breaks, I watched a frog hop all the way from near the road to the garden to claim his place. Last night I heard him croaking, so he is apparently doing a little spring nesting of his own.

I brought most my house plants outdoors for the season. My aged spider plant is visible in the above picture. We moved Lady Spider here with us eight years ago. She sits on the rusty old milk can next to the house in the shade garden alongside the house. She seems perfectly happy there. That is probably because there are no cats lying in her pot or eating her leaves. For some reason, the cats just love to nibble on her leaves.

Another chore that we undertook was the decision
to turn an overgrown garden area near the road into a wildflower garden. We had only briefly touched this area. It is just a bit too far to reach with the hose. Note to self: We will need to work on that. There are two peonies, a clump of irises and a few daffodils that were planted by previous owners of the property. We may move the peonies, but the rest can stay.

Part of that project involved one of my favorite springtime chores--burning leaves and brush. The before and after pictures show the world of difference.

Fire is exciting, but very scary. During my days as a journalist, I followed too many fire trucks to grass and field fires to ever take fire for granted. I certainly didn't want to cause an innocent burn to get out of control. I'm very cognizant of what can happen.

Needless to say, that was a pretty hard days work for a couch potato like me. I spent yesterday recuperating--deciding to work on my quilt instead of venturing out into the great pollen-filled outdoors.

There is still lots to of work left to do. In fact, I think it is never ending. It is such good work though. Gardens is so satisfying. Just one of the rewards came that very afternoon. At about the same time I watched the frog claim its place, I also watched this butterfly sipping the nectar of these lilacs.

After it was all over, I wondered if there could be anything more refreshing than a hot shower and a good night's sleep to end our beautiful day in the Ozarks.

Weather extremes days apart

What a difference a few days can make. 

Some of my favorite little birds--the Juncos--seemed to really enjoy the snow we received on February 14. The more they ate, the more energy they seemed to have, as they hurried from one place to another in a frantic attempt to find food.

Every now and then, they would take a break. My camera caught one of them doing just that, as he sat still on a dormant magnolia tree before taking off again. Perhaps he realized that it was easy to find food here, since the humans who inhabit this part of the forest always keep several feeders full during inclement weather.

See how they scurry beneath a feeder during the only real measurable snow we had this winter?
The picture shows how dark it was during the height of the snow storm that dumped about three inches.

I just love those dark, moody days!


I had forgotten these pictures were even in my camera until I aimed my lens once again toward the front bird feeder to capture a shot of this happy Cardinal  perched leisurely near his food source.

That was just nine days later--February 23. The temperature was a balmy 75º outside.

Not only was the weather different, but so was the mood in the bird community. The frenzied feeding from a few days earlier gave way to a more relaxed mealtime.

I shared a similar mood. Both of us were perched in our respective places--just enjoying the day. We both enjoyed the weather and promise of the soon-to-be spring.

Such weather extremes, just nine days apart, are common, here in the Ozarks. Personally, I love it. I was just as content to watch the snow fall from the chair in front of my sewing machine as I was to enjoy the warm breezes that swirled around my wicker rocker on  the front porch.

The name of the game is peace. I suppose it is an earned reward, acquired simply by living through the rigors of working and raising a family. Whatever the reason, I like it!

The Ozarks has endured a very rainy season

Despite the sunny skies and warm temperatures, north-central Arkansas is still reeling from the effects of a series of torrential rains. Flooding continues.

Debris floats in the murky floodwater; a public dock is too far away to access

The White River basin has experienced so much rainfall that the flood-retention potential of the reservoirs on the White River system have exceeded their capacity. There has just been too much rain resulting in too much water.

Following one of the many articles in the local newspaper, The Baxter Bulletin recently, I noticed a comment about the dams not having any effect at all on flooding. The commenter suggested that it is almost like there aren't any dams at all.

I have to take issue with that. The dams have worked well. Yet, when they were designed, it was impossible to predict the kind of rain that has been experienced this year. I cannot imagine how horrific and widespread the flooding would have been without them. More lives would have been impacted and undoubtedly more lives would have been lost.

Controlling the White River basin is complicated, but basically, it began at Beaver Lake. With so much rain, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to release water from the spill gates from the dam at Beaver Lake (near Eureka Springs, AR). The rush of water compromised the storage capacity downstream at Table Rock Lake, (Branson, MO) which also experienced record rainfalls. Those flood gates too had to be opened. When that occurred, people living along Lake Taneycomo, near Branson, endured major flooding. Because of the economic impact to Branson, affecting numerous homes and businesses, this became a huge news event.

The torrent continued to make its way into Bull Shoals Lake, which caused a need to open the spill gates at the dam there.

As I write this, the flood gates remain open at Bull Shoals, allowing 58,000 cubic feet of water per second to rush into the White River below. All 17 flood gates are open. It is a sight to see and hear.

Bull Shoals dam releases water into the White River

Awesome power was evident in sight and sound

Sadly, the result is high water in the generally tranquil waters of the White between Bull Shoals and Norfork. Homes and docks have been inundated by the swiftly rushing, but crystal clear, cool water.

We had almost 40 inches of rain in a less than two-week period. The rain was amazing. I have never seen anything like it.

While I feel for all those whose property is in a low-lying area, I have no sympathy for the arrogant and/or foolish people who built homes practically on the water's edge. The smart people, such as the pioneers who built the Wolf House, built it on a bluff overlooking the river. They still had their view of the river, but were protected by the nearly annual occurrence back then. They knew then and we should know now that rivers will always flood despite man's efforts. Man cannot overpower, out think, or out maneuver Mother Nature, so he shouldn't even try.

Except for the last day of this rainy spell, I have to say I enjoyed every minute of the rainy weather. Before this started, we were suffering from mild drought conditions. Rain was not something that came easily last summer. I used to watch out the window as clouds formed and then poof--they dried up and disappeared. It was depressing to watch all my plants shrivel and die. Flowers failed to bloom. Trees went into early dormancy. We even lost some. The vegetable garden was the worst of all. So, when the rains began this spring, it was time to rejoice. I had just planted the garden. It was thriving; everything was lush and green. We needed the rain.

Somewhere along the way, we crossed the line. I recall being just a little cranky on that last rainy day. I'm not sure if it was because I knew the rain was going to end, I missed seeing the sunshine, or if I had just reached a personal limit. I'm sure I would have continued my enjoyment of those dark, moody days, had it not been for the severe storms that accompanied  the heavy rain. The severity of the weather hit way too close to home, as we are only 80 miles from Joplin, MO where the death toll continues to climb, a week after the storm.

I have always been fascinated with flooding which hearkens back to when I was a small child, living on the south side of Chicago. My family lived on a street that dead-ended at a set or railroad tracks. A pedestrian viaduct below the the tracks allowed access to the other side. It was the way my brother and I walked to school every day. When the viaduct was flooded, we had to walk over the tracks instead. That was normally tabu, but was the only way during a flood. Such a forbidden trek was very exciting to a six-year old child. Apparently, that stimulation has followed me to adulthood.

Related articles

• Lucky to have survived this Ozarks springtime (rural01.blogspot.com)

Lucky to have survived this Ozarks springtime

It was so dry earlier this year that the water level in the lakes nearby were so low that watery coves dried up. Some boats, like these at a marina in Udall, MO still moored at their docks, sat in the mud.

It all began to change in mid-April, when the rain began.

Image via Wikipedia The rain promised to aid the annual resurgence of flora and fauna. Trouble is, it didn't stop raining. At one point after a night of heavy rain, the rain gauge read '14 inches.' That was followed by four inches and then three inches. That continued for almost two weeks. I've since lost count. Suffice it to say we are now close to 40 inches of rain in a little over a month. Because we live on a hillside, we have had no ill effects from all that rain. In fact, I loved every minute of it. Our backyard resembled a tropical rain forest. To me, there is no better smell than the woods after a rain.  
  
Such heavy rain combined with a huge snow melt in the northern states, all draining into the Mississippi River, caused record-setting flooding in the nation's largest river and its tributaries. The great flood of 2011 has claimed thousands of acres and produced millions of dollars in damage in several states. 

In mid April, heavy moisture rising from the Gulf of Mexico with unseasonably warm temperatures collided with the cold dry air from the north. Fueled by an ambitious jet stream the result was an outbreak of severe storms.  
Image via WikipediaOn April 26, a tornado aimed at a major population center. Severe damage occurred in St. Louis, MO. Though there were no serious injuries or deaths reported, the 22-mile storm path devastated property. Even Lambert Airport took a direct hit. Both the airport and the interstate highway that feeds it were closed for a time.

A day later, a severe weather outbreak wreaked havoc on the southern states killing 232 people in six states. It seemed to zero in on Tuscaloosa, AL when an EF4 twister claimed 131 lives.

On Sunday, May 22, Mother Nature's destructive side spawned the devastating EF5 tornado that decimated huge chunks of Joplin, MO. To date, 126 people are known dead with hundreds still missing or unaccounted for. The Joplin tornado now eclipses the death toll from the 1953 tornado in Flint, MI, making it the eighth-deadliest U.S. tornado on record. More than 500 people have been killed in tornado outbreaks this Spring.

 

A rain-swollen White River downstream from Bull Shoals dam

In my locale, the tremendous amounts of rainfall has caused local flooding in low-lying areas. Dams built throughout the White River basin to store flood water until it can safely be released have filled to their brim as heavy rain has been relentless. Just a few months ago we couldn't wring a drop of moisture from the sky. Now it seems as if a spigot is stuck in the 'on' position.

Even though our little acreage has been relatively untouched by the most severe weather, these events have been too close for comfort. It has been unnerving to be suddenly awakened during a sound sleep by the blare of the weather radio toning its many warnings. From flash flooding to severe thunderstorms to tornado watches and warnings, the nerves are frayed by this very active season.

I am grateful for the technology that warns us, allowing enough time to take action to protect ourselves. In Joplin, there was about a 25-minute warning before the storm hit. Undoubtedly lives were saved.

During a severe weather event, I monitor the events all around. As long as the satellite receiver can retain a signal, the television is tuned to the weather channel. When the weather is severe, the local stations break into regular programming and provide minute-to-minute coverage. Even though we are in Arkansas, our local channels originate in Springfield, MO. I have to give a shout out to KY3 which seems to do the best job for us. I noticed that even some of my favorite stations returned to regular programming once Springfield was out of danger. We were still threatened however. KY3 continued its weather coverage until the threat had passed. I also keep my laptop computer on Intellicast, my personal favorite weather site. It updates the radar regularly and allows me to zoom into my own backyard. I can literally watch the radar as the storm approaches our house. My personal preparedness also includes a portable police scanner, so we can monitor local emergency traffic.

I am not complaining. For me, the more than thirty inches of rain that has fallen over our little five acres on a hillside has brought nothing but personal pleasure.

Trees once ailing from drought conditions are no longer stressed. In fact, all of the plants in the yard this year are thriving. The vegetable garden shows great promise.

There was one storm during these numerous events that produced gusty winds and quarter-sized hail. Even as we cringed at the ice balls hitting our windows, we know we were lucky.

The damage was obvious, but not severe. The bleeding hearts come to mind. Beneath the eaves, I would have thought they would have been protected. Instead, their once show-stopping beauty was marred by the overnight storm. They looked as though they were trampled upon. A beautiful crop of purple iris and their neighboring Mock Orange and Azalea bushes were broken and more horizontal than vertical. Some of the tomato plants in the vegetable garden had been broken and battered. A few petunias showed some battle scars on their otherwise velvety-textured petals. Fortunately a quick pruning was all they needed. Since it is early in the growing season, they will easily compensate for the damage.

Probably the most obvious resultant was the scattering of new and fully-grown oak leaves. The trees had finally fully dressed with its neon foliage--in a process that seemed to last an eternity after their long winter of nakedness. The hail pelted the trees as the wind whipped the tree tops. Small branches were broken. Leaves, filled the yard. No single area was spared from the lawn, to the gardens, and even onto the covered porch.

We have been lucky. Tornado season is not yet over. I hope that luck holds out for the rest of the season.

Riding the weather roller coaster

This was the scene on Jan. 29th at Lake Norfork in north central Arkansas.

Everywhere you looked, people were outside, enjoying the first warm days that followed a cold and snowy winter.


The sky was as blue as the crystal clear water of the lake that beckoned boaters anxious to take advantage of the 70º weather. We even saw a girl wearing a bathing suit, as she sat on the sand near the water's edge. It was one of those late winter days that was certainly a sign of things to come. 

We just didn't know what exactly was coming.

After such a beautiful weekend, who could have predicted this would be the scene, just six days later, on the Friday night of Feb. 4. It was a beautiful sight as the snow gently fell.

In reality, it was predicted by local meteorologists. So, my husband and I were prepared. 


The beauty snow was breathtaking. There was wood to burn in the stove, the refrigerator was stocked up and   set out to simply enjoy the view.

Much to our surprise, we woke up on the morning of Feb. 9 to our third snowfall of the season. This one was more beautiful than the previous one. 

Interestingly, it crippled the states of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma with record-breaking snow totals. And then came the record-breaking cold snap. Some temperatures reached well below the zero mark, making for transportation headaches and all the  ills.

At our house, we received just shy of a foot of snow. 

It was so beautiful. It began in the early morning hours and snowed all day. It was so lovely to look out the window. 

Again, this was predicted, so we were ready for it. Being retired, there was no place we had to be, except in our warm, cozy home, enjoying the beautiful wintry scene.

The temperatures are predicted to reach 60º again by Monday. 

I love the weather in the Ozarks. It certainly has been a roller coaster ride. There are 38 more days until the official start of Spring--a day worth waiting for. I can't help but wonder what Mother Nature has in store for us in those last gasps of winter.

Hope springs eternal

Wow; this weekend was one of those rare occurrences when you just can't help but be happy to be alive.

The weather was 70º Saturday in the Ozarks, which provided my husband and me, the opportunity to do a little yard maintenance.  

As shown at left, we burned the some  flower beds, making very short work of the fallen leaves and grass that had invaded it. 

What otherwise would have taken days of back-breaking work to pull the offending weeds was taken care of in about an hour. 

Burning offers a good, organic approach. It was not a practice we've ever employed before. It wasn't allowed where we used to live. Fire is so much better than using chemicals on botanical nuisances. Besides, I like the smell of it. 

If I stare at this darkened patch in the front yard long enough, I can imagine it to be black dirt, rather than the charred remains of spent oak leaves. 

Moving to the Ozarks from the Chicago area several years ago, it was difficult for me to reconcile the difference in techniques necessary to guarantee gardening success. Where the ground here contains rocks and clay, which presents a real challenge. Yet there I was used to digging in the rich, black loam left by the same glaciers that formed the Great Lakes thousands of years ago. There was also an abundance of rain farther north which is certainly not the case here during the summer months.

So while I still consider myself a novice, I'm learning to garden again, however, as evidenced by my second picture--the coming of the daffodils. 

This tells me that despite the prediction of the largest winter storm of the season that bears down on us, hope springs eternal. 

Spring will come, in about 50 days, to be exact. Our beautiful weekend was just a tease, but when it happens for real, it will be easy to settle into a warm-weather routine. 

I so love the Spring. I love the Spring flowers. These venerable little daffodils always surprise and delight me. They seem to hide beneath the leaves until we humans clear away their leafy blanket. Once we do, and the sun shines brightly on them, they seem to grow taller ever day until the magic moment when they become flowers. I will never tire of this Springtime ritual. 

Now if only we can make it through the next winter storm unscathed.