On Sunday morning, snow was falling as we drove to church. By the 10:00 a.m. it was starting to accumulate a bit. After experiencing the warmest January on record, it looks as if this will be the coldest February on record in our area. The prelude included the hymn tune Cwm Rhodda, sometimes called "Bread of Heaven," which certainly fit the look of these huge flakes.
By 12:30 the snow had turned to rain and the white stuff was all gone. There are still unmelted bits of snow around town from the last round. Forecasters are predicting more snow on Wednesday. Spring is certainly coming slowly this year.
Among many downed branches from snowmageddon were a few limbs of a magnolia. The fuzzy buds are a delight and I've often wondered if they would open if brought inside but never want to cut them from the tree. Hoping to create a minimalistic Ikebana-esque arrangement, a few of the branches were cut from the fallen limbs. However, I failed miserably and decided to add more broken bits.
Phormium 'Guardsman' is lying flat but retains it's handsome color. Fingers crossed that it'll pull through. Other contents are Prunus laurocerasus, Arbutus unedo, and a carex whose name I've forgotten.
Joining the arrangement is a turtle made by Cindy Jenkins. Hers is one of the booths that I look forward to seeing each year at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival.
The arrangement seems a bit amorphous at the moment but if the magnolias open, it'll be much more interesting. The contents of this vase will last for quite some time so if the magnolias don't open, perhaps I'll buy some flowers to add for next week's vase.
In a Vase on Monday is hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. Click over to her blog to see what others have found in their gardens or nearby to bring inside this week.
