Cold and Wet / Hot and Dry

Sitting by the wood stove, listening to the wind and periodically checking the snow depth (so far just under a foot) and making a list of drought resistant perennials, --cold and wet vs. dry and hot.

Cathy is going to help me design and plant (hopefully) some no care wildflower gardens, in the spring so I am doing my homework.   Meanwhile, it is still snowing and the weather channel is calling for snow all night.  We may wake up to 2 feet of snow but at least 7 or 8 inches of it have been plowed already.

In the barnyard, I enlisted the help of the critters for snow compaction by enticing them with grain and just walking around with my camera.  I wonder why animals are so interested in cameras.  Check this out  http://www.boredpanda.com/nature-photographers-behind-the-scenes/   and here is Zora.

All of the sheep like to eat the snow.   

Charlotte doesn't seem to mind carrying a bit of snow around.

 The geese tromp around in it too.  They seem to enjoy laying in it.

sharing bits of hay

Good thing for orange beaks.

Back to the wildflowers.  I want yarrow, blazing star, coreopsis, coneflower, rudbeckia, New England aster, blanket flower, painted daisy, anise hyssop, agastache,  and others.  Maybe I should plant a lot of lavender as well.