January Blues

As months go, January is one I typically enjoy. The holidays are past, and it's a time for fresh starts.  January is a dark month, I know. I expect that. I grew up here and know all about the lack of light and long, wet months of Winter. I remember feeling down throughout my life at this time of year (except when I lived in California). Therefore, I say it's okay to embrace the gloom. There is something comforting about doing so. 

This year, however, I find myself more than ever fighting January and anticipating April. I can't wait for it. I look for signs everywhere, every bud on every tree, looking for new growth below the surface of the dirt. I realize I'm early, but I want to be outside with my plants. It's almost painful NOT to be.  

What I do then to curb my plant lust when my garden looks like the Arctic tundra is walk. A lot. And take pictures of nature, and keep walking. This post is about a special walk I took on my birthday a couple of weeks back. I had the day off and went for my regular hike up to Mount Tabor and took photos along the way, looking for living things, signs of Spring.

Along the way, I spotted some smartly pruned evergreens. Pruned green things always cheer me up.

So do fuzzy pussywillow-ish things.

 Here's the same roof top Opuntia that Danger Garden blogged about here. The funny (or weird) thing is we took this pic I believe on the same day, maybe only minutes apart...and I took it for her! Hahah...so strange...

 Nice use of a former birdbath.

This just made me happy.

 This is a fairly new garden after a new rock wall went in recently. Nice. 

 Crevice sedums!

 My beloved local park. A real volcano, too!

 Oooo...misty mystery. 

 At the base of my favorite tree, another offering to the faeries.

 A memorial for a dead bird near the same tree.

Then, off to a trip to Portland Nursery. It was my birthday, after all, I needs me some conifers and friends!

 The Hellebores are always lovely this time of year. I did end up buying one, a Hellebore 'Cinnamon Snow'. First one I've ever purchased...hoping it does well.

 I love the crispness of white and green this time of year.

 Another birthday present....LOVE this! 

Isn't it sexy??

And the perfect way to end what turned out to be a wonderful January day...a homemade gluten-free orange cake made by my mom...delicious.

Cake helps to drive away Wintertime blues. And plants. I highly recommend both in whatever form you can find!