“It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity,” we like to complain during Virginia’s steamy, sultry summers. Well, it’s February and “it’s not the cold, it’s the wind.”
It’s cold all right, but it’s the biting, bitter cold gales that are keeping me indoors. I learned a long time ago to respect those giant old oaks in my yard and to marvel at just how heavy – and potentially deadly – one falling branch can be.
All this by way of explanation for not taking pictures the past few days for a new photo challenge. My friend Joanne at My Life Lived Full explained the premise devised by fellow blogger Cardinal Guzman and I was immediately captivated by the idea.
The purpose of this challenge is choose a location near your home and take several pictures every month. The idea is to capture all the changes that occur over the year – the seasons, the weather, and different times of the day.
I’m jumping in a month late but the Cardinal says that okay. You could join anytime too!
I’m thrilled to have a monthly photo project which will document what is going on in my gardens and when. So without further ado, here are January/February shots around the old Barn. I’m looking forward to the changes ahead as the weather warms up and the wind stops howling a bit. It will stop, won’t it?
Wishing you all a great weekend,
Barbara
Silver in the Barn 
I enjoy taking pics at one of our state parks and seeing the changes through the seasons and years…funny how different something that seems to stay the same really looks.
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Hi Suzi. That’s the part I am going to enjoy most about this challenge. And don’t we have the best state parks?
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Feel free to join the challenge Suzi!
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What a fun photo challenge! I love your photos, but especially the ones of the birdhouse and the tree in the snow.
Anxiously awaiting spring!
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Me too!! I am officially over all this cold and wind. The New Englanders are looking down at us, I’m sure, and thinking what a bunch of babies!!
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Sounds like a fun challenge Barbara! And I don’t blame you for not venturing out – between the wind, the ice and the snow I’m so over winter already. Keep warm!
Caroline
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I know your winter makes ours look like a cakewalk, Caroline! So I’ll try not to complain too much. Seriously, the winds the other day were terrifying and my yard is now absolutely littered with branches. Thankfully none of the big trees came down. I’ll consider myself very luck at that. It won’t be long now, girl, before we see a crocus or two!!
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What a pleasure touring your place through your eyes. Most enjoyed your winter (wheelbarrow?), turtle (does s/he have a name?), and, of course, the look down from your window.
It is still interesting to me that, as beautiful as snow is, I never miss it for a moment!
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Thank you, Babe! The turtle is “Chelone!” You will appreciate that, I think. Hope you have a great weekend.
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I knew only the root–had not heard of the turtlehead plant until googling : ) Enjoy your weekend, too. I will be at Descanso Garden, today. In the camellias. In the sunshine!
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Grrrrr. I mean “Oh, how wonderful!” Also Chelone was a figure in Greek mythology who was turned into a tortoise. Nasty Gods! And we thought confession was an ordeal. LOL!
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That is what I meant by “root”…
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I just looked, though, and learned, humbled: Had always assumed chelation was related, etymologically. Not at all. Thus, not a root at all. So much for Miss Smarty-Pants.
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Never! You retain your title forever in my book.
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That can be read two ways, as you well know, you Southerner!
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Even in the cold and snow of winter, your property looks postcard beautiful! My favourite photo is the one of the big tree with the road in the background. I love the composition of that photo with such a magnificent tree!
Thank you for the shout-out. I will have to make my way back down to the marina for more photos soon 🙂
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Hello, Joanne. That’s my favorite too. I love that tree so much! I must have pagan blood flowing through my veins. Thank you so much for introducing me to this challenge which I really think I’ll enjoy so much. And, yes, put on your parka and head out to the marina soon. I’m looking forward to it.
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I guess that makes two of us pagans!
I’m so glad you joined the challenge. I’m looking forward to all the changes ahead – in both our worlds 🙂
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Barbara, I loved touring your beautiful yard and seeing your lovely house. Your pictures are keepsakes. 🙂
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Thank you so much! Maybe you might consider doing the same with your garden. It’s going to be so much fun to see how things change over the course of the year.
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Yay! I can in to comment before having to read through hundreds of others!! Trouble with slacking in Blogland, miss posts 😦 Don’t know how you keep up to so many blogs and comments.
Lovely selection of photos. I decided one year to photo our botanical gardens, ten minutes walk away (under normal circs) and managed a few different times of year, but then got distracted. At least your garden’s a bit nearer. Is that an extension over the verandah on the snowy pic of your gorgeous home?
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Hello, Kate. That is what Southerners call a sleeping porch. Back in the days before air-conditioning, the children would sleep in there in little make-shift cots. I met an older gentleman who summered at this house in the 30s who told me wonderful stories of how they once lived in this old house.
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WOW ! It certainly looks cold there Barbara, superb photo’s though. Its strange how beautiful snow pictures are but I prefer to stay indoors when its so cold, and believe it or not its does get cold even here in Crete. Love your turtle by the way he looks quite snug there. PS had our second Argentine Tango lesson last night for 2 hours. was exhausted when we got home and boy did our legs ache this morning.
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Oh, fabulous!! I think you should give us a blog post of the two of you tango-ing when you’re thoroughly up to speed. I did not imagine Crete ever getting cold for some reason. So pleased you enjoyed the photos!.
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Pingback: Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons 02 | Cardinal Guzman
Nice, and what an interesting challenge. Will you be posting ‘before and after’ pics when the challenge is done?
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I love that idea, Marissa, so assuming I actually remember, the answer is YES! Thank you!!
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Great! I look forward to it!
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What a great idea! I live in a wee house so I think I’d run out of photo ideas pretty fast. My favourite image is the oak tree with the road disappearing off in the distance. A neat picture possibility for this week’s photo challenge “Perspective”, too. The winter here has already gone on too long and is too cold but I’m grateful I bought clunky Sorel boots to keep my feet warm and dry. Happy Saturday, Barbara.
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You know, Susanne, that photo of the oak tree is going to be a good one to track all year long, I think. I know spring can’t get here soon enough for either one of us.
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Lovely photos. Even on a winter’s day, your backyard and home are a very inviting place to be. 😉
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HI Judy and thank you so much. It is my sanctuary even in the winter, I guess. Stay warm up there!!
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I’m in Florida. But it’s considered ‘chilly’ by many who live here. 😉
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I keep forgetting that, Judy. New York is stuck in my mind for some reason. OK, duly noted now, I promise!! Sheesh.
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Believe me, Barbara, those snow storms are never far from my mind and we left New York in 1999. 😉
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Lovely photos of lovely spots.
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Thank you so much, Bruce. Very kind of you.
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Gorgeous Rosedon whether in dead of winter or showing off your gardening talents..always inspires the rest of us to enhance our properties. You and Roger have done an outstanding job bringing life to such a gorgeous landscape.
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Well, thank you, Dorothy Jane, but you know I could do another whole photo montage of Garden Carnage. I will spare you the horror of what else lurks out there!! But that wheelbarrow will be filled with more than ice once the weather warms up.
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Lovely photos, look forward to the changes in Spring. Being a New Englander and always living in the north, I know that ‘winter’ and ‘cold’ are relative terms for all of us. Your snow is as beautiful as our current drifts, blown by the same frigid wind — Spring is coming 🙂
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I lived in Massachusetts for twenty years so you’d think I’d be tough enough to endure a Virginia winter. Nope. I’m complaining as though I were a real Southerner (which I like to imagine myself.) I know you all have just been pounded this year with snowstorm after snowstorm so I will count my blessings. Thank you, Joyce.
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Well then you know what New England winters are like 🙂 I spent the Christmas break in southern MD — no snow, but some days were pretty chilly. I enjoy the snow, as long as I don’t have to shovel it.
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I don’t blame you a bit for hibernating inside. I got tired of being chased inside by the biting winds of winter, so I flew south.
Aah . . . that’s better! 😎
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With no plan to migrate back north in spring, I know. Smart little bird you are, Nancy. Enjoy those warm Florida breezes!
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Gorgeous photography! For such a romantic challenge. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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Thank you so much. I’m learning, slowly but surely. I appreciate your kind comment.
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Hello Barbara, This plan only works if you have something to photograph that both: 1) Changes over time, and 2) is attractive to begin with, as for example your beautiful and ever-progressing garden. In my own case, outdoors we have no real seasons, and indoors time-lapse photos would only show an increasing build up of dust.
Seriously, timed photos would be a good idea to record Taipei’s rapidly changing neighborhoods. I have a book called something like Taiwan Photos from the 1960’s, and the changes since then are astounding.
–Jim
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You know you made me laugh again, Jim! I can only imagine how the photos of Taiwan in the 1960s would contrast with what you see now. I remember when Leonard drove us up into the country to visit Sun Moon Lake and we passed through small villages which seemed to be as they have always been. Taipei would be unrecognizable, I imagine, to a person from that era.
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What a fun project! Your yard really lends itself to monthly views. I hope we’ll see that first view during many months to come.
I agree about the cold being so much worse when it’s windy. We’re lucky enough to have warm weather now, but the rain associated with the Pineapple Express keeps us inside.
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My sister has moved from Vancouver, Washington to Denver. Talk about contrasts in climate with that dry mountain air compared to the lush humidity and moisture of the Pacific NW. I love your part of the country, Nicki, with those amazing Dr. Seuss trees and the mountains. It’s a place I would love to visit again and again.
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Looking forward to watching the beautiful monthly changes around your beautiful sanctuary. What I love so much about living where we do is the four distinctly different seasons. The same place that has several feet of snow will have little buds and tender shoots in a few months, then full blown flourishing in a few more, then golden, red, and orange hues, then the cycle continues. Love it. And your gardens are so beautiful – even with the dusting of snow. It is so apparent it is a passion of yours, a gift, and a honed talent! Such a lovely estate for such a lovely (freshly pressed 🙂 ) person!! xo
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Yes, it’s February! Any day now I should be seeing the first little hints of crocus which will be enough to send up a few imaginary fireworks! I was thinking about it the other day and the thing I am missing right now are the birds. When the warm weather comes, it is impossible to sleep after dawn with all the singing to high heavens. I’m ready for that. To every thing, turn, turn, turn….XX
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I used to enjoy reading all of your readers’ comments, but now you get way too many for me to keep up with you popular lady!!! 🙂 I know that is what you enjoy most. xx
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You’ve got me all figured out, Jodi! (It is my favorite part, you’re right.)
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It helps that you live in a beautiful house with a wonderful garden, Barbara ! – and this is a really super challenge ! It will bring us all much joy, as do these photos from yours. 🙂
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Thank you so much, M-R! Once a month shouldn’t be too tedious for you all, should it?
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Hardly … ! 🙂
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Your bird’s nest on Instagram made me want to go photograph my dead clematis…Great photos 🙂
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This comment made me laugh, Jolene. I think dead clematis is beautiful with its fuzzy seed heads. Thank you!
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It is, but you and I might be the only people who think so?
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Who cares, right? As long as we share in admiring things past their prime as in this post….great minds and all that….
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Fabulous photos, Barbara, and a great challenge to join. It reminds me that I need a couple winter shots for a similar agreement. (Get out the snowshoes!) My favorite is “Long Road Home” – great shot!
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Good morning, Eliza, and thank you. The old oak tree seems to be the most popular photo. I’ll try to feature it over the year. I hear you are getting MORE snow. Get out the snowshoes is right!
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Yes, taking pictures at different times showing differences is a great idea. Remember seven up, the TV series? It was made during people’s lives.
One could take a photo each week sitting in the same chair, position and dressed the same. After doing that for a few years, tape them into a continuous video and show it backwards…voila…one has grown younger.
It might work better than sitting in a beauty parlour.
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The Seven Up kids are my age exactly, Gerard. I’m not sure I can stand watching them grow too much older! And have you heard of “A Boy’s Life?” Released this year and i believe it was filmed over the course of 12 years so we see the boy quite literally grow up before our eyes. Quite something.
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Fantastic photos Barbara.
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Thank you, Christine. But no bumblebees…..yet.
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I don’t get bumblebees ever, our native bees are so much smaller. Bumblebees are banned from imported to mainland Australia. They are loose in Tasmania, which is an island State at our Southern end.
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I had no idea, Christine, thank you!
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What a gorgeous home! Beautiful winter! Here in Utah it’s been 65 degrees! Where is all the snow??
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I think it’s all in New England!! Thanks for visiting.
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I absolutely love your photos:) In Australia we never have winters like that. It looks so beautiful. I read lots of posts about people complaining about the cold winters over there. Its hard to imagine that kind of cold when its 30 degrees Celsius here in Brisbane.
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Hello! I always love to hear from Aussies – such breaths of fresh air! Yes, I’ve been hearing it’s been beastly hot over there. Wouldn’t it be nice to just have one temperate climate without all these extremes? Hmmmm, where would that be actually? Never mind, I’d probably be bored stiff after a while. Thanks so much for your comment.
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I believe that we appreciate the spring and autumn more because of the winter months. I do wish winter didn’t last so long though!
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Really beautiful glimpses into your world Barbara. I like the idea of the monthly challenge too. 😘
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I think it’s going to be great fun (for me, at least!) Temps are warm today so maybe I’ll get a chance for some dirty hands today. Thanks, Barbara
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You’ve done a great job of capturing the spare beauty of this time of year–and it’ll be such fun to watch the changes that spring brings! I like the idea of this challenge very much–have considered doing something similar and never gotten around to it. I guess I’ll just live vicariously through your photos for now!
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It’s a great idea and I hope I can do it justice. I really hope to improve my photography over this year. Thanks, Kerry.
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Like you say you’re “jumping in a month late”, but who cares! It’s a marvellous start on this challenge and I’m glad that you decided to join!
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Thanks, Cardinal! And I’m glad you didn’t boot me out of the challenge after seeing my photos. I am an amateur but so love it!!
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Hey YOU!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! HAPPY HAPPY for YOU! COOL!!!!
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Okay, now that I got that all out.. I think this is a great photo challenge and I am looking forward to your updates! Good Morning!!!! Love the bird house shot!
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I think the Tiny Ten might be a prime candidate, Pix, for this challenge. I just love the premise of it. That bird house is one of my favorites too. Thank you!!!
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Hey YOU, BACK!!!! Can you hear me laughing? Can you feel the big cyber-hug I just sent your way. It might not be over the Mississippi yet, come to think of it.
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I enjoyed the photos especially the iron bench in the corner of your yard.
When does the wind stop? You know this answer! When it’s 95 degrees and 90% humidity and you want some wind.
Nancy.
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Ha! The voice of reason sounds. You’re absolutely right, of course. Remind me when I’m posting in August and complaining about the humidity…..
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Nancy, I found that bench at Sheppard Street Antiques in Carytown. I almost didn’t buy it but came to my senses. It’s one of my favorite things in the garden.
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Love the photos. I’m ready for spring however I’m not putting my snow boots away just yet.
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Smart girl, old man winter might have a trick or two up his sleeve.
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How lovely! I loved the turtle! Yes, the wind will stop. The last few days here, it has been sunny, less windy, and the birds have been signing like mad! They mKe me believe spring is coming! (now, I realize I am a lot farther south than you!! But it will happen! It’s not that I don’t like winter. . . I do, but I like getting outside more often than I do in winter. (My own fault; I’m kind of wimpy about that wind! 😉 )
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Seventy degrees today, Dixie, can you stand it? And not that windy!! It’s been wonderful!! I like winter too – up to a point – and am feeling guilty for complaining after seeing that poor New England is about to get pounded with more snow again!! So nice to hear from you!!
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Beautiful pictures – beautiful garden. I almost envy you your weather. I have a high tolerance for winter (as long as it doesn’t involve grey skies) but my other half doesn’t, hence we are in sunny Spain. Where it is as cold as some people can remember, but at least the skies are blue and clear.
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I completely agree, Sandra, winter is tolerable with blue skies and sun. It’s those gray skies which bring the mood down after a time. I so appreciate your feedback on the photos as I admire yours tremendously. This would be a tough challenge for you, I guess, as you are not staying in any one place long enough to photograph over the year. Ahhh, Spain. I long to go there. Haven’t been since a child!
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Nice photos! I live in Virginia too. Today is nice and warm which I like. I see you were able to capture a bit of snowfall for your gallery! I bet your garden will burst with colors in the spring! I’m still working on my entry for the month!
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I popped over to visit your gallery and saw your country market post. What a great idea for this challenge. Where in VA are you?
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I live in Roanoke! Where part of VA do you live in?
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I am just west of Richmond in Amelia County. There are so many bloggers from Virginia I’ve been meeting lately! Must be something in the water.
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I used to travel to visit friends in Richmond but has been a long time since I was there. Your property looks lovely. And it was nice of you not to notice my glaring sentence error above…sometimes I just cannot edit text on my i pad! ☺️
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Ha!!!!! I had to read it twice to find the error. Never fear, I have had far too many typos to ever point out another’s. Is that apostrophe correct? Now I’m growing paranoid. Lol!!!!
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That is funny!
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Lovely photos, Barb, but they chill THIS New Englander to the bone! Brrrr! You are no weanie, girl. Even in South Carolina the winter has been cold, the wind whipping too much at times…making us wish we had gone further south 😉 Guess I should have stayed in Hawaii … now THAT was climate perfection. No seasons, of course….. dang. Where is that Garden of Eden?
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Terry, dahlink, would you do me a HUGE favor and ask Michael to critique these photos? I do want to improve and if he has any little tips, he can actually comment on each individual photo, I’ve learned. Totally understand if he is too busy, but I will hold it against him forever if he declines. LOL!! Garden of Eden? Why didn’t we think of this in my “luxury” post? To be able to travel to anywhere in the world in search of just the right climate at that time of year. Maine in July? South Carolina in April? Oh yeah. XXX
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Ice in the wheelbarrow and snow on the turtle and nothing in the nest…..:-)
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And now I know you really looked at the photos, Annette. Thank you!!
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I know it’s different if you have to live with it every year, but, I’m sorry, every snowy photo is going to make me go WOW.
You must watch the oak branches in winter and we must watch the eucalypts in summer. Nowhere is safe….
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No apologies necessary, H., I’m happy to make you go WOW. I was just reading about eucalyptus trees and how they are contributing to the wild fires in California now. Becoming an invasive species. Once again we learn not to fool with the fine balance of nature.
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Simply beautiful.
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Thank you, Audrey.
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Nicely displayed, Barbara, even in winter. 🙂 No season is going to keep you over a barrow.
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Hi Mark! You are as bad (good) as I am with punning. It’s sort of irresistible, isn’t it? Thank you, my friend.
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I just can’t help myself, Barbara. Thank you for dealing with my free-wheeling ways. You are welcome to hand me my pun-ishment regularly. 🙂
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BWHAHAHAHA! I bow to your superior level of s-pun-k and wordplay. You are the King!!
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Don’t give up too easily. Long live the Queen. 🙂
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Enjoy your blog and all you photos.
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The photos are very intriguing and show what a creative mind you have, Barb! I loved the title and the actual picture of it, too. The garden bricks look so dramatically presented with the powdered sugar dusting of snow on the grass. I loved the sunset and the nest nestled in a branch, too. Your turtle with the old fallen leaves looks great, too. I am sorry to hear it got so cold there, really hate it when what I am picturing as ‘warmer climate areas’ turn out all covered with ice and snow! I am sipping a coffee in the library and wishing we could have a chat on your ‘veranda,’ Barb!
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Someday, Robin, we’ll have a porch party at Rosedon. We had a 70 degree day on Saturday and some crocus are starting to push up, so there’s hope yet for warmer weather coming soon. I really appreciate how much attention you pay to the photos, and I hope upcoming months are good too!! Enjoy that library!
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WOW! I mean, I know it’s cold there — and it looks it! — but the cold makes those photos even more stunning! I can’t wait to see the changes as the season progress. 🙂
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Love the pictures and what a brilliant idea – might have a go at this myself though I have just bought a new camera and as it took me about 20 minutes to work out where the battery went I may be a little slow getting some pictures as good as yours!
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Isn’t it a great idea, Mel? Right now the winds are picking up here and they are forecast to reach 40 mph by evening. I sincerely hope I have no damage to photograph for next month’s challenge. I still don’t have a real camera. I take all my pictures with my Samsung phone. It does a pretty good job with basic photography, I think. Good luck with your new gizmo.
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Phew! I am exhausted scrolling down to the end of your very long list of comments! I will go back and read them slowly in a minute. Just wanted to say how much I am looking forward to ‘nosey- parkering’ in your garden throughout the year. I love your parterre, and I love that sunset! Can’t wait for the bulbs to start flowering 🙂
Jude xx
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Jude, thank you so much for your comments on the individual photos. I am such a novice and would appreciate pointers and tips (and criticisms) from “real” photographers. Thank you!!!
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Hah! Don’t include me as a ‘real’ photographer, I am just a happy snapper! Hopeless with all the techie stuff – I understand the reasons, but rubbish at putting theory into practice 🙂
But I do know what I like!
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I’ll be the judge of that!! You ARE a real photographer. The proof is in the pudding.
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[blush..] thank you 🙂
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