Author Archives: Karin Kiontke

Harbingers of spring

Posted on 2018-01-30 by Karin Kiontke

Today, we got some more snow. Nothing much, but enough to cast a light blanket over the sleeping garden. Almost everything underneath is still dormant. However, right next to the entrance to the garden grow our earliest snowdrops, and these show the first flowers! A … Continue reading →

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2018 starts with snow

Posted on 2018-01-04 by Karin Kiontke

Maybe you have heard that we just got hit by something, which meteorologists call a “bomb cyclone”: A rotating storm with a cold center that is combined with a very strong dip in atmospheric pressure. Whatever it was called, it brought … Continue reading →

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As the year ends

Posted on 2017-12-31 by Karin Kiontke

Yesterday, after a first week of unusually cold temperatures, we got a dusting of snow. It was not enough to merit shoveling. My snow-duty partner had already spread a little salt on the sidewalk, enough to eliminate any danger of slipping. … Continue reading →

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Before winter arrives

Posted on 2017-11-09 by Karin Kiontke

The forecast is telling us that winter will take its first swipe at our region tomorrow afternoon. The night is predicted to be bitterly cold with temperatures in the 20s. The National Weather Service warns: “These conditions will kill crops and other … Continue reading →

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Of asters, bees and birds

Posted on 2017-11-02 by Karin Kiontke

Asters are reliable fall flowers. They bloom year after year from mid September until late October without requiring much care. Cutting them down once in early June delays the flowers a little bit and they show up when the summer flowers begin to fade. Now, most … Continue reading →

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