Nighty Night

On a rare November day with temps in the mid 50's, I couldn't put off some seasonal chores any longer. The first was putting the garden to bed. Since I live in such a cold climate, roses and other tender perennials need a little extra protection from the winter winds and freezing temperatures. First, I cover the roses with some ground (usually what's left from the flower pots) and then with a styrofoam cone. A brick on top helps secure it from the winter winds.The lavenders just get a covering of pine boughs. You don't want to do this too early in the year so that mice find it a cozy spot, so lots of time I miss the window of opportunity and the poor plants are left to fend for themselves. Sometimes they make it through, and sometimes they don't. It depends on whether the winter is mild or particularly harsh and if there is a decent amount of snow cover by the time the below zero temps arrive. Hopefully, they'll survive this year.

The other chore I had to tackle was a very necessary one--turning off the water to the outside faucet. If it isn't done, then water would freeze in the pipes and that's would mean BIG trouble. I knew from the spring that the knob I needed to turn in the basement was obstinate (in the spring, I ended up having to ask the neighbor to help me with it).

And, the placement of it, defies explanation. See it? No, not one of those right out in the open.

Up there, in the rafters where someone needs to climb on a chair to reach it and all the other pipes are in the way. I tried having my nephew help me last week when he was visiting for Thanksgiving but the weather had been so cold that the outside faucet had already frozen and couldn't be turned. Luckily, we had a couple of warm days so it thawed. After several unsuccessful attempts which made the palm of my hand rather swollen, I had the bright idea to use a screwdriver through one of the holes of the faucet to give me some leverage in order to turn it. It worked!

Nighty night to the garden...see you in spring.