Daffodils In January?

We have been having Spring-like weather here in Alabama

and the plants have responded accordingly.

The daffodils and other normally Springtime blooming

plants have started to sprout in January!

This is a mass planting of daffodils beside our neighborhood pond.

These daffodils got a little beat down by the heavy rains we had a couple of days ago.

There was a tornado just north of us that did heavy damage to a small community and killed two people.

Springtime temperatures bring Springtime weather too.  Last April, over 200 people were killed in

tornadoes that struck North Alabama.

The Carolina Jasmine along my fence has started to bloom also.

These buds will probably be blooms in a day or two.

Baby buds with old leaves

The jasmine is full of tiny yellow buds.

These dried jasmine seed pods remind me of baby birds in

a nest with their beaks open waiting for momma bird

to bring them their next meal.

The Bridal Wreath Spirea has started to sprout new leaves.

A nearby garden center had these potted daffodils blooming too.

I'm not sure I'm ready for Spring decorating yet

(wasn't Christmas just over?) but I had to bring these

home after seeing the ones in bloom by the pond.

We will probably have some nights that go below freezing

before it actually IS Spring...I hope all the new growth

coming out now can live through it!

I'm sharing this post over at

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello

Potpurri Friday @ 2805

Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence

Anything Goes @ Type A Decorating

January Magazine Copy Cat Challenge



I was inspired by an article in

Better Homes and Garden's January 2012 issue to try

to bring the outdoors inside during one of our colder months.

In the article, Tovah Martin

(who has recently written a book on terrariums)

teaches how to make your own terrariums.

She says that they are "the smallest and simplest

gardens you will ever tend".

This is a close-up photo from the magazine of the shot I tried to copy cat...

...and here is my attempt...

...and from another angle.  So much light from the window made the front side of the arrangement

pretty dark in the photos.  There is probably an adjustment for that but I haven't gotten that far yet

in learning how to use my new camera.  I did try the flash but those photos were yucky.

The magazine photo used some "air plants" in the shot.  I compensated for that

in my copy by adding some small plants in tiny pots.

The orchid is a Chaculatum Golden Pacific.  The purple flower in

the dark blue pot is a Primrose in Primula Blue.

The ceramic bird (which was also in the magazine photo)

reminds us that Spring is in the not too distant future.

I am sharing this post over at

Debbiedoos Magazine Copy Cat Challenge.