Bondage (But not the kinky kind!)

Snow arrived last Thursday evening, right in time for rush hour traffic. Our first significant snowfall of the winter season saw everyone driving home for dinner at a crawls pace.

In the field behind the house, clumps of snow clung to the stands of wildflowers making them look like a field of cotton.

Clear blue sky were back in time for the weekend.

In the garden, the sedum, that I had never gotten round to cutting back, was sporting flat, white snow caps.

Though it was cold, the sun was warm enough to melt the covering of snow on the roof. Icicles quickly formed all along the eves and began raining ice cold water down on the small garden I have planted at the side of the house.

I noticed with horror that one of my favorite spirea, the one with deep pink flowers, was encased in ice. There is nothing more killing than ice. 

The branches of the spirea, enveloped in ice sleeves, got me to thinking of another scene that I pass by most days- these odd, evergreen sentinels that stand at the crest of a hill overlooking the highway. Wrapped in burlap and bound with rough twine, they are the oddest looking winter prisoners.

Planted by the city of Mississauga in late August, when the heat was on high and rainwater scarce, they already had the odds of survival stacked against them. Now with the arrival of winter, they had been buffeted by the strong winds that sweep over the open landscape. 

The harsh winter winds have contorted and twisted them into oddest of shapes. In the twilight the bound, ghostly figures seem almost eerie.

 The burlap covering makes me think of butterfly cocoons. Hopefully, the evergreen trees will emerge still living this coming spring, after being released from their protective winter coverings.