Althouse: Color in the snow garden.

February 2, 2009

Color in the snow garden.

21 comments:

Bissage said...: After flowering, trained gophers will pull them back into the ground so they’re only a foot or so tall.

That’s the way we do it here in USDA Zone 6b, anyway.

(Gophers come cheap. They work for tomatoes.)

((And we call them ground hogs, really, but there needed to be an elegant variation thing going on back there.)); 2/2/09, 11:04 AM
traditionalguy said...: C'est magnifique. I always thank God for colors. Black and white is never enough. I especially love reds and blacks or reds and whites ( yes, black is a color )I fell sorry for color blind people.; 2/2/09, 11:08 AM
ricpic said...: Red-brown bushes and trunks of trees --
The heat of living things stands out
Against the cold blue-white that winter brings; 2/2/09, 11:15 AM
DaLawGiver said...: The plants have a sunburn caused by the lack of ozone in our atmosphere.; 2/2/09, 12:23 PM
traditionalguy said...: What is the latest theory on why plants evolved into colors other than green, and the super colors in the world of flowers? I can see why the color-coding helps to attract birds and bees (and Althouses) but how did this plan just happen without intelligent designing, again? I really do have an open mind on this, butI can't stretch it far enough to swallow Darwin's theory.; 2/2/09, 1:26 PM
Titusiseatingaquesadilla said...: The gay coffee shop guy said pray for good weather while he handed me my hot chocolate.

Is that code for he wants to do me?; 2/2/09, 1:56 PM
Titusiseatingaquesadilla said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/2/09, 1:56 PM
traditionalguy said...: Titus ... That may only be code for he wants to get outside more to see the colors framed by the white snow. Then again, you may have worked your way into his heart while ordering your hot drink.; 2/2/09, 2:24 PM
Improvedliving said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 2/2/09, 2:24 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Is that code for he wants to do me?

Althouse pic is code for Bush was a red commie pinko ;); 2/2/09, 2:50 PM
Eli Blake said...: Ann:

I have one question. When you took the picture did you see your shadow or not?

This is Groundhog Day, after all.; 2/2/09, 2:51 PM
Ann Althouse said...: @Eli The picture was taken yesterday.; 2/2/09, 3:31 PM
Bissage said...: I find myself heartbroken.

“Improvedliving” quotes my first sentence and then tries to hawk its crappy wares.

"Garden Statues" my ass!

You USED ME you dirty, rotten, no-good, rat bastard!

YOU USED ME!!11!!!!!!

** sniff **

Not even a perfunctory LOL . . .

** sniff **

** makes self a cup of tea **

** stares blankly through rain-streaked window **

** sniff **; 2/2/09, 3:32 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Do you feel better now, my dear Mr. Bissage?; 2/2/09, 3:41 PM
Bissage said...: ** sniff **

Thank you, Professor, I’m doing better now that it’s been removed.

** sniff **

Thanks for caring.

** sniff **

I’ll be all right.

** blows nose and makes big "honk" sound **; 2/2/09, 4:14 PM
Eli Blake said...: Well, then,

Here are some Groundhog Day updates:

On groundhog day:

President Obama saw his shadow. It's still larger than anyone else's. But house Republicans are still working on a way to cut it off at the knees.

Vice President Biden did not see his shadow. He's standing in Obama's shadow.

Former Vice President Cheney did not see his shadow. He's in some new undisclosed location, and it's one where the sun don't shine.

Osama bin Laden did not see his shadow, for the same reason as Cheney didn't see his.

Cardinals Quarterback Kurt Warner saw his shadow. It still looks like the Steelers defensive line.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner did not see his shadow. He forgot he had to have one.

Indicted former Congressmen Rick Renzi, William Jefferson and John Doolittle took a long look at their shadow. By this time next year they may not get to look at it.

Mitch McConnell saw his shadow. It's only about 41/49ths as large as it was just last month.

Former President Bush saw his shadow. And it was much diminished from four years ago.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn't see her shadow. Spring is here, and she's trying to thaw out some of our foreign relations.

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps isn't sure whether he saw his shadow or not. It was sort of hazy right where he was standing.

Rod Blagojevich won't decide whether he saw his shadow because 'a shadow is a bleeping valuable thing. He will threaten to bring six more weeks of winter unless he gets paid enough to say it's spring.'

United Airline Pilot 'Sully' Sullenberger saw his shadow. And he laid it down perfectly, right where he wanted it.; 2/2/09, 4:26 PM
rhhardin said...: There's a bit of distant color in this pic today, that appears to be a toddler swing seat recently having cleared itself of snow.; 2/2/09, 5:16 PM
Laura(southernxyl) said...: Here is my color-in-the-snow picture.; 2/2/09, 6:34 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: traditionalguy: What is the latest theory on why plants evolved into colors other than green, and the super colors in the world of flowers?

Too much sunlight will deactivate chlorophyll. If enough chlorophyll is deactivated the plant will die. The other pigments you see in plants can protect chlorophyll from being deactivated. Plants with these other pigments have more energy for reproduction.

Not very poetic, I know:

If you do things that tend to get you killed, you tend to die.

If you do things that tend to make you reproduce, you tend to reproduce.

These tendencies can be inherited.

That's life.; 2/2/09, 7:13 PM
Bart Hall (Kansas, USA) said...: The plant is Red Osier Dogwood, Cornus sericea and it's not only beautiful, but unbelievably hardy, as in it will grow in much of Alaska. Great plant.

In Quebec the branches are woven into very durable baskets.; 2/2/09, 7:46 PM
Ralph L said...: aka red twig dogwood.; 2/3/09, 12:24 AM