Indian Summer and thinking about Tennessee

As Indian Summer has arrived the nights are chilly but the days very hot. It's the time to clean up the garden and beds and prepare for the winter ahead. I can't help but think of my time in Tennessee at this time of year especially. I miss it.

The diversity of plants in the Smoky Mountains is hardly surpassed throughout the country. Every season has a display and there is no better time to visit than autumn. As it is diverse in plant species it is diverse in elevation. I drove into the Smokies in November to witness this array of colours. The mountains are so high that at the top I was barely travelling at 15 mph. The fog was thick and the road switching higher all the time.

 

There are 1600 species of flowering plants alone, including 100 native trees and over 100 shrubs.  There are 450 varieties of bryophytes which are the mosses, liverworts and hornworts and 50 ferns.

 

I miss the Smokies and forever thankful I had the opportunity to spend a few months in the South.

Winter Storm Warning in Saskatchewan

 

Snug as a bug in a rug. That is how I feel tonight. As the first real winter storm blew in I was fortunate to not have to work today. I shoveled the sidewalk this morning and within a couple of hours these drifts formed on my back walk. Can you see the sparkles in the night time picture. The snow is full of diamonds.

Winter Again

We were spoiled for a couple of weeks there with weather just around freezing.  It was beautiful.  But old man winter has returned with a vengeance and today it is -16C.  Since I am not cooking at the moment, I thought I would share this list for a winter driving kit.  It is a huge list but considering where you might be driving, most of these items would be useful, if not necessary.

AMA Winter Driving Kit
▶   shovel
▶   tow cable
▶   traction aids
▶   jumper cables
▶   window ice scraper

▶   antifreeze
▶   firewood (kindling and starter)
▶   snacks
▶   distress sign
▶   cell phone
▶   flares
▶   flashlight and batteries
▶   first aid kit
▶   survival candle
▶   matches
▶   blankets
▶   extra footwear
▶   hat and mitts

I have a long way to go to complete my kit but it will be my summer project this year to collect as many of these things together as I can.  Safe driving!



Canadian trivia - this building is a hockey rink  with an attached curling rink in a village.  It is no longer in use because the costs to maintain it are too high.  This is a common sight in villages and small towns on the prairies.