Frozen

Elsa and Anna would be right at home in New York City right now.  The deep freeze set in, as the forecasters predicted would be the case; it got very cold very fast.

The plan had been to rescue the mandavilla - definitely not winter hardy plants.  And the geraniums - to bring them in as last year, but to hydrate them this year.  To bundle up and get this all done during the brightest light of day, in hopes some of the suns rays would impart heat as well as light.

But Saturday slowness and laziness and ease got in the way.  And the sun sets far sooner these days than one would like.  It was dark before I knew it.

Holiday lights on terraces across the way.

But the snow started to fall, and hastening out to tackle the chores at the last minute did little good....

Snow on the camera lens, frozen precipitation beginning to accumulate on the soil.

The rescuee geraniums had already frozen solid in their planters.  They would not budge, much as they were yanked.  Ah well.  Can't fight Mother Nature.

 

The geranium planter...

... and a close-up of the poor geranium plant, with the first frosty flakes settling into the grooves of the leaves.

All throughout the terrace, the water from the earlier heavy rains had frozen in their containers.  And, neglectful garden steward that I've been, I hadn't had a chance to empty them.  In a last ditch attempt to try to save the plastic containers from cracking or warping with the expanding frozen water, the disks of ice were plucked out, the containers overturned.

Frozen bird bath.

Block of ice from one of the rectangular tubs.

Evidence of the hastily emptied water containers... turned, with hopes the drains would not freeze as all of that water spilled onto the pavers and to the membrane underneath.  Haven't heard from the downstairs neighbors, so, presumably it all cleared.

More disks of ice.

Overturned water bucket, in its upturned winter position.

And then there were the compost buckets, with the compost tea simmering in the catchers underneath.  That had freeze potential too.  So the compost tea was poured into planters - full strength, and those buckets turned on their sides.

Compost tea bucket - in resting position.

Hose - in the bathtub to drain.

And, finally, the plants and produce that would otherwise freeze - the final harvest.

Frozen green tomatoes.

More on the vine.  Last year they turned into a condiment - perhaps again this year.  There may be no other use - seeds of green tomatoes can't be as good as from ripened ones, right?

Harvest - laid on the frosty table.  Sweet grapes to the left; assorted strays to the right.

Shivering roses...

... harvested.

 



And then there were the bicycles - that never got waxed - under their wind-torn bike parkas.  Ah well, they will have to fend for themselves.

The mountain bikes...

... only partially hidden, visible through their torn parkas.

And the final chore was to bring the more empty of the compost buckets closer to the door, for easy winter access.  And the sled as well - also for easy winter access :)

To catch the winter compost.  And to catch the short winter sledding season.  Dish of tomatoes waiting to be taken in on the sill.