Winter Walk-Off 2015

     Happy, happy, joy, joy! Winter will be over, at least officially, in just one month. Here at A Tidewater Gardener we celebrate the occasion with a Winter Walk-Off meme, and this year will mark five years. For those of you who aren't familiar with my little challenge, this is a way to encourage all bloggers to rise from the couch, cast off that musty Afghan, grab a camera, and get out of the house to show the rest of us what their part of the planet looks like.

As always, the rules are simple, the rules are flexible:

On your own two feet, leave the house, and share what can be seen within walking (or biking) distance of your home (if you want to drive to your walk destination that's OK too). Your post does not have to be about gardening or a travelogue (though I do like both), unless you want it to be. Maybe instead you will find some unusual patterns, interesting shadows, signs of spring, a favorite restaurant or shop, questionable landscaping, or local eyesores. Whatever, just keep your eyes and mind open, be creative, and have fun, but don't show anything from your own garden.

Post your own Winter Walk-Off on your blog, and link it back to this post. Also, please leave me a link and comment here when your post is up. If you have recently written something similar, you are welcome to recycle.

I will keep the challenge open until midnight on March 19th, the last day of winter (or summer for those of you below the equator, who are welcome to join in).

Everyone who participates will have a chance to win one of two prizes, and a totally disinterested teenager will randomly draw the winning names. One lucky participant will win something very special (at least it's special to me), a fossil of Chesapecten jeffersonius, which is over 4 million years old. This is the state fossil of Virginia, honoring both the Chesapeake Bay and Thomas Jefferson. The not-as-lucky winner will receive a small framed print of some subject of my choosing, and if the winner doesn't like the image, then I hope they like the frame. I will contact each winner, and mail the prizes after the Walk-Off is over. 

I hope these guidelines are simple enough for you to consider joining in, because the more, the merrier.

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     Now on to my own Winter Walk-Off, which is actually my second this year. My first took place this past Saturday in Willoughby Spit, a little beachfront community precariously built on a large sandbar here in Norfolk. However, the wind was bitter cold, and between that, and my two unruly dogs, it was not the best photo expedition. Regardless, I was prepared to share those photos with you, when low and behold, we got a snow day on Tuesday. So I took advantage of the better photo ops, and bundled up for a walk down to the river. Along the way I was distracted by the bark on this crapemyrtle (probably Lagerstroemia x  'Natchez').

     I saw two things on my walk I have never seen here before: snowboards on a local car's roof rack, and the Lafayette River nearly frozen from one side to the other.

     My favorite kayak launch was concealed by a treacherously thick coat of ice and snow, but as much as I look forward to my next trip, it was not quite paddling-friendly weather.

    Rounding the corner, I followed the shoreline of Knitting Mill Creek. The foolhardy might be tempted to cross the ice; this body of water was frozen from one side to the other. Some are frightened by bears, others by heights. Me, I am afraid of falling through ice.

     There are several live oaks (Quercus virginiana) planted along the shore. With light reflecting up from the snow at their feet, the normally dark interiors of their crowns had a bit of a glow.

     During a misguided period, the city discouraged live oak plantings (thankfully no longer), and for a time London planes (Platanus × acerifolia) were planted along the water. I like two things about these trees: their bark, and their shadows cast on Tuesday's snow.

     There has been much talk in the gardening blogosphere about learning to appreciate what each season has to offer. With this in mind, I do hope you will make the best of your given circumstances, and join in my Winter Walk-Off this year. As for me, and as much as these wintry scenes might be lovely, I'm beyond ready for warmer weather.