Winter Flora In The South

Although I miss the snow and cold weather of the upper Midwest I really do appreciate the warmth of the winters here. Sometimes the winter weather can linger gray and damp in the lower 40s, but I feel grateful nonetheless for its relative gentleness. To enjoy my surroundings I need to go no farther than my own back yard.

Remember the post from September about the bugs on the leaves? The second photo down showed some seed-filled pods. This is what they look like now. All their seed babies have flown the coop.

I believe this bud belongs to one of our species of roses.
Can you believe it looks so alive like this in December?

Wow. So red without any photo enhancing tricks.

If you couldn't see the dead brown leaves behind this ivy you might think it was summer green.

Here is a "spaceship pod" that Martha didn't use in my Christmas basket. (It's actually a pine cone from our Sweet Gum tree.)

More ivy. This vine is extending its reach along the base of a tree as if it were spring. It knows that even if we were to have snow it could just hold still for a little while until it warmed up again and then continue its progress.