The 2020 Garden, Landscape, and Other Stuff Thread...

I was just curious. I live outside Asheville NC, and am in the woods as much as possible. Got out this morning to hit some wild trout water. It was cold. Lol. See pics.

Yeah, I was in the Smoky's for the day. The majority of the bears are in the woods feeding on acorns. You might see one in a field or along the road passing between feeding areas.

I visit the Smoky's quite a lot and it is one of my favorite places.
 

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Those native rainbows are kind of cool. I had never seen a native rainbow trout until I fished inside the Park. Things sure are pretty there in the fall.

I keep wanting to spend a couple days in Cataloochee fishing, hiking, and sight seeing. It is a bit of a drive since I am on the opposite side of things geographically.
 
Cataloochee you say....(pictures below were taken 2 days ago). If you are ever up this way, hit me up. I can show you to some killer spots! And I am a huge .22 fan, we can get some plinkin’ done too.


Those native rainbows are kind of cool. I had never seen a native rainbow trout until I fished inside the Park. Things sure are pretty there in the fall.



I keep wanting to spend a couple days in Cataloochee fishing, hiking, and sight seeing. It is a bit of a drive since I am on the opposite side of things geographically.
Those native rainbows are kind of cool. I had never seen a native rainbow trout until I fished inside the Park. Things sure are pretty there in the fall.

I keep wanting to spend a couple days in Cataloochee fishing, hiking, and sight seeing. It is a bit of a drive since I am on the opposite side of things geographically.
 

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NCCNC NCCNC I keep debating on motelling it or camping. I would love to get some elk photo opportunities in a more natural scape. I have never been to Cataloochee. I keep procrastinating about making the trip. Is the elk rut over now?

I'm a spinner fisherman..... single barbless hook and all that which I think injures the fish more often than a treble.

Added: Are the gates into Cataloochee open at daylight or never close?
 
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There are some great camp spots near that area, and you can go in anytime night or day. Best time to see the elk is usually in the early morning though when they come down into the valley to graze. The rut has not ended either. They are moving around pretty heavily right now, and a few of the BIG elusive bulls have been out.
 
The 'sleighbells' are jingling over white hills and valleys here today ... but the forecast tells me it can't last long :cool:

Well, there is much to report, not all of it gardening. First, the 1998 Toyota is replaced ... I think it had another lifetime left in it had my dad been here to do some repairs, but my sense of it was to 'stop the bleeding', crawl out the driver side window and move on ... so don't expect to see any more ice-storm pics of my dear old van straddling the laneway ditch. My new-to-me vehiclle is awd. 'nuff said.

All is secured around the property - tarped, roped down, bungeed ... and laid in heavily with logs to keep the winter winds from taking things airborne. I am confident because yesterday's windstorm across Southern and Central Ontario knocked out the power for over a hundred thousand homes, yet nothing flew away. Nice to have the power back on following 24 hr outage.

In prep for winter, I had pulled some of that wonderfully flammable bark from a dead pine on the property; in fact filled a bin right by the porch with it. One small piece is a treasure when you need a fast fire on a frosty morning. Fat bark :D lights right off a bic and spits fire. Plus, a second bin I filled with bark shed from the now stacked woodpile and a huge score of birch bark - the fuse. Let old man winter storm away ...

Yup, I am lucky ... I get to play with fire every day all winter long! Just for this pic, I set a piece of the original pine bark on top of the birch bark near the woodburner - otherwise flammables are kept well away from fire. Thought that would be good to mention ;). Blades - dragonfly and cochise are on cedar round (used to be round), hatchet stands against it, hardwood (dog-chewed) baton is used with knives or hatchet to take off cedar slivers. Some decor, eh?

DSCF3793 WOODBURNER BIRCH FAT BARKS DRAGONFLY COCHISE 650 MED.jpg

And under the bark, there remains 'bug art' ...

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We had a bit of a frost this morning. Don't think anything that is left in the garden or my flowers were hurt. It's time however for a very hard frost. Looks like there were just isolated pockets of cold air to cause the frost formation this AM.

Picture of some tree shapes. Probably not real good for kindling.
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Yes, taldesta taldesta , electricity is life. Most depend on it totally being there and glad your power came back on in 24 hours. I keep a generator for such moments, but probably wouldn't have cranked it up unless electricity was out for more than 24 hours. Ya know... got to charge up my tablet and kindle. ;)

So what did you replace the '98 Toyota with? There comes a point when you just accept that the end is near for vehicles. I for one do not like tinkering with cars and especially dread the repair bills. I still miss my little 1997 Toyota pickup. It never left me sitting anywhere though out its entire life with me.
 
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Mossy tree looks like it might stoop to scoop up little children in the woods ... a tree with personality.

2018 Subaru Forester ... and loving it so far, especially the backup screen where I can see the ball and hitch proximity ... every little bit helps. Here I should apologize to the rear bumper of my old Toyota :D
 
Mossy tree looks like it might stoop to scoop up little children in the woods ... a tree with personality.

2018 Subaru Forester ... and loving it so far, especially the backup screen where I can see the ball and hitch proximity ... every little bit helps. Here I should apologize to the rear bumper of my old Toyota :D
The Forester looks great and should be a great vehicle. You bumped up 20 years.... I assume it has 4-wheel drive available which should be nice for the snowy months. Those backup screens are something you have to get used to. My wife still seldom looks at her's it seems. I find it handy to check for pets behind the vehicle if I am backing out of my driveway. They usually move but you never know.
 
Those native rainbows are kind of cool. I had never seen a native rainbow trout until I fished inside the Park. Things sure are pretty there in the fall.

I keep wanting to spend a couple days in Cataloochee fishing, hiking, and sight seeing. It is a bit of a drive since I am on the opposite side of things geographically.

Gosh I haven't been to the area since the 70's. I bet it's changed quire a bit. It would be nice to see an elk or two.

We are pretty lucky to have some decent wild trout fishing close by. The first time I hooked a wild rainbow on the Middle Saluda in Jones Gap State Park, it jumped two feet in the air and it was only 8" long. It's a nice area with single hook catch and release only for one section of the stream.
 
If ya ever make it up to the Asheville area one weekend, bring your fly rod and I will put you on some native trout.

Gosh I haven't been to the area since the 70's. I bet it's changed quire a bit. It would be nice to see an elk or two.

We are pretty lucky to have some decent wild trout fishing close by. The first time I hooked a wild rainbow on the Middle Saluda in Jones Gap State Park, it jumped two feet in the air and it was only 8" long. It's a nice area with single hook catch and release only for one section of the stream.
 
As freezing temps cut back the foliage and drops weed growth, I've been on the fields seeking and marking any of the 60 eastern white pine seedlings planted early last summer I can find ... in hope they will be noticed and not 'weed whacked' or mowed next spring/summer ... small now, but fast growing and mighty in maturity :thumbsup:

DSCF3806 EASTERN WHITE  PINE TAPED 650 MED.jpg

In the wild veg garden, I dug trenches for overwintering the caragana seedlings grown in pots to date and kept from my last digs - historically planted from original Saskatchewan mature plant seeds, home province of my dad. It amazes me how such a rudimentary raised turf garden can remain so free of weeds in an area of rampant, uncontrolled weed growth.

DSCF3808 CARAGANA TRENCHED VEG GARDEN 650 MED.jpg

Inside, ruby slipper and campfire coleus cuttings are taken off overwintered plants (background) to root and will, in spite of appearances, provide a blast of colour for next year - as in second pic below

DSCF3822 COLEUT CUTTINGS AND PLANTS 650 MED.jpg

DSCF0432 PORCH COLEUS DELPHINIUM 650 MED.jpg
 
OK gardeners, show me some landscapes in your world - mine has just gone under the white stuff, not to be seen again until spring! The white stuff only gets deeper from here.

Could the seed/spring bulb catalogues arrive at a better time? Not likely :D. I note with great pleasure that zinnias, an old-timey favourite and hummingbird candy, is featured top left on cover. Go zinnias!

DSCF3833 SEED BULB CATALOGUES SNOW 650 MED.jpg

Not that they need to be encouraged at all in this climate where they actually do survive the winter - although not considered perennials here in zone 4A, pansies are knocked back by the snow. Last blooms standing as winter sets in.

DSCF3835 PANSY SNOW 650 MED.jpg

... so, what's the view outside your window? Cacti? Blooms? Critters? Does the grass need mowing? :)

I am just reminded that the barred owl is hanging out here and that a small fox left a trail past the birdfeeders in the fresh snow overnight. Be on guard all birds and critters! Winter hungry games are in play.
 
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I had to put all the pineapples in the barn, because we just had our first frost! That’s about the worst we’ll get; haven’t had snow that hit the ground since 1989.
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Poison oak and pineapples - thanks for the pics! My daughter lives in Florida and had sent me her forecast showing the temps expected there too.

LEGION 12 LEGION 12 I imagine your weather has brought a mix of snow then sunshine (like here) with not a lot of accumulation so far. I did some driving during the most recent snowstorm just to get the feel of my new vehicle in snow and on ice. Loving the awd, especially the way it 'walks' up the hill on the laneway in the wet snow without a running start on the flats.

Winter garden - yesterday the sunshine lit up the snow. Through the kitchen window to the South, maple branches are bared of snow by the chickadees in their back and forth from the feeders. Bee balm is capped in snow. 4 pair of mourning doves, countless jays, nuthatches, occasional evening grosbeaks, woodpeckers ... chickadees - red, black and grey squirrels ... are the entertainment. Barred owl got tired of me chasing him off the feeders, but I keep watch. One fox took a run at the squirrels but they dove under the planters ... and I chased him too :eek: ... no tracks in the snow lately, but eyes open. Feeding the birds brings the mice, moles and squirrels ... brings the predators - it's a responsibility of my own making and the reason I discontinued feeding on a platform. Conflicted. Everything just wants to survive.

DSCF3846 SNOW MAPLE BEE BALM 650 MED.jpg

From the kitchen door view to the North, the old barnboard shed out back, with its shingled roof tarped over against the weather ... just looks so beautiful (to me) after a fresh snowfall.

DSCF3851 SNOW SHED OUT BACK 650 MED.jpg
 
taldesta taldesta That winter wonderland is ideal for long-distance enjoyment,:D:D and it is very beautiful after freshly fallen snow.

Many of our plants made a comeback after that one brief snowfall melted and daytime temps edged back up to the 60's.
 
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