I’m channeling The Beverly Hillbillies as I clean out the pots on the patio and stow them all under a tarp along with anything else that shouldn’t be left out in the snow.
My big pile of stuff reminds me of Jed Clampett’s truck all loaded up with all they owned, ready to head out to “Californy”.
Only my pile isn’t all that I own, it’s just the stuff that I don’t like to drag around to the garage to store for the winter. I like to save my back and strength by storing it all as close as I can to where I use it in the summer time.
And I’m not going to a place called “Californy”, I’m heading to a place called “Winter”.
Wouldn’t all you southern gardeners and southern Californy gardeners secretly like to spend a few months in this place called Winter, where the garden doesn’t demand daily attention? Aren’t you just a bit envious of the free time we have in Winter that gives us the opportunity to actually read gardening books, plan for next year’s garden, and enjoy growing plants indoors without feeling like there is something we should be doing out in the garden?
Well, keep dreaming, Winter is all that and more! Only we won’t tell you the “more” part because it involves ice, sleet, snow, wind, and cold, which can be taken out of context and sound absolutely miserable.
Just think of us northern gardeners as The Beverly Hillbillies of gardening, loading up the truck and moving to Winter, a place you want to be!
And now… you may want to skip this part…
Come listen to a story about a gardener like me,
A gardener who happens to be in good ol’ 5b,
Now one day I’m gardening and I see a bit of frost
And then the plants succumbed and I was lost.
Cold that is, wintertime, Indiana snow.
Well the first thing you know I’m running around
Pulling all the annuals up out of the ground
They said the indoors is the place I oughta be
So I loaded up the patio and moved some plants indoors.
Sunroom, that is.
Blooming plants, forced bulbs.
The Wintertime Gardeners!
(Don’t say I didn’t warn you to skip that part).
This Southern gardener does dream on occasion of escaping to Winter for at least a few weeks out of the year. The "all that" sounds delightful but then I stop and consider "and more". That's when I run joyfully out into my garden, clad in a t-shirt and my very lightweight long pants, to plant something just because I can!
LOL! When can we expect the video of you singing your version?
Taking a break from gardening does sounds tempting, but I complain about the cold weather here and it's only 55 degrees! We all aren't cut out for the cold.
That was a real corn dog moment but for this southern girl–I loved it.
Yeeeehawwwwwww. I loved it. I can just hear you singing as Annie plays the piano in accompaniment.
Winter is a bad word in my house. Northern Ireland isn't exactly known for it's lovely winters – rain and rain and darkness and wind and rain….
Now, that was funny! Yeah, I bet those southern CA gardeners are just lining up to spend a few winter months in 5b. I know this 7a gardener is, but of course, you have to come spend high summer with me.~~Dee
That is funny, Lisa, I thought about Annie and Carol performing together too!
I wish I could skip the little trip to winter.
Too cute, Carol. I hide all my pots behind the garage – I think only 1 set of neighbours can see them. Right now I'm getting giggles from all the mixed seasons – poinsettas and pumpkins alongside each other. Christmas lights and cornucopia on the same doorstep. My rule is no Christmas until American Thanksgiving is over (we Canadians have long since celebrated our harvest). Have a good weekend.
I think MMD's right. A video of you singing the song would have been much better–and made my day. Next post?
Robin
You been drinking some of Granny Clampett's 'medicine' again, Carol?
With those tall tales about how nice winter is here , I swear I think you must've been Southern in your former life.
You may know that Southerners and cold winters don't mix. Just one little bitty snowfall and everything grinds to a halt.
You did notice that Jed Clampett moved to an even warmer climate than he came from:-)
I've spent time in Winter, where ice does things to the electric lines and one must cook on the fireplace and shiver.
We do have a bit of cold, later on, but it isn't immobilizing.
Deeeeeliiiightful! Enjoyed singing the tune as I read your words. Totally fun.
Very entertaining! I am now going to have that song stuck in my brain for awhile., Thanks 🙂
Rosey
Yes, yes, I want to see the video of you singing it, too! And if you've persuaded any of those Southern or Californy gardeners to come move to our zone 5, please e-mail me their names. I have a piece of swampland I'd like to sell off.
Carol, I <3 you for this post. At the same time as I'm laughing, I'm enjoying the truth in it. I do appreciate the timeout from the garden, if only because it gives me a chance to catch up with other things, such as reading the blogs of my gardening 'friends' around the world. But now I got that song stuck in my head…
I cannot imagine how I would handle gardening outside all year around! OMG! It's unthinkable. The only thing is that I do get just a bit impatient in April.
I've whined fairly often about getting tired of the year-round demands of the garden, Carol – but 10 years here have made me too used to warm weather. Real winter might make me feel as old as Granny Clampett.
As to Musical Duets, Philo & I recently rewatched the 20-year old Weird Al Yankovic movie UHF with the Beverly Hillbillies words sung to "MONEY FOR NOTHING". Let's copy Al and use your words to Mark Knopfler's music. Just one thing – you gotta let me be Sting.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose