Last Thursday found the edges and still sections of our stream glazed over with ice crystals. It was a pretty sight to view up close:

The next day, I awoke extra-early and glanced outside to see an unusually fiery, spectacular sunrise:

There's an old saying that goes, 'Red sky in the morning, sailor's take warning'...but that did not end up applying. As it turned out, last Friday was a pretty day and no 'warnings' were necessary.

The dogs spent more time than usual romping around in the back yard. It was not at all cold--quite mild, as I remember--although I don't recall the exact temperature:

Later that afternoon, I remembered the boxes that had been sitting in the garage since mid-November. Their contents were not 'inexpensive' yet I had lazily set them aside, seemingly willing to forget them. The two shipments of spring bulbs had arrived in the mail well into the fall planting season and I had promptly placed them in the garage, where they sat, as one excuse led to another and I (almost) made peace with the fact that they would rot and I'd just throw them all out. Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Years Day passed by until, finally, this uncommonly beautiful Friday in January jump-started me into taking a look at them. Out of 433 bulbs, only the Erythronium 'Pagoda' had gotten soft and begun to rot. Suddenly I was excited that the remaining bulbs (all 428 of them!) were fine.

When I proclaimed that I would tackle the bulbs on Saturday, I had no idea that I would wake up to what could have passed as spring--maybe even summer in some climates--but that's exactly what happened! It turned out to be a 70 degree day! So in jeans and just a t-shirt, I planted about half of them in the backyard gardens and along the fence in the side yard:

Sunday turned out to be slightly cooler, but 50 degrees was still great bulb-planting weather and jeans and a light jacket were all that were needed. The ground was still workable, so I got everything else in except for 40 Narcissi, the 3 Allium and a few Crocus and Anemone--which I saved for the following day.

What I didn't foresee was that Monday would bring 30 degree temps and snow--and with it, my ski-jacket and wool hat! Nonetheless, I finished the job, planting the remaining bulbs in pots on the deck:

It felt good to have planted hope! I am looking forward to the color they will bring in mid to late winter and early to mid spring!

Additional views of Muscari plantings:

...Iris reticulata plantings along stream edges:

Since our brief snow on Monday, the weather has remained moderately temperate. Last night we had a long, soaking rain. Today was up into the 60's. I am wondering if all of the bulbs I planted are going to rot in the ground. When will winter arrive? Here in northern Virginia, it's keeping us guessing. Has it arrived where you live?

*List of Bulbs planted include: 10 Fritillaria meleagris; 3 Allium 'Globemaster'; 30 Anemone blanda 'White Splendour'; 90 Iris reticulata; 30 Scilla siberica; 30 Muscari 'Valerie Finnis'; 30 Dutch Crocus (Blue/White Striped); 100 Species Crocus--50 'Ruby Giant' and 50 'Romance'; and 105 Narcissus--25 'Jetfire', 20 Dutch Master, 20 'Orangery', 20 'Professor Einstein' and 20 'Tahiti'.