Frozen

Frozen tomato, anyone?

​No? Well, I don't blame you. They're just not as tasty as the fresh ones. Except I no longer have any fresh ones to offer you, since all my garden fresh produce became frozen garden produce overnight.

Yep. When I woke up early Sunday morning and peeked out the window at the frost encrusted landscape, I knew the inevitable had finally occurred...
​

The first killing freeze had arrived, and kill it did.

Life in the garden was no more, and all that remained of my once green and lively vegetable patch was a silvery-brown and lifeless mass of frozen vegetation.

Or so I thought. Looks really can be deceiving, because on further inspection I discovered a few bright spots in this apparently dismal landscape...
​

Like this purple broccoli plant. It almost seemed to be reaching upward into the frigid breeze and didn't seem to mind at all the dusting of frost crowning its head.

And the red cabbage also didn't seem fazed by the cold. It appeared to even be enjoying the frosty air and the ice crystals that laced its leaves.


​

And the marigolds, though likely to not survive the plummeting temperatures, took the flash freeze in stride.
​

And the English lavender withstood the attack like a proper lady would--her head held high and her spine straight, never wavering beneath the pressure of the circumstances.

The epitomy of grace and dignity...reminds me of myself, come to think of it.

Ahem. My delusions may be showing, so I'll distract you by showing you this...
​

I wasn't the only one inspecting the garden that morning.
Adrienne was already eagerly making her way down the garden paths in search of anything tasty she could scratch up or pluck out. She was in a perky mood despite the weather...

While Rocky the Rooster had a different attitude altogether. I found him huddled beneath the purple broccoli plant, looking very cold and slightly confused.

I think he's trying to figure out where his other leg went.

All is well, though--he eventually discovered it tucked up in his nice and cozy feathers, and then lowered it down and stuck the other one up there so it could have a turn.

​I don't think winter weather is his favorite thing, and he wasn't alone in that sentiment...
​

Because the eggplant looked exhausted...
​

The hot peppers looked kind of chili.

Sorry...I couldn't resist. And now I've messed up my rhythm. Ok, let's try this again: The eggplant was exhausted, the hot peppers looked chilly...

The squash blossoms looked slightly shriveled...

​

And the roses looked a right bit ragged.

Whew! I made it through.

As will my garden. But right now it's time for it to get some beauty sleep. And let's be honest--we all need to rest every now and then. It's what helps us be our best the rest of the time...
​

Even when it's freezing outside!

​