Snow!

Snow in Atlanta! Although the western part of the city, where I live, only got a half-inch or so, snow is rare here. Seems when our temperatures drop, the fair weather comes in, and when it's warm, that's when we get precipitation.  That's a "snow lump" you're seeing in this post; we didn't get quite enough of the white stuff to make a decent snowman!

Elsewhere in the yard, the pansies in my window boxes look like they're asleep under a snowy blanket, but because they're cold hardy in zones 4-8, they should revive and perk back up when the sun comes out again. I love pansies--it's like they have their own built-in antifreeze system.

Most gardeners buy pansy plants to set out in early spring, but if you have room to start seeds indoors, you might want to try  a new "designer variety" offered by Harris Seeds (www.harrisseeds.com). It's called 'Midnight Sun,' and it looks gorgeous--all velvety maroon, gold and brick-red blooms.  These pansy seeds are pricer than most, at about $11 for a packet of 250, but you can get lots more plants by raising them from seeds than buying those six-packs at the nursery. 

Stay warm!