A Snowy January Weekend
Hard not to love a picturesque snow-covered landscape, especially at my farm.
I hope you saw the photos on my Instagram page @marthastewart48. Over the weekend, we got at least five inches of snow - light, powdery snow that stuck to the tree branches and shrubs, stone posts, walls, and steps, and the tops of all the burlap-encased boxwood and ornamental urns. I always take lots of photos when it snows - that is, when I am not too busy plowing the four miles of carriage road.
Enjoy these photos. And more snow is coming. We're expecting another storm this weekend.
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- This is a row of six rare weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus Pendula. They line one side of the soccer field I set up for my grandson, Truman. These are such graceful and shapely specimen trees, very densely branched and adaptable to various soil conditions. In the distance is my old corn crib.
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- The weeping nornbeams are near these mighty pin oaks, Quercus palustris, that grow alongside my Equipment Barn. I took these photos early in the morning when all the tree branches were filled with snow.
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- Here is a view of my stable – a different look compared to spring and summer when the horse chestnut trees are lush with foliage and the allée of boxwood is bare of any protective burlap.
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- The snow accumulated on many of the tree branches, but did not weigh any down too much. The light fluffy snow forms when all layers of the atmosphere are below freezing. Because the air is cold, all the way down to the surface, snowflakes don’t melt. It was about 25-degrees Fahrenheit in the early morning and stayed cold the rest of the day.
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- This is the back hayfield where I grow lots of hay for my horses. It is so quiet, one can just hear the snow falling in clumps from the trees.
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- Along this carriage road on both sides are my young azaleas – very different looking from mid-May when they erupt with beautiful bright colored flowers.
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- Here is one of two weeping cherry trees down behind my stable. A weeping cherry tree is at its best when the pendulous branches are covered with pink or white flowers in early spring. But the beauty doesn’t last long – only a couple weeks.
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- One of the most popular views at the farm – this one looking down the long carriage road to the woodlands. Majestic trees stand tall, with smaller saplings growing below.
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- This is the carriage road leading to my tennis court. Flanking both sides of the narrow road are Styrax japonicus ‘Marley’s Pink Parasol’ Japanese Snowbells and Styrax japonicus ‘Evening Light.’
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- The next morning, I went out again to tour the property after another couple of inches of fresh snow fell overnight. Here, the snow on the flower garden fence looks like a privacy wall.
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- Here is an image taken of the driveway in front of my Hay Barn before the crew arrives.
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- Hard to miss the stand of eastern white pine trees, Pinus strobus. They can be seen from many vantage points at the farm.
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- This linden tree-lined path between the paddocks runs from my Winter House and carport down to the chicken coops.
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- This is my original Allée of Lindens. The linden tree, Tilia, is also referred to as basswood or lime, though it is not related at all to the lime fruit. They are straight stemmed trees with smooth bark. I like to pollard these trees regularly. Pollarding is a type of pruning, a very severe method that involves cutting the branches back either to the trunk, or even all the way down to the top of the trunk to promote the growth of club-headed stems and dense new foliage and branches.
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- This is my snow-covered stone yard, a place where extra inventory of the many types of stones used at the farm are kept – slate shingles, marble flooring, granite posts, etc. The 100-year old white spruce fencing has stood the test of time. I love how the snow collects on the fence rails. I have photographed sections of this beautiful fence many times through the seasons.
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- At the other end of my farm is what I call the “run in” pasture – a giant paddock where all my horses can spend the day together. The “run-in” shed is in the distance.
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- Here’s a look through the woodland. The streams are full – they look so dark against the snow.
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- This time of year, I am very relieved the boxwood hedges and shrubs are well protected under burlap covers. Heavy snow could splay the branches.
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- When it is very cold, icicles form along the roof line of my “Flower Room” – an outbuilding across from my Winter House which includes a kitchen and pantry.
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- My longtime driver Carlos Villamil shares my love for photography. He took this photo of the little Basket House nestled in the grove of bald cypress, Taxodium distichum. We’re expecting more snow to fall this coming weekend. I’m sure to be out there plowing the carriage roads once again – stay tuned for more photos.
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