Bringing the light

I like the fact that things slow down in the winter. The grass has finally stopped growing so I don't have to spend every free moment with the mower or weedeater. The flowers are gone, but I was growing tired of tending to them. I don't like the look of empty planters, however, and I really don't like the look of darkness that occurs by 5:00 p.m. Several years ago I put our family's old outdoor Christmas lights on the dog yard shed and left them on until the equinox to bring some light and color to darkness. I think all the bulbs had finally burned out, however, so it was time for a change.

We finally had enough rain that it seemed safe to burn the accumulated brush and boxes in my fire pit.

This two-tiered wrought iron plant stand in the garden looked sad and depressingly empty with all the flowers gone, so I turned it into a holiday bush.

We have a plentiful supply of greenery in the yard so I built my own bush on the plant stand using Leyland cypress boughs on the bottom, then holly, and finally boxwood on top. 

I dug out a few of the solar candles I had put away and placed them on top.

And today I added lights.

I ordered these "meteor lights" from Amazon after seeing them advertised on TikTok. They are pretty, but I need many more to produce the desired effect, (see below).

This was the picture that sold me on the concept. I need many more strings of the lights, but I've put them on my Christmas list and this is something I plan to keep up until the equinox.

I got a 50' length of icicle lights and used them to replace the burned out lights on the dog yard shed. That's Della on the front porch of the shed.

While shopping for lights I ran across this little guy. I call him Flaming Frank the Flamingo. After seeing him, I knew what I had to do—Flamingo creche set. Flaming Frank is the baby and I gathered the rest of the flock together to fill out the manger and brighten up another winter garden spot.

Just behind and above Flaming Frank is the only non-flamingo character in the tableau, a concrete dog named Jack.

This will be lit up at night by the same solar lights that lit up the flowers throughout the summer, bringing a bit of color and light to the otherwise desolate looking winter garden.

Flaming Frank - His coming had been prophesized in many different cultures and religions for millennia, only to be realized in a humble garden spot in Fluvanna County in 2023.

What, no dogs? Here's a few from the past few days.

Bailey watching me put up lights this afternoon.

Bailey and Candace

Candace on the boardwalk, trying to decide if she wants to come inside.

Della in her coat on a clear but chilly morning.

Waiting for me at the top of the stairs.

Left to right: Maya (telling me to hurry up), Bailey, Elvis, Dodger, and Paisley