Winter Masts

A bright blue sky and temperatures around 50 pulled me outside today on a walk. I went to the nearby boatyard.  I never tire of looking at the boats.

Along the way I saw again this tree, laden with mistletoe. In winter it stands out so green against the stark branches.

Usually mistletoe is high in the trees, and you can't see it well. But this tree has a clump down low, almost at eye level. See how the mistletoe is actually growing out of the tree itself? It's a parasitic plant that takes nourishment from the host plant.

Right now it has clusters of pale white berries that it didn't have a month ago.

On my walk I passed this house. Many houses in Oriental have this type of shutter on the windows. I love them; they remind me of summer and sun, warmth and relaxation, sand and naps. And do you notice that rose bush still blooming in front? Yes, roses are still blooming in Oriental. I told you that you want to move here!

It all started yesterday when I drove near the grocery store. All of a sudden, I saw this bright spray of pink!! Early January, and there's a tree in full bloom!

It's not that we've had an unseasonably warm winter; I imagine it's rather average for here. We just live in a warm place, period. This explains the mosquitoes in summer, but it also explains the other infestation:  many, many Yankees weary of shoveling snow and slowly freezing to death :) We're happy to have them.
And a little more bloom in someone's bed:

Each spring, don't we all keep an eye out for the first bulbs to pop out of the ground? I saw them today, under this mailbox ... a mailbox still ornamented with Christmas ribbon and greenery.

That's Oriental in winter!