spring and fall

'Ziva' paperwhites from John Scheppers arrived last month and I've been planting a few every week for forcing. The first bloom appeared today and it smells divine. It's more like spring in the house than fall.

Of course, I only need to step outside for a hard dose of reality. It's frosty every morning and at or below freezing. That makes for a chilly walk with Cali. I thought this Mahonia looked cool (in more ways than one) with it's bright red leaves and icy crystals.