well i didn't post yesterday. not for lack of trying, but was the caused by a litlle procrastination on my part, waited until late in the day and then couldn't get on blogger....apparently they were having a problem....i actually stayed up until 2004 on new year's eve but it had nothing to do with the day....got involved with something on blogshares...we had basically a green christmas...a few piles of dirty snow that hadn't melted....so i wake up this morning to a dusting of snow....i'm sure more is on the way but so far this is or has been a very "open" winter.....i'm not sure that's a universally used term or just a locally-ism for a winter with little snow...not a good thing if it gets real cold because the plants don't have a blank of snow that acts as an insulator and many of the perennials in my garden will have their little rots frozen and not come back in the spring....much as i hate it i hope we get a base of about a foot to 18"...then everything should weather the winter ok....