After a late December with temperatures in the 70s, the recent hard freeze will change what our springtime will look like. Even though the weather has been dreary, I’ve been thankful for all the rain we’ve been having, since that usually enables the young green buds in spring to have plenty of ground water. But two nights last week had lows in the teens, with wind chills in the single digits, and highs barely above freezing. Back in December, the plants that thought is was time to come to life – hydrangeas and azaleas – had started to sprout . . .

We’ll know in March or April what really died. Hard freezes don’t sit well in the Deep South. Even my quince bushes – which are supposed to bloom this time of year – got the worst of the freeze, too: