The Big Chill

Five days of below 32 degree weather is what the meteorologist has forecasted for us this week. FIVE DAYS...that is totally unheard of. Two, possibly three...maaaybee. But five...NEVER!

So what do we do...

We pick the remaining tangerines on our tree...

We move all the large potted plants into the garage...

And the smaller ones into the breakfast nook... the cats love this idea as they search among them for lizards that may have come indoors, too.

We wrap the staghorn ferns in old sheets and blankets...this will work if the temps don't go toooo low! They look kinda creepy at night.

We bundle up the tomato plant which does have tomatoes on it.  This is probably a futile attempt on our part, but there's always a chance. Another ghostly figure in the yard. It's a good thing it's not a full moon.

Next, we head to the front yard in the hope of saving the variegated schflerra..the only interesting foliage plant in this area. More old mattress covers do the job up here. This is the first time ever that I used ALL the old blankets, sheets and mattress covers that we store in two large boxes in the garage just for this type of weather.

And, just in case you think we've lost our marbles...the neighbors have all done the same thing. Here's neighbor #1 to the west. He's purchased large tarps to cover his Ti plants and crotons.

I couldn't resist including this photo. No that's not a giraffe all bundled up in his backyard...it's a palm tree that's growing just a little bit north of its comfort zone.

Neighbor #2 to the east is trying to protect a fiddle leaf fig and ficus trees with covers and Christmas lights.

And lastly, neighbor #3 to the south has lots of little white ghosts in their front yard.

It looks like this might possibly be one of the coldest winters for us in a very long time. The coldest morning will be Tuesday at a projected 28 degrees. It looks like my "curb appeal" project is on the backburner for now.