Waiting for Christmas

Though it's a week until Christmas most of my preparations are finished. I enjoy decorating the yard with lights, wreaths, ribbons and bows. I have a Japanese Cedar in the front yard that for a number of years I would string with lights but it has gotten too big now for me to reach the top. It was a one dollar bargain at a Master Gardeners plant sale as a seedling. It is a lovely tree and I'm surprised it is not used more in landscapes. This one is 12 years old and about 20 feet tall. It is heavy with cones as seen in the second picture.

The mild weather has forced a spring blooming camellia into bloom this week. The petals are very delicate and quick to brown when the temperature drops below freezing. I took a couple of pictures this afternoon before the first blooms are damaged.

I have a couple of Christmas Cactus but this is the only one not damaged by squirrels. I put them under a tree in the summer and it was in the pathway for frolicking squirrels. They were torn up pretty good before I moved them but they should recover in a year or two.