Snowbound

Why do shrubs flower in December? I once did a bio-sciences degree but, honestly, I haven't a clue. I guess we have messed them about by moving them from the environment they evolved in to this place they do not understand. We do much worse, of course: Himalayan balsam and rhododendrons and knotweed; the black locust tree in Europe; Oxalis in parts of Africa. Freed from the pests and competitors they evolved with, these species can dominate the environment they have been moved to, and suppress or eliminate the "native" species and biodiversity that we regard as more valuable. It's a problem for us, of course, but there is no external judge who declares it to be a problem for the planet, or that some plants have more absolute value than others. On an evolutionary timescale, I doubt that these "invasive" species will remain pest and disease-free In perpetuity, and I think their dominance will eventually be challenged. Our short lives, however, give us a perspective against a nearer horizon

The snow has cleared from the roads, but not from the steep slopes leading to our drive, where it is compressed and slippery. Having already done a little sideways driving, we don't have the courage to move vehicles around until there is a thaw. Tonight is clear, bitter cold; tomorrow is forecast bright but still cold. We, and this viburnum, may yet be snowbound for a while