People have this rather idealized vision of Florida. Every street is lined with palm trees, and the weather is always fabulous.

Except, of course, when it is not.

We do, on occasion, have freezes here. The fact that they are bookended by 75-degree days should not fool you: when it gets cold here, it gets cold in the same way it gets cold elsewhere. Frosty, even. And I have proof.

The little blades apparently forgot to bundle up.

The big smoker, on the other hand, had cuddled under its protective tarp.

I’d covered some of the plants, and moved others into the garage, but some – brassicas – didn’t need that and will actually come out healthier for a bit of a cold snap.

The garden area is where the sun hits first, so they thawed pretty quickly.

They were none the worse for their one night with 25-degree temps.