Countdown to Spring - Oh, Wait ...

That's right.  It came in  Saturday morning.  Oh, yes, yesterday was the official start to spring.  It's going to be a while yet for it to be felt far and wide.  But according to the calendar, it's here.  Friday, the last day of winter, had a short burst of snow in the morning, not even enough to coat everything one last time.  Lots of wind as well, enough to take down a few larger dead trees, one of which fell in the back yard of the house where I live.  No damage, no injuries.

With all the above-freezing temperatures we've been having locally in the last two weeks, there isn't a smidge of snow left.  I did say that I would do the Snoopy Dance when that happened.  I made the attempt to show that cartoon beagle joy, only to discover I'm not as young or agile as I used to be.  Happily, there is no video of my sad little attempt, but it's the thought (that I didn't end up in the emergency room) that counts.

Crocuses are up and in bloom, snowdrops were up and in bloom and are done for the season.  Daffodil leaves have emerged, but I haven't seen any blooms or buds yet.  Some of the trees are more than ready to let those leaves show themselves, others not so much.  But most importantly, the wild onions have appeared in the yard, and I can see the stinky skunk cabbage as I drive over the bridge and out into the world for work and shopping.  No dandelions yet, but they're only a week or two away.

Lots of spring bird songs now.  Many of the migrators have returned, but I have yet to see is a robin.  I know they're out there, but I've usually seen them stalking earthworms in the nearby park by now.  I'm sure they're here – somewhere else.  Eventually, I'll see my first one and, as always, it'll make me smile.

So after our long, cold, pandemically-influenced winter, more daylight, warmer temperatures and more chance of rain than snow seem to have more meaning.  I don't know about all of you, but this seasonal renewal that is spring is especially welcomed this year.  

Get out there and enjoy it.  I know I will.

Countdown to Spring – Welcome Aboard the Vernal Equinox

So much as it doesn't feel like it, spring arrived shortly after 12 noon my time.  It's cloudy and windy and feels chilly and raw.  Not very springlike. 

Did I mention we're looking at another Nor'easter?  No?  Well, that's because I'm in denial.  It's spring, after all.  Shouldn't its arrival have put a end to that nonsense?  This one could go several ways for my area.  I'd rather it just go away.

I took a walk up the street and saw crocuses in full bloom.  Now, I know this patch of flowers because I planted them myself many years ago and they've naturalized into a very nice two-foot circle of purple, yellow, cream and white crocuses, in that order.  I saw the dark purple ones today.  In a couple of days, the yellow, cream and light purple ones will open up.  The white ones are always last, opening as the first ones are fading.  I look forward to their arrival.  They have been my proof for over two decades that winter really is leaving.

Still looking for the elusive flock of robins I keep hearing about.  I see birds of the right size, but when I get closer, I realize it's starlings.  Eventually, I'll see one robin, then more.  Of course, it might not be until after April starts, the way things are going.

Then, there are the turkey vultures.  Just as the swallows return to Capistrano in California and the buzzards return to Hinckley in Ohio, the turkey vultures return to roost along the Rondout Creek waterfront of Kingston in New York.  Yeah, they're not the prettiest birdies, but they serve a purpose, and at least they show up.  You hearing me, robins?

And so, we've survived another winter, one that's not ready to exit quickly and quietly.  But exit it will, and we can get on with enjoying warmer, longer days and all the activities that go to the wayside during the winter months.  Get out there and enjoy.

Happy spring, everyone.

Countdown to Spring – Finishing February on a Warm Note

When I got home this evening just before 5 PM, I looked at the temperature and it was 54°F.  It reached the high 50s today.  Granted it wasn’t as balmy, pleasant and very wrong temperature-wise as the 75°F we hit last Wednesday, but it was welcomed nonetheless.  Tomorrow will also be in the 50s, then we’ll drop back into the 40s for Friday, when we’re predicted to have snow again.  Sort of like last Friday.  It’s a bit of a roller coaster, but I’m kind of liking the ride, especially when the snow melts away so quickly.

The migratory birds are starting to show up.  Some are expected now, but some are early.  Sadly, my first robin sighting was a dead one on my walk home this evening.  It was likely struck by a car.  However, I was told that there are flocks of them in the area, alive and well, which makes me happy.  Lots of territorial singing by the birds now.  It’s one the signs of spring that I always enjoy, especially at first light in the morning.  A quick note on that – loving the slowly lengthening daylight hours.

Trees and bushes are definitely getting ready to send out leaves to greet the day.  But except for my favorite pussy willow, which has slowed a little in putting on its fur coats, I’m still just seeing buds.  Bigger than before, of course, but still just buds.  End of February would be way to early for anything like leaves and blooms in anything but greenhouses here in New York, crocuses and snowdrops aside.  Too many unpleasant snow and ice surprises can happen right into early April.

However, as a final note, I feel the need to say one thing.  I know it’s premature to do this, given that there’s still three weeks until Spring. 

But, HEY, (Punxsutawney) PHIL, YOU WERE WRONG!

Only 20 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring – This is More Like It

After a week of staring at the walls and ceiling of my apartment and feeling like a barking seal with an energy crisis living at the equator (translation – coughing, fatigue and fever), I am finally past it and am looking forward to the next few days or gorgeous and, may I add, warm weather.  Warm, as in 60s, possibly even 70.  Yeah, I know, I know, it’s too early, it’s not going to last.  Whatever.  It beats -7°F, doesn’t it?

Our little clipper storm Saturday into Sunday which was supposed to bring 1-3” of snow brought us about 4” locally.  It wasn’t supposed to start until 9 PM, but by 7 PM when I looked out, we already had an inch of snow on the ground, dashing my hopes of a dusting that I could easily sweep away.  Sunday morning, out came the shovel and in about three trips, I had cleared my deck and walkway and then my parking space out to the road.  I didn’t do a great job because it was already sunny and above freezing.  Let solar heating be your friend.  It was, too.  By the end of the day, all shoveled areas were down to bare ground.

It’s been in the 40s during the day the last few days and most of the snow is gone.  Yesterday, it was in the 60s.  It hadn’t melted all the way yet, but it was an 9:1 mix of bare ground to snow instead of 50:50.  By the end of today, well, I won’t even care if it’s not gone.  I’m just going to enjoy those warm southwest breezes.

I did manage a little walking at the end of flu/flu-like things.  Looking up at trees, I am seeing more and more buds at the tips of all the branches.  The pussy willow I walk by to go to the post office is really starting to come to life, with catkins (really, that's what they're called) now starting to peek out from just about every branch.  I have a running permission from the owner to clip a few branches every year.  That'll be coming up soon.

On a sad note, a critter – likely a squirrel – squeezed through the holes of the milk-crate type container that I had protecting my planter with crocuses in it, moved the leaf mulch and had a late winter snack of crocus root and sprout salad on at least half of them.  I suspect squirrel because of the debris pattern they left outside the container and yet still left the container in place.  Ladies and Gentlemen, a round of applause for Houdini the Squirrel!

Only 27 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - You Can't Keep a Good Crocus Down

My covering the patches of crocus and snowdrops paid off.  Yesterday, I came home to both having flowers in fully recovered bloom.  The deep purples and yellows of the crocus were especially nice.  The sunny day and temperatures in the upper 40s also extended the area of non-snow around each patch by a little bit.  I haven't really noticed a decrease in the snow depth yet, but it's likely happening.

Never did get around to shoveling that last bit of snow from the side yard walkway to the road yesterday.  I needed a break from that activity.

Only 2 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - The End is in Sight

Well, the end of winter, to be sure.  But what I'm really talking about is the end of my shoveling out from our one and only nor'easter two days ago.

I watched another musher come into Nome from the Iditarod race (by the way, it was about 3 AM and -14°F in Nome at the time), then got dressed and headed out.  I figured I was going to get maybe another 15 feet cleared before ending it.  Nope, I got about 30 feet of walkway cleared in a fairly short time.  I got to the thick crusty stuff left by the plow and decided to stop.  That was about 8 feet from the road.  Some would continue, but I was good with it.  I am a 59-year-old fat and slightly physically deconditioned old broad and I have no desire to visit the emergency room due to a shoveling expedition that isn't critical for today.

However, before I called it quits, I decided it was time to remove the bin I put over the snowdrops and let them catch some rays.  I started to shovel toward the flower patch, but my hands were cold and I really was getting tired, so I walked through the snow to the green bin (about 15 feet), then shoveled around it, roughly shoveled back out to the walkway, then came back and took the lid off the snowdrops.  They didn't look too bad.  I came back in the house for a few minutes after that to let my fingers warm up and catch my breath, then went back outside and took the lid off the crocuses as well.  They looked a bit bedraggled, but still alive and kicking.  In both cases, covering them created an area of ground to be warmed sooner rather than later, promoting melting.  It’s that much less white and also helping to decrease the snow pack a little faster.  

My jeans are presently hanging in the bathroom, my shoes back up against the radiator.  I'm snuggy inside and having my second cup of coffee, having accomplished more than I expected I was going to this morning.  I may or may not finish when I get home this evening from the road inward – we’ll see how I feel.  

Gotta say, though, it was beautiful out there – blue, almost cloudless sky, temperature around freezing.  The wind was still kicking a bit, but it felt good as I was shoveling.  Birds are singing territorial songs now, and as I looked around, I saw buds on trees and bushes getting ready to come out of their dormancy.  So, much as it might not look it a lot right now, the end of this winter solstice season is in sight, and it can't come soon enough.

Only 4 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - Repeat Performance

Just when we thought last weekend was it for the chilly weather, along comes this weekend with the promise of similarly brisk 10s and 20s, with the added bonus of a little snow on Friday.  Depending on which forecast you follow, we're expecting a trace to 1", 1-3" or 2-4" of snow.

How about none?  None is good, too.

Some of the crocuses and snowdrops managed to survive both the cold snap and the deer dinnertime, and the ones that hadn't even come up yet are also making an appearance.  I guess some of them knew February was way too early to be putting on their spring show.  I also have a a crop crocuses which generally show up about a month after the first group.  Should be interesting to see when they emerge in what's been a oddly warm season.  Stay tuned.

Only 12 more days until Spring.