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–Roarin’ All the Way

There’s a saying that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.  March doesn’t always live up to that saying to its fullest potential, but this year, well …
In last week’s post, I remarked that Punxsutawney Phil was wrong in the prediction of there being six more weeks of winter.  With all the warm weather and quickly disappearing snow we were having, I couldn’t help but make the remark.  Never taunt the ground hog.

On March 2, after a day of 50-degree weather, but mostly cloudy skies and strangely increasing winds, we had a classic Nor’easter storm develop.  We were fortunate in that we had only a little bit of very soggy snow mixed in with rain.  North and west of the Mid-Hudson Valley, though, got slammed with 2-3 feet of snow.  The ski resorts were thrilled, I’m sure.  The rest of us, not so much.  Power outages were rampant with the high winds taking down branches and trees across power lines.  We were fortunate in that we only lost power for one hour.  As I type this, there are people who are just getting their power back on from last week’s storm and a few that still don’t have it.

Today brings another Nor’easter, only this time, my area won’t get off as easy in terms of the precipitation.  There was disagreement among the forecasting groups about last week’s storm as to what type of precipitation we were going to get.  Not this time.  Although they were differing slightly on the totals, they were all saying snow.  We presently have about 6” of very, very heavy snow.  Yes, this is the snow we used to make snowballs and snowmen out of when I was younger – solid, packable stuff.  You don’t want to shovel it, but you do want to play with it.  I’ll be doing the former tomorrow, taking my time with it clearing my deck and walkway.  I’m a fat, 60+ woman who doesn’t want to end up a winter statistic because she did too much too fast with this hefty, crappy white stuff, aka “heart attack” snow.

But on a positive note, in my walks of yesterday and today, I saw the red ends of tree branches that weren’t there last week.  Those trees are just itching to send out leaves.  I saw crocus, daffodil and snowdrop leaves coming up through grass and debris, all signs of flowers to follow in the not too distant future.  The pussy willow I pass everyday is just about in full furriness.  Well, today, those fuzzies are a little soggy, but they’ll recover.  I’m seeing more and more migrating birds return, although I haven’t seen any other robins than the one I mentioned last time.  Maybe they headed south again to places where the ground isn’t white.  With the migrators, there are more spring songs being heard, songs which will still be heard tomorrow as my area starts to shovel out from what we all hope is the last reminder of this winter season. 

The lion that brought in March will soon be tamed, and the happy playful lamb that signals March’s end will be here soon enough.

Only 13 days until spring.

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 - 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 - Priorities

Well, it's official.  I'm off from work on Tuesday.  Almost all the school districts in my area have closed in anticipation of our snowstorm tomorrow.  That wasn't a surprise.  What was a bit of a pleasant shock was the county executive closing county offices and ordering all non-emergency staff to stay home, with other local government offices following suit.  This is a rare decision, to be sure.  But, then, this storm event is worth the caution.

This is a classic nor'easter, creating blizzard conditions, snow totals of at least – AT LEAST – 12 inches, and winds 10-20 mph with gusts as high as 40 as the storm makes its way up the eastern seaboard.  Usually when these storms occur, northern and western parts of New York get spared significant snowfall.  Not this time.  They may not get the 12+ totals, but they'll still come close to having one foot of snow on the ground when it's all said and done.  Even places that don't normally see significant snow at all – Washington, DC, for example – will be digging out with the rest of us on Wednesday.  Yup, it's a biggie.

I'm as prepared as I'm going to be for this.  My kerosene heater and little generator are ready.  I put the plastic on the south side of my porch again.  It got blown off by the power killer cold front that passed through two Saturdays ago.  I put it back up to minimize the amount of shoveling I'd have to do of my porch just to open the front door.

I have adequate food, water, flashlights and batteries.  I also have chocolate, popcorn and videos.  Priorities.

I've covered as much of the patches of crocus and snowdrops as I could with containers weighted down just in case a gust of wind works to remove them.  I realize they've managed to survive torrential rain, high winds, single digit temperatures and deer invasion without help from me.  But a foot of snow is a bit much to endure and I'm not just talking the flowers survival, either.  I'm sure I'm going to need to see something other than white ground out there in the days ahead.

Again, priorities.

See y'all on the other side of this end-of-winter beastie.

Only 7 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.

Countdown to Spring – The Short Blooming Season

The good news – we didn't get down into the single digits Saturday into Sunday as predicted, although we did manage to get down into the low 10s just before sunrise on Sunday and Monday.

The bad news – most of the snowdrops didn't survive the transition from balmy warmth to frigid chill.  Hard to say on the crocuses yet.  I'll know better tomorrow.  However, I think their demise had less to do with the weather and more to do with deer wanting a colorful salad last night.  I was hard-pressed to find any crocus buds this morning and there had been plenty ready to pop open Sunday before the temperature took its second nosedive.  Ah, well, critters gotta eat.  Thank goodness they don't like daffodils.

Only 14 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - But Wait, There's More

As we await the passage of a cold front which, after a lot of wind, a dowsing of rain and possibly even some thunder, temperatures will be returning to average for this time of year.  There goes that heating bill savings time.

That being said, I discovered my snowdrops are now up and starting to bloom, and the cream-colored crocuses are coming up along with what is now 20 purple crocuses.  Depending on how much rain we're supposed to get, I may cover the flowers until the downpour passes.  Crocuses and snowdrops do better with snow than they do with a deluge of rain.  They may be early, but I'd really like to enjoy the color for longer than the day or two they've been up.

Only 23 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring - Well, It's Not the First Time

Many years ago, I planted a small patch of crocuses in a small rock crevice near the front of my house.  I planted light and dark purple, white, yellow and cream colored ones.  While the majority tend to bloom around the same time, the light purple ones have their own earlier timetable, opening their petals to the sun about a week or so before the rest.

Guess what was up this morning?

As I headed out to my car to go to work this morning, I looked down into that crevice and saw five purple crocuses which were maybe about a day from coming into bloom.  When I got home from work, the total was now ten.  Ten purple little buds ready to open up because it's been warm enough these last couple of weeks to wake them and convince them that it's time.

It's not the first time it's happened.  Since I planted this patch back in the 1990s, it's happened about three times, with one time when they were all in bloom and gorgeous in January.  There were also roses in bloom near the hospital in December where I worked at the time.  That was a very topsy-turvy winter temperature season.

My little purple crocuses might be in for a surprise come Sunday, when temperatures will drop back into a more normal range.  But they won't likely be shocked to the point of dying back, either.  Crocuses are a hardy breed of bloom.

And there's hope for a normal spring start yet.  My snowdrops are still snoozing.

Only 24 days until Spring.

Countdown to Spring: A Desperate Need for Green

While the temperatures have remaining above freezing and the snow has been melting along nicely, the progress toward bare ground has been, well, glacial. Places which have been plowed, shoveled or sanded are happily down to earth-toned surfaces.  But in my area, there is at least another 6-8" of snowmelt which must occur before life underneath it gets full benefit of sunlight again, more where its been heaped up to clear roads and pathways.

A few weeks back, I shoveled out the area where my crocuses are and they appreciated the effort.  The leaves are up about an 2" since I cleared snow away enough for the sun to do the rest.  I probably won't see the flowers for another 1-2 weeks, but it's still earlier than it would have been previously, since that's where I tossed snow to dig out my car and driveway.

But it was not enough.  I have snowdrops in my yard which were still covered by snow and I wanted them to have the same opportunity that the crocuses did.   Hard to landmark things when it's all uniformly white and I couldn't quite remember where they were, anyway. So, I cleared a circle 15 feet in diameter in the area that I vaguely remember them being in last year.  As with the crocus patch, I cleared to the point where the sun and warm air could finish the job easily.

Today, there is a patch of brown and green where I shoveled, some of the green being snowdrop leaves, so mission accomplished.  The snow was crusty and heavy and my muscles and joints didn't and still don't appreciate this job that wasn't actually necessary.

But, my psyche does.  I'm looking forward to flowers in bloom, likely right around the first day of spring, in both spots as a result of my efforts.  It would have been only somewhat longer had I allowed natural melting to occur.  But, I needed some things that don't remind me of this dreary winter season.  The extra ibuprofen required was worth it.

Only 8 more days until spring.