I declare winter is over!

Can't believe my dwarf iris is blooming, just saw them today, what a wonderful surprise after all the snow has melted!

I bet that is a great surprise, especially being up there in zone 4b!

Congratulations - the first flower is always a welcome beacon in the darkness of winter. :)

Spring flowers are so welcome! You're ahead of me and I am a zone warmer. Some of mine are up but not showing any color yet.

I was pretty excited. This is their 2nd year, I don't recall when they came up last year but I'm sure it was not this early. They are close to the house and get plenty of afternoon sun so I guess that helps. Hubby and I are going to go out today and do a little clean up in the flower beds. Yippee!

I think those might be reticulated Iris (Iris reticulata). Mine haven't even bloomed yet! LOL My I. danfordiae are going to town though. Patience......

Still tons of snow here... but it is over 32 F today anyway, and snow is melting a bit. They said it will be round +2 to +4 C for the next four days or so (35 to 37 F?), so more snow will be melting. Slowly but steadily ;)

I'm a little confused Badseed. The package says Iris reticulata and danfordine mix but I don't think there is ANY mix. Now I'm trying to remeber if I had colors last year or just the iris, hhhmm.
Evert, I am not believing our weather here, today it is 55 degrees and the wind is gusting up to 35-40 miles per hour.

Really warm today in sun - about 35 F in shade. Snow is thawing and coming down from the rooftops. Just a few more days like these and half of the snow will be gone.. I hope. :D

But what will you roll in when you emerge from sauna? ;) I'm picturing a muddy Evert.

Evert what in heavens is Gardenwife talking about? Are you one of them "polar bear" people (the club that likes to take a dip in the fridgid waters during winter). AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH ;)

I''ve never dipped in a water of a frozen lake (called avantouinti here), but many people do it, I will try it some day for sure. They say it feels awesome. Especially after it.
Rolling in snow is my common sauna-fun though :D Soon it won't be possible though as snow is melting and turning too hard/icy.

Do it while you're still young (more chance of heart trauma the older you get!) LOL

The closest I've ever gotten to that is jumping right in an indoor pool after getting out of the hottub right next to it. Both were at a hotel (not my home, darn it).

That's the closest I've gotten also. That's invigorating enough for me.

Up here in the frozen wastelands of Northern NY, I do this in reverse. I work nights at a hotel and when it's -30 something outside, I head down to the sauna as soon as I arrive and stand in there for a few moments to let my bones thaw out, LOL.

I stand corrected. Winter is not over.

Yesterday, the sun was shining, 40 degrees, lovely day. NO SNOW ON THE GROUND.

This morning we woke to this "chance of snow". Well so much for any dreams of being a meteorologist, lol.

We got a bit of snow yesterday. It melted during the night, and it was humid and foggy in the morning. Actually the weather has been absolutely sh***y today - gray, gray, gray, a lot of RAIN of pure cold water, wet snow, fog etc.. I hate this. Let's wish it'll be sunny tomorrow!

Watch the Finnish weather forecast (movie clip)... :D > http://www.mtv3.fi/video/popup/saa.shtml?

I'm not sure but from the looks of the MTV forecast, sun will not be a part of your day tomorrow...but what do those people know!! I know our forecasters are wrong quite a bit of the time. Some days I tell my hubby, if you want to know the weather,...look outside. Let's wish for sun, it sure can not hurt!!

I feel your pain. We're in for more winter weather, too...Snow, sleet, maybe freezing rain...
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/news/updates/4923.html

:P Poo!

Since last evening we've had an accumalation of 17 inches! Most schools and a lot of business's were closed today. But with the snowplows and fair temps the roads look "ok" for tomorrow. Gardenwife, what I really dislike is the freezing rain, it can cause so much damage...trees, bushes, and electrical wires. Hope that passes you guys by!

Seventeen?! Yowzah! I just hope we don't get anything heavy enough to break off more tree branches in the awful half-dead maples in front of our houses here.

I don't have anything "blooming" yet. I have crocus up, and what might be something, but it's their first year. My Hycanthiths have buds in them, ready to push upwards. They are blue, and I have Red Tulips behind them that have come up, and white candytuft beside them. All colors of our flag - just going to be a little backwards. I planted them this way because they should all bloom the same time. Hoping this works and I get a nice patriotic flag for the boys.

I do not believe in this war, but I do believe in patriotism and our boys and girls over there. I also don't want to turn this into a political thread, so let's not go there. I will post pics of it when it's blooming.

garden wife I went out 3 or 4 times yesterday to knock the snow off my two large "cedar globes", the snow was splitting them apart. There are okay.

karrie20x look forward to seeing your red, white and blues for the guys (and gals), please do post pics. when they are coming up.

Merigold - So nice to see you 'enjoying' the snow we were forecast to get. lol We only got 3" Monday and then another inch yesterday pm. Iowaron posted some pics of his 16" on the iris forum. It was a pretty big storm! Glad for the moisture! :)

Gosh, I had to run the air conditioner past couple of days, it was so warm...

(**ducking and running away fast**)

....may your air conditioner throw snowballs.....

Yahoo - first sprouts are coming from the ground! :) They're probably Scilla.

So, Kooger, are you saying YOUR snow is in my back yard? Come and get it! lol. Actually the moisture will be good so I can look at it as a blessing in disguise.

Evert I'm glad you've seen some sprouts, yahoo!

Amaryllis gal I'm SO happy for you. Nothing like throwing it in our faces, you better duck, lots of snowballs here! LOL

Nah, don't need any back, I just shared! lol

**SMACK**
Okay, who threw that...

Yesterday, I noticed purple crocus buds coming up through the snow and mud by the azalea bushes. Yippee!

We wait for this all winter, those first sprouts with the promise of spring. Now it's hard to believe it's almost here!!