Today was the first day that I was woken up by the song of the robin. Singing so loud, must've been looking for a mate. The same robin calling was going at dusk as well. They've been around for a while now, but I haven't heard them singing so lovely. This evening was the first evening that the wonderful scent of the flower blossoms from the neighbours tree filled the yard. I don't know if it's a plum, cherry or golfball tree, but the flowers are pink and very fragrant.
I passed a large star magnolia tree in full bloom today too.
My daffs are on their last legs, and the bleeding heart is up about 2" as is the peony.
I must admit that listening to that robin sing his heart out, really made me think that Spring really is here.
Signs of Spring
Spring is coming to PEI. I walked around the garden earlier this week and my dwarf Irises are coming up, my sedum has lots of rosettes as does my columbines. Also noticed new growth pushing thru for William and Mary and English Daisy. My creeping phlox, arabis and rockcress are greening up. We have no snow left at all not that we had much to begin with all winter. Hope Spring keeps coming!
Michelle
Linda, we have a ton robins out here too!!! They are everywhere.
My daffodils are just all out right now in full bloom. The tulips have been eaten by the deer!!! Crocus are up and almost done. Hyacinths are poking up. The evergreen clematis at the library is blooming profusely. The weeping willow has tremendous growth on it already. Also my small variegated willow and the coral bark maple is budding.
And most important of all:
THE GUNNERA IS GROWING!!!! :-) YAY!!!
Glenda
Yesterday, in the early evening, I actually saw and heard a robin singing its mating song too, and we're not anywhere near the zone 8 type of season. Oh, how I hope he knows something we don't! --Ginny
isn't the call of hte robin just a wonderful sound. It's been the sound that I wake up to now for the past few mornings, about 6:30 it permeates my slumber. We also had a Stellar's Jay competeing with it this morning. And the Hummingbirds, yes Hbirds, but they are here year round, are busy this morning too.
It's over cast with a bit of sun shinning through but it's cool, for us, and windy!
Sending another arctic front your way. :^))
The possibility of it is sitting there..........
It wont go anywhere Pam. We are getting some snow up here but still nice. March 22nd will be 50F at your house.
Not likely....we are forecasted to be still in the deep freeze for awhile yet Steve.
I am the forcaster of good things. You only listen to the forcasters of bad. March 22nd 55F. About 32 C. I have consulted with the shamans up here in AK and they assure me that the mice have stopped tunneling and are headed up from the tundra.
I live in Saskatchewan Steve (cup 1/2 empty/ 1/2 full). We can get snow in every month (incl now the recently the unheard of July). However I'll keep your forecast in mind. ;)
This message was edited Mar 16, 2006 9:46 PM
Same in Montucky. I raced a sailboat on July 4th, 2000 in a windy snow fall for 5 hours. We started the race at 48F.
How about forecasting for us here in Lotus Land - a heat wave?
We are doing ok in my region. Highs of 10 & 11 Celcius this weekend and into next week. Are normals are 10 degrees this time of year, so we are finally getting average temps. We are green here; noticed my delphiniums are up. Hopefully it will stay spring-like for the duration. fingers crossed, 'cause you never know what it'll do in this crazy country of ours. Ü
Don
edited to say... Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
This message was edited Mar 17, 2006 5:57 AM
Don, where is Fairview?
Here ya go 2zeus......BC is included in the below
"Summer will be hotter and drier than normal just about everywhere :S (excluding southern Ontario)."
Old Farmer's Almanac (prairie ed.) 2006
I have no idea what Sofer's prediction for you will be however. ;)
Lotus Land: ......... hot off the presses..... Lotus Land will be wet and cool with frequent low pressures and cloud cover dropping rain such that all plants will be treated with perfect hydration, perfect temperature, perfect intermittent sun, and perfect beauty. Hooooooow booooooooring for the gardener. No living in fear of late frosts, Blasting hot dry winds, drought conditions, heavy hail falling out of the sky, and hurricane force winds cooming off the eastern washington Steppes during the hot summer. Ahhhhh Montana!
The last couple of sentences sounds an awful lot like Saskatchewan too Sofer.
Except the part you might be paddling through.....it tends to be nicer up there (more trees ;).
You bet Pam you and I are the only gardeners on DG that actually have to go to the garage sales in the summer and buy sheets for our garden beds. I find flannel the most enjoyed by my annuals in the spring. I especially like the elastic on the bottom sheets to wrap around the large tree limbs when the artic blast happens on memorial day.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL & ROTLMBO! ;) Yep we do seem to keep an eye open for that valuable flannel. Of course Todd will tell you he won't even see his plants until the end of May this year.....so we are somewhat better off (snow wise anyways).
Your comment re: hail reminded me of this storm last year: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/521000/ Did you get it too?
Nice Cell there. I always wondered what kind of suck causes the clouds to bunch up like that until I flew over one in a jet. Each light colored area is updrafts and the dark is ice. I was caught in my sailboat by one of these and I tore off the sails and rode down wind at about 8knts bare poled. What fun! I disagree with your what to do in tornadoe. I was driving down a road in Michigan late at night in heavy rain with my window open to see out when a deer jumped into my drivers window. I pushed her back out and just then the lightening went off. There it was dead ahead, The twister was only 100 yds away so I did what they teach you in Drivers Education. Into the ditch I went with the car. the chaos and debris was so ear splitting I laid on the floor over my baby daughter in terror. The car never moved but the corn field beside it had a path through it 50 yrds wide and 2 ft deep the next day. I looked for the deer but saw no remaining evidence. Poor kid I wasn't thinking when she jumped in. My natural reaction was to push her out. Then boom there was the monster.
This message was edited Mar 17, 2006 12:18 PM
That write up came from a site.......my personal choice is to
(a) not be here when it comes
but
(b) in the basement under the stairwell
will also do.
Not being in a car period would be at the top of my list. ;)
Well there is no way I would leave the car in that Electric deluge. Strikes were every where and the car is the safest spot for that. Also the debris was devistating to the car, road, fence, and anyother thing in the way. somehow I would not choose it either but these things are made to make you closer to God. What a rollercoaster!
Yep I don't envy your experience......especially with a child in the vehicle. Bad enough on your own but much, much worse when your child is with you.
Snow has started to melt during the day here. Snowbanks still pretty high. HUGE icicles on the house. Pothole counting time in Winnipeg. Sunny and crispy, unlike the rain/overcast of Victoria.
Inanda
Wait till March 22nd.
2006 Spring Outlook
For immediate release
The Weather Network Issues its Spring Outlook
Oakville, ON, March 1, 2006. The shedding of layers and sun-drenched patios are on the minds of most Canadians at this time of the year. The Weather Network’s spring outlook indicates that Canadians in the west will be enjoying warmer temperatures before those in the east as winter will stay for a while longer in most of eastern Canada.
“Drier than normal conditions are expected to continue in British Columbia this spring which could result in another bad forest fire season,” says meteorologist Lloyd Butler of The Weather Network. “Precipitation patterns across most of eastern Canada will be near normal, but look for some heavy rainfalls across Southern Ontario in late April and a few more snowy days across the Maritimes in March.”
Following is what Canadians can expect this spring:
* The west coast can expect to be slightly cooler than normal as the jet stream will be riding lower as water temperatures in the eastern Pacific affect the flow. Areas in southern and central interior BC will remain drier than normal through to May.
* Southern areas of Saskatchewan and Manitoba will see slightly milder and wetter conditions. As systems move through look for large temperature shifts from mildly warm to a distinctly wintry chill.
* Central Canada will continue to experience wild temperature swings through mid-April as light snow coverage in the mid-western United States will allow the increasing amount of solar heating to play a role in the weather. This will bring blasts of warmer air to the Great Lakes region as spring progresses.
* Atlantic Canada can anticipate near normal temperatures with the exception of northern New Brunswick which is forecasted to be slightly below normal. Precipitation will also be near normal, but watch for some snowy days in the Maritimes.
* Most of the Territories can expect near normal temperatures with above normal temperatures expected in the extreme north. In terms of precipitation, the entire area can expect to be near normal.
This message was edited Mar 17, 2006 10:49 PM
My first real inication of spring, not a Robin, but an ordinary fly. Buzzing around when I stood out on my back deck. Hope he was a snack for some bird.
Well Pam I'm dying to find out did you get warm today as I predicted?
Wasn't your prrediction for 50F?
50
I think Pam was dreaming. Next week it is supposed to get into plus weather here. If Pam had 50F yesterday we should be getting it today.
Almost time to get the VW out of jail. Yippee. Time to go visiting local nurseries to see whats what.
Inanda
Well. according to the Weather Network, it is -12 in Moose Jaw this morning with a High today of 1 Celcius. I think they are a long way from 50 F.
Don
I think MJ went up to about -1C yesterday. Sofer your predictions aren't too accurate. You need more practice.
We are, after all, absolutely surrounded by signs of spring. Sure, they may not be the same signs that harken the season in places like Toronto and Vancouver - you know, robins, Easter parades, the fall fashion shows - that sort of thing. But we have plenty of signs.
But unless you keep an eye out for them, they're easy to miss. For those of you facing your first springtime here, here are some annual observances I wouldn't want anyone to miss:
- The explosion of red and pink silklike valentine roses and "Final Clearance" poinsettias in the floral aisle at Walmart has been replaced with bushes of forsythia, pussy willows and daffodils.
Serious crafters, of course, were in several weeks back for faux green carnations for their St. Pat's wreath. (Crafters are always ahead of the pack on this sort of thing.)
- You consider turning off the humidifier in the bedroom.
- A little patch of earth along your front walk (in the sunniest area) - long ago frozen more solid than Teamster cement - has finally had the snow above it disappear and thawed and softened just enough to release the Halloween lawn ornaments you staked into the ground five months ago.
- You spot the season's first hitch-hiker (frozen solid beside Mac the Moose)
- The Globe and Mail Gardening edition sells out at your neighborhood gas station.
- Garden catalogs start showing up, inspiring you to plant a raspberry patch, grow heirloom tomatoes and start a compost pile. (If this is your second or maybe even third spring around here, you toss these in the recycling bin the minute they arrive, the memory of last year's failed water garden still vivid in your mind.)
- You realize that soon you will have to turn on the basement dehumidifier.
- Your feet are free of wool socks and waterproof boots just long enough for you to ponder the dilemma of really, really, really needing a pedicure.
But needing one so badly that, well, you're a bit too embarrassed to take your wool socks and waterproof boots off in front of your pedicurist.
-Shaving your legs is also considered now.
- You no longer envy the neighbor's snowblower (hahahahaha ;). You envy his riding lawn mower (still buried at the back of his garage).
- All of the energy and acumen you've been using to avoid hitting a deer and causing massive damage to your car now goes to avoiding potholes.
- You hear the season's first motorcycle (being reved up in the neighbours garage).
But now, out of the blue, you say, "Yes! Yes! I want ice cream! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream, please!" *grin*
- Your heating bill has slipped from obscene to simply vulgar.
- You leave your office at the end of the day and the sun is shining.
-The temperature outside was still below 0 degrees celcius (on Mar 22 & 23/06 ;) edited to say at 1:51 pm we hit +3 (but with windchill are still @ -1 :(
-The greenhouses here won't be open until, at least, May 1st. :'(
-Finally you catch yourself longingly eyeing your BBQ (that is still frozen shut with 3 inches of ice encasing it). :'(
Your prediction of the below was just a *bit* off Sofer......... ;)
This message was edited Mar 23, 2006 1:53 PM
Hey echoes! Your pic of Blue Corydalis made the "Fun Random Image" today.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/21469/
I'm brushing the dog everyday and I'm still ankle deep in dog hair, it has to be spring!
Transplanting seedlings inbetween times to 4" pots and trying to find enough light for them all to hover under and grow some more.
Spring cleaning and getting rid of all the dirt that you had no idea was even in your house!
Opening the window just a crack to let in some fresh air without worry of it freezing in that position.
Getting the Canadian Tire Summer 2006 catalogue and drooling over all the new garden items, or opening the Sears Spring and Summer edition and longing for some of the patio furniture they are offereing.
Watching as every day gets just a little bit longer and thinking it's only another week and a bit before we are back on daylight saving time!
Spring is everywhere, don't you just love it?
Well my extrapolation of what happens here in the mountains cause we are warm today was 60F. So I will have to quit forcasting until I get up there and get some Canadian Beetles.
This is how it is. Everyday I go outside and walk down my sidewalk. That is the only place I can walk. (without snowshoes) Spring is coming but it's not here yet. And I go back inside to wait another day.
I have really enjoyed all the postings, and would like to visit here often. I am in VERY upstate NY and either zone 3 or 4 depending on which catalog I am looking at! So, feel very akin to all you Canadians and northernmost Stateside gardeners. First robin of the season in my back yard just yesterday. still small patches of snow, and crocus up about an inch. Gloomy chilly weather. Would love some sun. What do you say, Sofer? Can I have some? LOL! BAM