Another storm!

This past week has been so nice I guess I forgot we are still in March! The wind is starting to gust and the snow is picking up. Have to say I would much rather have the snow than the sleet the weathermen are predicting for later today. I covered a couple of my rosemary with burlap earlier in the season-hope they make it! I have started some cabbage in peat pots which I have been setting outside during the day guess they'll have to stay inside with me today!
Maybe I'll start some more seeds since I can't do anything outside.
Sue

Of course the weather changed . . . I have 10 days off for spring break! sigh . . . well, I am with you saanansandy, maybe some more seeds will arrive and I can plant those.

Seandor
What seeds are you waiting for?

nothin here as of yet

I thought winter was finally over, too, especially after the 75+ degrees outside the other day. Some of last year's hyacinths have already come up and bloomed!

We have a wintry mix outside right now, and we're supposed to get a couple of inches of snow by the time it's over. Yuck! Doesn't Mother Nature understand that I have new bulbs to put in!

Oh well, I guess I'll stick to planting some more seeds instead.

Stephanie

oh 75 degrees!! We got up to 56 degrees(most days it was 50) this week! Our temps are affected by wind coming off the ocean but even so I was running around outside in just a sweatshirt! I have a few tulips and daffidils coming up. My maples are starting to get that pretty red glow on the branches. ahhh spring!!

I have some hyacinths that have bloomed, and some that haven't made it all the way up yet, but the crocuses have finished already too!

I also have lillies and grape hyacinths starting to come up. Leaf and flower buds have appeared on my lilacs, and all of my new roses have new growth.

Of course, after this storm is over, who knows what things will look like. It's a mess out there right now, and everything is icing over.

:-(

Stephanie

I expected to see half a foot of snow on the ground this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see less than a couple inches. :-) I'm not looking forward to sleet or ice accumulation.

Hubby enjoyed 80 F temps in DC a couple days ago...he's now getting heavy freezing rain in below freezing temps with the windchill factor...hard to imagine such extremes within a couple of days...yuck!

Saanansandy, well some nice DG members have from the seed trading forum are sending me some of their surplus. I expect some will arrive next week. :-) I am not really sure what I am getting - although I did ask for wallflowers! l LOVE the scent of wallflowers and finally I live in a climate where I should be able to grow them.

But beggars can't be chosers. So I will see what i get. This year I will be much more clever - I will save the seeds of everything! DG even has these really neat little seed packages you can download and print. I made some while DH was reading to me.

ANyway - after this summer, I will be able to return the favour and give other newbies seeds :-)

Thompson & Morgan is giving $10 free with no minimum purchase required.

I'm so thrilled for the time I did work outside this week and then came yesterday's horrible snow/sleet/freezing rain! Roads and traffic were horrible and I had an appointment with a doctor. He took off for home and was pulling out of his parking lot as I was pulling in. The receptionist said they couldn't get hold of me because I didn't have a cell phone. They had confirmed the appointment at 11 AM!

Bummer! Time for a new Dr.?

I disliked the fact that somehow I was to blame for not having a cell phone. The doctor is fine and there is never any waiting time to complain about. The other skin doctor is a neighbor so I guess I'm just going with an early appointment each time and not the last one of the day. It is a bummer but I did get to buy Caladium, Acidanthera and Freesias. Not a total waste.

So, you came out ahead of the game!

And I get another day of shopping with the next morning appointment of April 2nd. Yippee!

75 degrees one day, 14" of snow the next! Who ticked off Mother Nature????

Tom

Tell me about it! She can't make up her mind. We only bot about 7 - 8 inches though.

only about 3-4" here. not too bad. sun's shining today and it just hit 32*

Woke up to snow showers this morning....everything is white again!

Maybe it all works to make spring even more wonderful for all of us in the Northeast.

It's slightly below freezing at 30 degrees F with flurries coming down. We got about 5" of snow a couple days ago, followed by near-freezing rain. Between this and the sun today, the snow has a thick crusty layer...its appearance is quite deceptive, as it looks like snow, yet feels like frozen slush when walked upon. We expect more snowfall today...how much ~ I have no idea, although it's this type of snow (new snow over icy snow) where I find myself slipping, falling, and sustaining a minor albeit rather annoying injury. Of course, many of you may not be as foolish as me walking around on the snow...I always pick up after our dogs and whatever garbage I found drifting in front of our house on the sidewalk or berm (which is why I find myself walking on the snow). So, be careful out there walking about!!

Thanks for the reminder of the dangers . . . personally I am staying inside :-)

Snow is melting quickly in So. CT. Pixie, my heart goes out to you.

Well, after the storm was all said and done, we ended up with only a couple of inches of snow with a layer of ice on top. Which turned out to be quite an adventure when I went out to feed my piggies Sat. afternoon! Their food pan was in the middle of their yard so I had to go in the pen to retrieve it. As I was stepping over the top electric wire, the foot that was still on the ground started sliding on the icy surface causing my other foot to twist and tangle in the wire! Well, down I went flat squirming like a fish out of water to get untangled quick before a nice shock could further rock my world! Meanwhile my pigs are standing about a foot away just watching me! I can just imagine what they must have been thinking-Crazy lady!! They were nice enough to come over while a was on the ground: waiting to get a nice scratch!! Well, at least the only thing bruised was my ego!
Sue, the graceful one!

Sue, I'm glad the only bruise you sustained was your ego! I read somewhere on DB about the Lee Valley anti-skid safety soles that strap onto your boots or shoes. Their economy priced model is called Ice Grippers and comes in two styles: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=40911&cat=2,51676&ap=1 . The other one is a bit pricey in comparison and called Icers: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=40911&cat=2,51676&ap=1 . I plan to order a pair whenever I get around to my next Lee Valley order. At my age, I figure I can't put a price on my safety.

Thanks! I definetly need something for traction! A couple of years ago, I slipped off a top stair when I was stepping onto the platform to go into a trailor for hay! Fell about 5 feet to the ground, knocked the wind out of me but thankfully that was all!! Probably should stop testing my luck and buy the grippers!
Planted some more plants this morning: swiss chard, broccoli and cabbage. Trying my luck at growing MoonFlowers this year. Read somewhere to nick the seed, soak in warm water for 24 hours and then wrap in wet paper towels for germination. Not sure if what I did qualifies as nicking the seed or not! Just kinda used a sawing action with a sharp kitchen knife and ground of a little off the outside coating! I did the whole package so I have about 25 seeds soaking right now. I figure it'll be either feast or famine!lol! Does anyone have advice on how to plant once germination starts?
Well, gotta gather some info on some trees I ordered through the University of Idaho: European Silver Fir, Majestic Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Arctic Blue Willow, Snowbrush Ceanothus and Amur Flame Maple. 40 trees in total!! They are supposed to arrive April 30 and not sure where they are going!lol! I was like a kid in a candystore!! I actually cut my order down to these! My family is going to love me when they arrive! heehee!
Sue

OMG Sue ~ I'm glad you're OK!! WOW, you're already getting goodies into the ground ~ I'm envious. ;-) What isn't covered with snow in our yard is all mucky. Nicking seed, eh? I haven't tried any seeds yet, although it sounds to me as if you're headed in the right direction. Your trees sound FAB!!! I wish we had sufficient space to plant the trees we want. Enjoy the day ~ :-)

Hi Saanansandy - I rubbed my morning glory seeds between some rough sand paper, soaked them in warm water for 24 hours, then planted them in those little peat pellet pots that everyone warns us against. I had a bunch so, what the heck . . . anyway 1st germination occured in 48 hours. Of 24 seeds started, 22 have emerged. Once they emerged, I took the little peat pellet, removed the sort of netting on them, then planted the pellet and plant into tall paper pots I made. They all seem to be thriving.

I am not sure how close mgs are to moon plants, but I believe they are related.

Cheers,
Seandor

Oh, I wish I thought of the sandpaper! Thanks for the great tip! That's a good germination rate on the morning glories, Seandor! Two green thumbs up-Lol! I think I'll just toss mine in a starting mix instead of trying the papertowel trick-what comes up, comes up!

Tehegemon, sorry, I have to clarify! I planted the seeds in peatpots(they are all over my house!); we are in a pretty mucky place right now, too. I plan this weekend to start my lettuce in a large planting tub which I set on my front step(southside of the house). I'm hoping to get some soil samples sometime this week and send them out the UMass. Soil Testing Laboratory. We are relocating our main vegetable garden and although it's better to get it tested in the fall, I couldn't decide where I wanted it until just a few weeks ago!

Boy did I get a rude awakening last night around 12:30am! A whole bunch of coyotes were yipping and howling in the lower pasture behind our house. They must have caught a deer or something! Makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end listening to them! I used to take early morning walks last summer until one morning I looked outside about 6:30 and there was a coyote just strolling through the driveway! It did that for about a week around the same time. Now I don't mind company on my walks but that's not someone I wish to stroll with! lol! I don't know if he was trying to catch the orphaned twin doelings that would cross thru early in the am or if he was just heading home after hunting all night. But I changed my a.m. scheduled!

Send them down here! They are always welcome. They can guard my garden.

Let me guess you are over-run with bambi! We have alot of deer also. Even with the coyotes and letting a couple of people come in during hunting season doesn't really put a dent in their population. Too much housing over the past 40 years = Bambi having to come right in and eat everything in sight. I'm sure it's like that just about everywhere! I can remember growing up here and not having any deer disturbing the garden only the occasional cow jumping the neighbor's fence :)
Ahhh the good ol' days of chasing cows instead of deer!lol! Nothing like the sound of hooves clomping on the asphalt, six o' clock in the morn!! Sorry...skipping down memory lane!
Back to the weather.....oooooo it looks like a pretty good weekend: very excited!
What's everyone have planned?
Sue

Yes, Sue - big deer problem. Wish I could surround the property with an 8 foot fence but it's just not doable in a residential suburban area. Wish I had cows instead!

Victor

Yes, I would take the cows any day too! Thankfully about the only damage they would do is trample through the onions leaving some pushed pretty far into the dirt! For some reason, they would only venture on the edge of the garden-guess the smell of onions put them off from exploring the rest of the garden! Too bad that wouldn't work on the deer! lol I would have a few hundred planted around the whole garden!

We still have a good amount of snow w/the nice ice crust on top. I walked on it w/out breaking my neck, but I really wish it would just go away. The bad news is we are getting freezing rain tonight from midnight until 8am. (Hope we don't lose power!) The good news....it will reach 50 tomorrow so the ice won't be staying!!!

That freezing rain is just the worst! Hope it clears up fast and we all get to enjoy some beautiful warm spring weather.
It's misty and foggy here this morning but at least the temp was 40 first thing this morn. Good things can come out of dreary days: one of my rabbits had little ones this morning-they're all tucked in that nest of warm fur she made!

We had 39 at 6 AM but I'm still waiting for the sunshine so I can get back outside. I love spring clean-up and seeing up close what's happening with all the plants.

Today I will put the sweetpeas out on the veranda - hopefully this is the last move before I plant them in the garden - still lots of snow everywhere . . . sure hope there are crocuses blooming by next week

saanansandy, I love rabbits! Mine died 2 years ago and I haven't replaced her yet. Her name was Annie and I had her for 8 years, she was a Satin Dwarf Rex. What kind is yours? How many little ones did she have? Photos???? Please??? There is nothing sweeter than baby bunnies and perfect time for Easter!!!!!

How far away from Blackstone, Mass. are you?? I have friend that lives in Blackstone but if I cross the street from their house I am in Woonsocket R.I. I always found that funny!

Oh I hope you're right, Seandor! I think we all are in need to see something blooming!I have a few tulips and daffidils starting to poke their heads up; can't wait to see them in all their glory.
Definetly spring clean-up is getting started this weekend(weather permitting!). My lavendar needs some touching-up and the leaves around my roses, ect!

I think I'm about 55-60 miles from there. I'm at the southern part of RI. I know what you mean about being so close to another state. For the longest time there has been disputes over a handful of properties which both ct and ri where claiming as theirs!! Just walk across your yard and travel state to state!lol!
The pics will have to wait a bit-my camera bit the dust about a month ago so I have to wait for my daughter to get home so I can use hers. I'm so sorry about the loss of your rabbit. She sounds like she was beautiful. It leaves a hole in your heart when that happens(I lost my favorite goat about 2 years ago and I still miss her-she followed me everywhere, rubbing on me when I didn't pet her when she thought I should be!)
The father is a fawn lop-eared and mom is a sandy Flemish Giant(so we believe!) We also have new zealand. I know a wonderful lady that is about 10 minutes from me that raises and shows mini-rex bunnies. I was over her house about 3 months ago and she had a litter which was about 2 weeks old-the cutest little things you have ever seen! My hubby got me out of there before I could ask when they would be avail. and how much!! I think he saw the look in my eye! lol :)
Well, took a quick count: 6 squirming babies!

This message was edited Mar 22, 2007 9:11 AM