Nope, my "little girl" is 18 now and our son is 20 - thank goodness! I don't think I'd have the energy now to keep up with a racing toddler! No grandkids yet, either (halleluhia - the kids can wait a few more years)
MY first signs of spring
My oldest is married, 21 a career girl. My second daughter is a Senior and I also have twins that are 14. A boy and girl.
They do grow up so quickly but with 3 teens in the house, I am looking forward to September when college starts.
Adonis amurensis 'Fukujukai' fully open.
It was depressing enough, this morning, to see the day turning to a rainy one, thereby cancelling the hunt for more driftwood at the beach but then I figured I'd cheer up with some good Perennial talk and came here first. Flowers? This early? We have one very lonely crocus.
Time to either get under the covers again or work on photography I guess.
I'm happy for you, levilyla, and wish I had some to show off. Boo hoo! :-((
At least you have a crocus, pirl. My tulips are coming up and got hailed on this morning. No blooms at all yet.
A few years ago, being my usual "desperate for flowers" winter self, I bought some wooden tulips, spray painted them and put them in a garden that's viewable from the kitchen door. When all else fails I have them to remind me of what's to come.
levilyla, that Adonis is so beautiful, I've never seen or heard of them. Where did you find that gem?
www.asiaticanursery.com
Thank you :)
I am really feeling sorry for myself this morning. Snow, Snow and more Snow!!! and yesterday it was all gone.
Oh I am sorry....it will be 81 here today HEE...HEEE
Oh, don't be so smug. The wind is gusting up to 40mph, we have had 8" of snow and it is still snowing, I can't even get my back door open because of the drifting. It was 31º when I got up and now it is 28º. Ba humbug. (how is that word spelled?)
OH MY now I really am sorry...LOL oh I am so glad I don't live there. How horrible ...let's see..I think I will go out in the yard and do some gardening in my T shirt and slacks...I won't need anything elase.
Why not shorts? You might ask why I live here. Well I was originally from here but moved away in 1978 then 7 years ago we came here because my mother was ill and we were looking for a place to settle for awhile. My sister and her family live here and I dearly love her, we inherited my parents cabin and my husband can't think of moving so far that we can't drive there, he has a job he really likes, so here we are.
P.S. the summer and autumn are fantastic and I have made some wonderful friends that would be hard to leave, so it really isn't as bad as I make it sound. I am just feeling sorry for myself cause I don't like that white stuff.
I don't blame you one bit for either feeling a bit down or for staying put in a spot you do love. As Garrison Keillor says, about the folks of Lake Woebegone, "It could be worse".
How true, the snow will melt and we needed the moisture.
Well of course I am sure you have your reasons and I am sure it makes Spring even better when it finally gets there...SHORTS? I don't think so~~~~~maybe 15 years ago. To make you feel better...the temp is dropping 30 degrees tonight so this was a short lived breath of Spring. But it was nice. Nancy
It sure was nice Mom but now your least favorite thing the WIND today here!!!!!!
UGGH
I snapped pictures of 2 harbingers of Spring today.
I don't suppose you want to see my first snake pic so I'll post this Sedum in stead, LOL.
We had a bit of rain overnight to add a bit of interest.
Andy P
Lovely. My purple sedum is waking up, too. I wish I had planted my purple crocus around them-- would have been the first 'color echo' to report for 2006. But, alas, the crocus are all alone about 60 yards from the sedum. Will have to move them and then take a pic!
Now I see why it takes years to make a garden...LOL
Bona fide March weather today. Sunshine, clouds, and lots of wind. We are putting together our kites.
I was so excited today I took a walk around my gardens in search of Spring and my Sedums all have new growth, Columbine have developed new foilage, William & Mary are pushing shoots up as well as my dwarf Irises. Spring is on its way to the East Coast of Canada and I can't wait. We had a weird winter did not use the snow blower once which if you know anything about the Maritimes that is often unheard of in these parts. So I am hoping against hope that Spring is here.
Michelle
Tabasco, That's the fun about gardening, there is always something new to learn.
New combinations, colors etc...
I've been at it for 50 years and learning all the time, slowly but learning.
A few years ago I tried putting orange Day lilies up against a purple Clematis figuring the color combination would be nice. I was off by about 10 days. The clematis blooms a bit too soon. Maybe next time.
Only one day lily flowers early enough to get the effect I wanted.
Andy P
Ah, yes, very pretty Andy. And how is it they can always make it happen in the books? Do they cheat a little? LOL
Some times just moving a plant to a different location can knock the bloom period off by a week or so. More or less sun, wind, moisture whatever.
If everything went as planned where would the challenge be.
Andy P
Articfire Michelle: Well that makes two of us who are excited. You, because of the plants, and me because you live in such a special place. We love PEI and have gone there often: a piece of paradise. You're in the Eastern King's Region - aren't you? We've been through the area but now have a good reason to stop. When I enlarged the map I could see Route 2 and one other road name that leaped out at me: Ryan Street. Our last name is Ryan.
Happy spring!
Pirl,
Oh my gosh! Ryan street is just down the road from me. It was named after the homeowners. St. Peter's is east of Charlottetown before you get to Souris. Our community surrounds a bay and if I can be a little bit biased one of the prettiest places on the Island. You would not believe the tourists that stop at my gate to take pictures. If you venture this way this summer let me know always love to meet other gardeners!
Michelle
Michelle - you live in heaven! We may take a break from Canada, for the first time, this fall. If we do go I'll let you know.
The winds were so strong yesterday and today there are high wind warnings so I'm not venturing outside yet to check for signs of spring.
The stores show great signs of spring. I just wish they'd water the ones they offer for sale: poor babies.
Pirl....The winds here are terrible also...no raking today! I want my husband to go get some mulch for the perennial beds and I am hoping it will not be too windy for that. I hate wind more than anything...more than snow.
Compost in the eyes burn!!!
LOL
I'm really serious. The one time it happened I was trying to cry to wash it out. My DH, Jack, has six huge compost piles going and that one incident was too scary. When I thought of all the bacteria in it and the old eggshells, etc. I really was frightened.
I did wash it all out but my eye was red for a few days.
om well I think I will stay in today 40 mile per hour winds...I am sure you are having the same. At least I got out all my Easter invitations.
Up here in the cold north where we got 12" of snow Sunday night and Monday. The last snow plows just closed off my drive way an hour ago. So now what, we are getting another round starting tonight and going into tomorrow afternoon. The prediction is for up to another 7".
At least no compost in the eyes. I have had farm post in mine and that hurts too.
A farm post in the eye beats out some compost any day!
Zen...when is your last frost date?
levilyla - our last frost date is 5/ 21 and first frost date in the fall is 9/15 which makes for a short growing season. We end up doing a lot in a short time and then spend lots and lots of time planning and thinking and talking.
That's really not that bad...ours is about the 15th of May. I guess when you warm up you do it fairly quickly.
I am surprised that they are so close in time. We basically go from winter to summer. It feels like Spring is 1 or 2 days long. It makes for a very short bloom time for spring bulbs. They come out and then wilt from the heat.
When is your first frost date in the fall?
Pauline
I think it is supposed to be Oct. 15th..but rarely do we have a real hard frost until November. We rarely have a long cool spring also/ Pretty much like you, we go right into summer.