Spring is here??????

Phil, didn't see his shadow, here comes spring. Now my Mom just called and said the Robins are here, she has about 25 to 30 of them in her yard. They are eating the Holly berries from her bush. Winter has been so disappointing this year, I think I'm ready for Spring. Holly

I think Phil is crazy. LOL I think this winter is going to be like last year - starting late and then cold for later in the spring. We were still having frosts early in June last year.

You know, the whole groundhog lore is based on whether Feb. 2, or rather Candlemas day, is sunny or cloudy. I'm afraid I'm not up on my Christian feast days but Candlemas must have been tied to the winter or spring equinoxes just like Easter.

As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and rain
Winter will be gone and not come again

There's another bit of weather lore that says if it rains on Easter, it will rain for the next seven Sundays. I actually kept a tally of this one a few years ago when it did rain on Easter and sure enough, it rained for the next seven Sundays. LOL

Oh Hart, How pretty, I've never read that. I think your right. It's not over yet and will probably drag on forever. Just wishful thinking.

Holly.... Come awayyyyyy from the lite!

I agree with hart, Phil never gets it right, I read some where on the internet and I LOL, "Phil is male and all male groundhogs do is breed and get hit by cars! "

Anywho... I took a picture out my window to bring you back to earth. The snow is up to my knees.

I talked to my Mom again she said the Robins are chirping It's Spring, It's Spring. Please pull me back from the edge.

I heard the birds chirping like it was spring just before the snow storms hit. I really look for the Boat-tailed Grackles and Red Wing Blackbirds to return to my yard. They seem to be a better sign of spring, the robins come out of the woods were they have been hiding all winter and then it snows on them and they look so pitiful and cold.

We are getting blasted again with snow! This time we are getting some high winds too. Glad I don't have to be out on the roads tonight! The scanner is starting to get busy with car accidents.

The purple martins are here! And they are on their way. Hang in there...

Thanks pod. The sun is out every morning but it is -2º right now. The when the sun goes down it starts snowing again. I heard that Lake Erie is starting to freeze over so that means less moisture will be picked up by the winds so less snow. The Lake is our snow making machine!

Just keep sending those Purple Martins my way. : )

I've been fighting to keep the pipes from freezing all night. I think the lowest it dipped here was around 10, but the sensor is on the back porch so it was colder out in the yard I'm sure. It's a balmy 23 right now. No snow here, thank goodness.

I wish it would snow here. It has been pretty darn cold. Although not as cold as where you are, Chris.

I am concerned because I have heard that snow can help insulate perennials and just plain cold is not so good. This morning the reading on my back porch was 15 degrees F at 8AM. I applied a little mulch on some plants where the roots had become visible above ground. Don't they call that heaving???... when the frozen earth pushes up the plants roots?

Hope spring will hurry up. If not, maybe winter could ease up a bit.

Yep, that's a frost heave... the good thing about it is it helps loosen and aerate the soil.
I remember one spring in Maine after a very cold winter, all the Forsythias didn't bloom, except the bottom two feet or so that were protected from the cold by the snow.

You'r right greenkat. The snow is good protection for my plants. Keep up the mulching, I have had some plants heave before and I did the same thing cover them with dirt or mulch.

I have gone out in the garden and pushed away snow to pick fresh green parsley, it was a bit limp but the flavor was wonderful in winter.