Signs of Spring

[Dee]

Yesterday afternoon, I noticed from my windows that one of the fields across the highway has been plowed already. This is the view from my new top floor apartment by the way (since February 1st).

Yes, Spring is finally springing here in Ottawa Canada.

If you look closely, you can see traces of snow still along the base of the tree line (middle of photo.)

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d149/danielmarkskelton/Photo%20Shoebox/Springfarming.jpg

[david uk]

OMG Dee, where did all the snow go??????:eek:

[Dee]

Well David, it's like this:

As Folk is the New Black, Extreme is the New Weather.

Yanking us from one extreme to the other is becoming the norm. As I recall last year we leapt from Winter into Summer and Summer into Winter.

Can you see my eyeballs spinning in my head?

[AceOn6]

A sign in New England... coatless two days in a row and hoseless today.

[david uk]

well here in the UK I felt warm in just a jacket today..... and the flowers are staring to bloom :)

[RedjackRyan]

Its spring in the burgh.. Spotted two mini-skirts today!:cool: <sigh>

[Manchester]

... but in the wrong order? It's been really cold (ok, not Canada cold) and wet here for weeks. So far we have snowdrops and crocus, but no daffodils... and yesterday I noticed this Iris - I planted them about 9 years ago and they've NEVER flowered before!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d63/Million68/iris.jpg

You have a nice view from higher up, Dee. We need an update in the summer now.
:)

[Dee]

That's a beautiful Iris, Annie. Now you'll get to see all the delights as they grow one by one from your beloved garden. Enjoy them all!

[Denise]

oh yeah!
oh yeah!
....it's Spring....
....drove my school bus this afternoon in just a T-Shirt!

(oops - you know what I mean... :o )

[Manchester]

No pants?
:eek:

[Amy in Vermont]

The sap is running full bore.
The Cardinals are their very brightest red, and calling to their ladies.
The geese have returned to thepond down the road.
The turkeys are out and about in great number.
The ruts in the dirt roads are bottomless.
The college students have on their flip flops and Birkenstocks.

Amy is itching to go fishin! :cool:

[AceOn6]

How deep is the mud this year, Amy? Was it dry up your way, too?

[Amy in Vermont]

Its been critically dry here this year, Dee... many towns are actually dealing with brush fires...very rare this time of year up here.

The depth of the mud, however, is not just related to precipitation levels. That governs the texture. The depth is somewhat related to how deep the frost got, which is in turn governed by a delicate relationship between snow depth and temperatures. This year, snow depth was mostly zero, and temperatures remained unusually mild, so the mud isn't as bad as it could have been had the ground been bare and the temp very low.

In my dotage, I tend to stick to the paved roads more than I used to.

A

[Melba]

Beautiful day here....67 and sunny. I have Iris, hyacinth, and daylilly tops peaking up out of the ground and I have seen several pregnant robins hopping around the yards around town. Spring is surely on the way. It is time to start my new flowers/plants for summer planting. I will have an extra bedroom that will have so many green plants in it, it will look like a mini-jungle or as my partner likes to put it..."something out of a Steven King book"....LOL I have tons of seeds and ideas for this year...can't wait!:D

[moe75]

Nice to see Daniel. I've been walking thru the Experimental Farm all winter waiting for the spring to come, and their fields haven't even been touched yet. But as I was walking down one of the Farm Roads the other day, I passed by a small spring-melt pond in the middle of the field. From 20 metres away your nostrils were filled with that wet spongy smell of early spring earth.
I always associate that smell with spring, as if it's the earth's hello to the warm air after four months dormancy. In the middle of the pond was a gaggle of geese just in from their long migration north. Just as I was about to leave them behind I saw one young gander come in for a landing. He was really struggling and making almost distressful cries, as if to say "Thank god for that Pond, as I cannot flap another foot". He hit the water hard and took a gigantic gulp. Ah, the sound of spring have finally hit the frozen north.

:)

[Bat]

My Crocus are going nuts, I expect the Daffs in about a week, and I have no idea when the Iris will bloom, as they were going strong last October! I still have 2 or 3 Dusty Millers that look little the worse for wear for having gone through a Cincinnati winter...didn't really have a super hard freeze this year, well, maybe one, but the Millers must be hardy. The ground cover is poking, likewise Tulips, and I'm hoping the Verbena and Plumbago,and one other little red-flowered bush that are all supposed to be perennials, come back.
I still have to buy annuals, but one of these days, when I have some room in the basement, I'm going to do like my friend Kate does, and have a gro-lite with seedlings I can set out...save a lot of money if I do it that way!
The stars have wheeled about the sky and I believe spring may be on the way in serious style...it's time, and I'm ready!

[NinasSpaceChild]

I saqw some blossom on the trees near work yesterday. I'll try and get a picture today. Also some of the flowers are starting to shoot. :)

[indy]

Morning All!!

I just noticed this morning that the buds on the magnolia tree are trying to open and bloom!!!!
If the warm weather holds we will be in for a treat.
Central Indiana is just a little north for magnolias.

Bat!
I used to live in your neck of the woods. I went to high school in Rising Sun, Indiana. That whole area is SO beautiful.

indy

[Melba]

Morning All!!

I just noticed this morning that the buds on the magnolia tree are trying to open and bloom!!!!
If the warm weather holds we will be in for a treat.
Central Indiana is just a little north for magnolias.
If you can post a pic of those beautiful magnolia blossoms when they arrive, that would be great. There is a very old magnolia tree at my dad's old house...it was planted many, many years ago for my grandmother (for mothers day). I always loved that tree....sigh. Maybe I can try to get a start off of it from the current owners. :D

[indy]

Hi Melba!!!

I do have a digital camera, but here's the thing....
A month or so ago my computer got sick and went into a coma.
When someone fixed it the hard drive was wiped clean.
So I had to reload all my software.....now where is that stuff for my camera?
I am STILL trying to find the CD.
I think I have a picture I can scan.
I will go look for it now!
Hope I can figure out how to post a picture!!
:rolleyes:

indy

[indy]

Well, looks like I will have to wait on the tree picture.
I promise to work on it tho!

indy

[indy]

http://images.snapfish.com/3466%3A5%3A66%7Ffp337%3Enu%3D325%3B%3E9%3B2%3E2%3B %3B%3EWSNRCG%3D3233377432%3A38nu0mrj
This is the best I can do right now. :o
This was taken last November.
I will work on a spring picture....promise!
indy
:)

[pridder]

Hey Indy! :)

Mississippi is the Magnolia state, isn't it?

*sigh*

memories memories.....

Send me a pic too when they are in bloom, please. :D

Hi MELBA! Somehow I think of toast when I see your name. ;)

[SongDragon]

Lovely spring weather! For all the people around me in school, allergies are starting to show up! Someone shared the last of the winter colds with me... Other than that it is beautiful!

Dee, is there snow around the base of those pines, or am I seeing things?

~Song

[Denise]

Ok - Spring is definitely here for Rock and I!
We went on our inaugural first run of the season, this afternoon, after I delivered the children home safely from school!
It was wonderful! ..... about 65-70 degrees .... rode for about an hour.... on his Harley Road King...aaaaahhh... stopped for some seafood ... then home...

[hoops]

spring is my favorite season , except of course for winter fall and summer. it really does keep her promises. it's pregnant with all kinds of new hope and beauty
hoops

[AceOn6]

It's official... I played nine holes of golf this morning! :D :D :D

[Denise]

I was wondering if you'd been on the golf course yet!!

[indy]

Well, we just had another sing of spring.
NOT a welcome sign.
Severe storms breezed through here this evening.
They are reporting several tornados south of Indianapolis.
Hope everyone out there is okay!!

indy

[NinasSpaceChild]

Here is my spring picture.

Ashton Under Lyne, where I work, is an industrial area, with occasional bits of beauty, such as this bunch of daffodills, which I will pass on my way to work every day for the next few weeks.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b159/Dylansimone/daffodills.jpg

[david uk]

Here is my spring picture.

Ashton Under Lyne, where I work, is an industrial area, with occasional bits of beauty, such as this bunch of daffodills, which I will pass on my way to work every day for the next few weeks.



Dylan- my dad was born in ashton under lyne, and I have memories of visiting my grandparents in their terraced house there as a little boy- I imagine the whole area has probably been bulldozed now....

lovely pic by the way

[Dee]

Very fresh looking, Dylan. Here in Ottawa, there will be crocuses followed by daffodils and then tulips on all the public green spaces within the city. Unfortunately, it's a bit early yet for them.

In early May we also have the Canadian Tulip Festival each year.

Over three million tulips create an exotic mosaic of colour and beauty in Canada’s Capital Region, featuring over 20 Official Tulip and Attraction/Partner Sites along a 15km Tulip Route through Ottawa and Gatineau. The Canadian Tulip Festival, the largest tulip festival in the world.

http://www.tulipfestival.ca/en/index.php

[NinasSpaceChild]

David, most of the terraced housing is still in Ashton, so it probably hasn't been bulldozed. And thankyou for the compliment. :)

Dee, I love tulips. and crocuses. In a park near to where I live, we have a day called Tulip Sunday every year when the whole park is alive with colour. I love it.

[Melba]

Hey Indy! :)
Hi MELBA! Somehow I think of toast when I see your name. ;)
There could be worse things you can think of....LOL :D This nickname was actually given to me by another board member that I have known a number of years now...Fursky. But he has not posted much lately. Hmmmm....come to think of it, I have only seen him once since his new beau moved in with him....;)

[indy]

http://images.snapfish.com/3466%3B6469%7Ffp33%3B%3Enu%3D325%3B%3E9%3B2%3E2%3B %3B%3EWSNRCG%3D3233625467945nu0mrj
NOT a really good photo, but here is a sign of spring on the Magnolia tree!
Happy Spring!

indy

[indy]

http://images.snapfish.com/3466%3B6488%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D325%3B%3E9%3B2%3E2%3B%3 B%3EWSNRCG%3D3233625536399nu0mrj
And another sign!

[dragonlady]

The dogwoods are blooming here in central Virginia way early, which means they'll be gone early this year too. This will probably impact tourist season around here. But they sure are beautiful!

-di

[Bat]

Gorgeous! Not here yet, but soon.

[Oak Kitten]

These are some pictures I took from/on my sun porch:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/Doorview.jpg

The view through the door; a Bradford Pear tree in blossom and a Crape Myrtle in the far background. And daffodils in bloom!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/Grackles.jpg
Grackles in the birdbath.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/FinchinPearTree.jpg
A purple finch in another pear tree.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/RBWoodpecker.jpg
A female red-bellied woodpecker at the suet feeder.

[Oak Kitten]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/Cardinal.jpg
Cardinal at the Safflower seed feeder. The little table is there to provide cover from hawks.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/Goldfinches.jpg

Goldfinches at the thistle seed feeder. They eat upside down.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/Mewbies.jpg

Mewbies basking in a sunny spot.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c70/rbalano/TwinkieDog.jpg
Twinkie (Grey/brown tabby) and Augie Doggie (Orange tabby) basking in another sun spot.

Critters and flowers everywhere, it's Spring, Yipee!

[John L]

This came out of the garage for the first time this year yesterday...http://www.newhavenpower.com/troybiltHi_wheel.jpg

[Oak Kitten]

Hey JohnL,

Nice machine! Wanna bring it over to my place for a spin? The grass over the septic tank could use a good mowing. . .

Oak

[NinasSpaceChild]

We had the first really nice spring morning here today. I took a few pictures when I was on a walk with Roxy. Here are a couple.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b159/Dylansimone/roxywalk.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b159/Dylansimone/spring.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b159/Dylansimone/spring2.jpg

[CD Matthew]

A sure sign of spring at our house is when Tony and I finally take our sweet little dog Nellie (wire-hair fox terrier) to the beach and let her run free. What an exhilarating sight to see her take off and run up and down the beach, a furry blur of joy streaking along the sand!

CD Matthew

[Oak Kitten]

Great Pics, Nina!

I especially like the one with the green hills in the background. And Roxy is a cutie-pie!

Oak

[NinasSpaceChild]

Thanks Oak. :)

I like the way the clouds turned out in the picture with the hills. I love living where I live because every time I look at that view, which is from behind our house, it is different.

I'd be lost without Roxy.

[Lin]

ok, now.....it snowed here today, sometimes it was so thick you could hardly see the robins looking for worms among the daffodils and crocuses....

Lin

[Denise]

yup .... snow here too .... in April .... sometimes I hate Maine ....:(

[folkrocks]

:) I'm flying out tomorrow, headed to Hawaii. Going to be there from the 8th to the 16th. Hope to get some R & R. I have to get my students prepared for their AP exam on May 10th. ALOHA

[Denise]

ok i'm real jealous....

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

This came out of the garage for the first time this year yesterday...http://www.newhavenpower.com/troybiltHi_wheel.jpg

John my barber has one just like it...He uses it for trims....

Best to you

R. from Pa