Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Has spring sprung?

Hi! Remember me? I was pre-empted the first three Wednesdays this month, but I'm back!.

Saturday marked the official first day of spring, and it just can't come too soon for me. North Alabama has had the strangest winter in history. We've broken low temperature records and had lots of little snows that didn't accumulate but were enough to mess up the roads and snarl traffic. We even had a tornado in January.

But maybe we've turned a corner. Maybe better weather days are ahead -- at least temperature-wise. Spring brings tornado season to this region so while we may have flowers and sunshine, we can also be assured the weather alert radios will be going off and we'll be heading to our safe places to ride out the storm.


This was taken two days ago. We had big, fat snowflakes falling for a while, but no accumulation.





And this was taken yesterday around noon. The day lilies are poking their heads up and I can't wait to have all these flowers blooming beside my patio.



One of my neighbors, eighty-something Miss Vera, decided to just go ahead and make spring happen with silk flowers.



The red maples that line many of the streets in the complex are sprouting leaves. Soon we'll have those little helicopter things all over the place.



The grass here in the complex is Bermuda, so it won't get green for a while. But the weeds are green!



I started some plants for my patio in indoor pots. Look carefully at the bottom of the photo and you can see the little seedlings. This is multi-colored coleus. I saw the first signs of life here on Monday.



This is sweet basil and I have three plants now. They poked their heads through the dirt on Saturday.



There's pasture behind the apartments and yesterday one of the horses was enjoying the sun.



And a fat robin sat in a tree just outside the gate. That's a sure sign of spring, isn't it?



This, folks, is blue sky! Isn't it beautiful?



You have to look carefully in the middle of the picture, but this appears to be the beginnings of a bird's nest in the tree where I've hung a bird feeder. The greedy little things have already eaten a bag of bird seed, but I love watching them. So far I've had a cardinal, Carolina chickadees, various varieties of finches and mourning doves who graze of the seed the other birds drop on the ground.



And this is where I intend to be camped out once it's warm enough to don a bathing suit. There's nothing like a poolside chair for reading a romance novel.




Has spring come to your neck of the woods yet? If so, what signs of it have you seen? And are you as eager as I am to shed wool coats and sweaters and pull out sandals and short-sleeve clothes? I'm planning my Easter attire now -- one outfit if it's sunny and warm and another if Mother Nature decides to freeze us on Easter. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the former.

One commenter will receive a book from my stash -- something they can enjoy by the pool or at the beach or just curled up on the sofa.

17 comments:

PM's Mother said...

Thanks for showing that "Carolina Blue" sky. We've had just as weird a winter here on the south Georgia Coast, but today was nice and sunny -- warm, too. No telling what tomorrow will bring!

Where did you get your green thumb? Not from me -- everything I touch turns brown!

Jane said...

The weather was beautiful last week here in NY. We hit the 70s for a few days and then suddenly the temps dropped and we had some big rainstorms. We're heading back down to the high 40's later this week.

Anonymous said...

nice pics
yes the sun is hot in Cali
the flowers are bloomming in pink
kh

Laurie G said...

Florida -We are finally back into the low 70's!! Sunny skies yesterday and not so WINDY!

The orange blossoms are out and smell heavenly! The trees have new growth.

Next the robins and dragonflies will return.

I love it when plants first appear after you plant them. You feel like a new mother.

Maven Linda said...

Spring is so slow in coming this year! Usually by the end of January the daffodils are blooming, but not this year. By February, usually the grass is beginning to green . . . but not this year. I have a photo dated Feb 23 from a few years ago that shows blooms on my trees . . . but not this year. It's March 24 already, and not a bloom in sight. But the Bradford pears are putting on blooms, so spring may be slow, but it's getting here. I just hope the entire summer isn't as cold as it was last year. We had low forties in July last year! It's been the coldest year I can remember, overall.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Its just been freakish. That snow Monday was slushy and bone chilling with huge flakes. Bleh. I just want a couple of perfectly sunny days in the mid to high 70s with a slight breeze. I doubt we will. We'll rush into tornado season, then it will get too hot, the bugs will come out and I will go back inside.

No wonder I'm vitamin D deficient.

Problem Child said...

I want it to be warm enough to go get a pedicure and wear sandals.

That's all I ask for. Not too much, right?

CrystalGB said...

Weather in KY has been constantly changing for the past few weeks. We will have warm days and then cold days. The daffodils are blooming and the grass is getting green. I am so thrilled Spring is finally getting here.

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

I am an indoor cat. I love to look at the pretty things outside from the comfort of my window. However, I do enjoy Spring (and Fall) since it's neither too cold nor too hot. That is until my allergies act up.

Instigator

Lynn Raye Harris said...

This had been the weirdest winter! It's supposed to be warm by now! Blooms are supposed to be blooming! I hate the cold. Hate the rain and snow and slush. Monday was freezing, and I still saw a guy in shorts at the grocery store. Clearly, he didn't get the message, or he was trying to force spring along on his own.

I can't wait to lie by the pool with a book!

Angel said...

Like PC, I just can't wait to get into my Tevas and Yellow Box!!! Of course, I'll have to paint my nails, but I do have that lovely paint we bought in the mountains that changes colors in the sun. If the sun ever get to see my feet...

Angel

Unknown said...

We have a nice sunny spring day going on here today, then the rain is coming it. I was out yesterday and noticed the flowers are coming up. I have some lillies coming up to. Next door the crocus are blooming, so spring is in the air!

EllenToo said...

I think I blinked and missed winter in South Texas this year. I have no grass in my yard due to the summer drought but the weeds are really green with some little yellow flowers peeking out. All of the trees are putting on leaves and some are putting on flowers which some first. The biggest problem has been the amount of rain....the yard is muddy and wet and tracking it into the house is inevitable. The temperatures go from in the 60° one day to 80° the next and back and forth. And the bluebonnets are blooming all along the roadsides. So yes spring has SPRUNG!!!!!!

catslady said...

I saw my first robin with a big fat worm in my yard!!!!Spring has sprung and it's about time lol. I live in PA and we got more of our share of snow this year. Of course it's still March and we've had snow on Easter so here's hoping!!

Katherine Bone said...

The most wonderful thing about spring is watching things come to life.

When the Dogwood blooms in our back yard, I see my Lab smiling back at me. (We planted the tree over her grave.) And did the same for her daughter, our second Lab, when we had to put her down last May. Perhaps this year her tree will bloom for the very first time.

Spring touches each one of us, reminding us that we can start fresh. What a concept!

Anita said...

I work 12 hour shifts in an ER so at least now it's not dark when I go to work and come home. I get a little bit of daylight when I get home though I'm usually too tired to do much besides sit on my patio with a glass of wine and watch the sunset. When it's warm and clear enough to see it that is. LOL! Those are pretty photos.

Anita

mslizalou said...

Spring is trying to stay around in Nashville. It was in the 60's yesterday and the 70's today. However, the temps are supposed to start dropping over the next few days. Of course, I can tell Spring is here because my allergies are worse now than usual.I can only say that sinus infections suck!