While other parts of eastern North America got blasted with yet another snowstorm, we had a rare respite and were bombarded with rain over the past few days. Although we're far from spring's door, we can at least see some vision on the horizon.
Snowdrifts have dropped from being four or five feet in height in parts of the yard to being ONLY two or three feet deep. It's very wet throughout the yard, so I was reluctant to go beyond the immediate dooryard. However...
A couple of weeks ago, I thought I saw signs of colour in the flower buds on my small Arnold Promise hamamelis. Sure enough, here we go with the first flowers of the new gardening season.
They aren't the largest, or the showiest, flowers I've ever seen. But they're on their way, which means spring is on its way. I haven't yet squished down to the lower garden to see how 'Diane' is doing.
Did March come in like a lion or a lamb where you live? Here, it's been sort of a lion what with the wind overnight, and sort of lamblike with the mild temperatures and almost-sun this afternoon. So it's a lion-lamb...but it's also dressed in a Team Canada hockey jersey, with number 87 on the back.
Hometown boy makes VERY good.
Thank you, Sidney Crosby. Thank you, Vancouver. Well done, EVERYONE, all teams, all sports.
Okay, so how long til spring REALLY gets here?
Here in North Wales, March has been a lamb today!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Dan
Slightly windy lamb in Connecticut - congrats to team Canada :)
ReplyDeleteDear Jodi, Oh dear, you still do have some way to go although the buds breaking on the Hamamelis is more than a hopeful sign.
ReplyDeleteHere in Budapest March has come in very much as a lamb with a warm sun and blue skies. However, I was on the Buda hills at the weekend where there is still quite a covering of snow. I believe there may be more later in the week. I trust not.
Happy March!
March has been a very sickly lamb that hasn't even attempted to stand yet. It's mother is thinking of abandoning it to its fate.
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska
Sorry, I can't celebrate the hockey game with you... *grin*... but YAY for the first witch hazel blooms!
ReplyDelete:)
I imagine that most of Canada will not notice the weather until summer anyway because they will celebrate through spring. Yay... Since it wasn't the US it is the next best thing.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the hockey (and the emerging witch hazel too). Hang in there...spring is...well...supposedly less than three weeks away. Although looking at the sky right now, I'm not sure I believe it :P
ReplyDeleteMarch came in with thunderstorms this morning here in Houston. But from what I hear (I don't have a window close by my cubicle) it's been nice this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteWhat a thrill to see signs of spring, jodi! March came in like a lamb. Today was delightful, we saw the sun, almost blinding. Oh happy March ... oh happy me!
ReplyDeleteHere in the south of the UK it has been a warm sunny day. I am sure it will be grey and wet tomorrow but it looks as is winter has finally gone. Thank heavens!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that even with all that awful snow you have blooms in the garden. Soon it will be all melted away I hope. I must admit, here in Victoria, we've been very lucky with our winter this year. Although it was touch and go getting enough snow over in Whistler!
ReplyDeleteHey girl ! wasn't that PERFECT ??
ReplyDeleteThe boys here got their hockey jerseys from Canadian Tire half price on top of it all .. so there are some VERY HAPPY hockey fans here in this transplanted Blue Nose home : )
Joy .. still smiling !!
Wow, i cant say we watch much ice hockey here in Ireland, but that was an awesome game. Well done Canada (the woman’s team too)
ReplyDeleteMarch came in like a lamb here in California. When there is a bit of sun I tend to run outside and plant my current favorites, Cineraria and Primroses. There is more rain predicted this week, and I welcome it, to alleviate our drought.
ReplyDeleteThe Olympics were splendid, and I say well done to each and every athlete, and I admire all of you.
To me, if you competed in the Olympics, you are a world class champion.
Number 87 is certainly a lucky number for team Canada! I thought it the perfect ending for the hosts to get the big win and the most gold medals as well. A hearty congrats. Our March was like yours, sort of, cold wind, no sun, but it could be worse. Your Arnold is exactly at the same point as my Arnold. Interesting, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteFrances
Hi Jodi~~ Big time congrats to you and your country. Your team done good! My fingers are crossed that your Arnold's sunshiny blossoms will not be forced back into hiding and that if stuff must fall from the sky, it be the wet stuff rather than the white stuff.
ReplyDeleteI got your email. Thank you. I'll reply shortly.
I love the flowers of the Witch Hazel. I became familiar with them from reading other blogs and have just fallen in love with their flowers. Sadly, I do not think they grow here in the desert :(
ReplyDeleteSpring arrived like a lamb here in Alberta - what a shocker from other years! My little guy has a stuffed animal he calls lion-bear - maybe that is as good a description as any of the crazy weather blowing across this country :-)
ReplyDeleteJodi, spring is right around the corner...I think! Everytime we have a nice warm day, the next few seem to dip back down to dangerously low temps. I really shouldn't complain since SE Florida is warmer than many other areas right now, but we're really tired of the cold! :(
ReplyDeleteWitch hazel is just finishing up here. That gives me a good idea of where you are in the progression of springish weather. We're scheduled for a 100% chance of snow and sleet tomorrow morning, so I'm saying March is coming in like a rotten rat. (Can you tell a Southern woman gets cranky after her third snow in one nasty winter that won't hurry up and get out of here?)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the hockey gold! (I admit I haven't been following the progress of the games [no television], but I got to know and love hockey in Canada, so it seems appropriate. Bravo!)
March is coming in like a lion...its hot today outside.....and my rain tree n Tamarind Tree n Fig Tree's Bonsai which have been bereft of foliage these last 2-3 months are beginning to show signs of new growth. Boy! I am happy to see them coming back to life.
ReplyDeleteJodi,
ReplyDeletewe enjoyed Toronto beautiful blue skies und sunshine. No snow or any other storms in the forecast.
Thank you for your comments.
Let's see...
Gisela
Big hockey wins and tiny witch hazel blooms... winter doesn't end with a bigger bang than that.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Canada and Sid the Kid!
Rainy but also sunny and warm-ish her. Definitely feeling as if winter's on the way out.
ReplyDeleteOoh is that witch hazel? I've always wanted to see one in person. If you can't get a good sniff in the cold air, warm breath should draw out the scent. I wonder if witch hazel would survive here.
ReplyDeleteWhile we don't have snow as deep as other Canadian locations, I still see fields of white outside. It looks like your area is going to see green grass very soon.
I can't wait to see what your garden will produce this spring. I am sure it will be spectacular!
Hi Jodi
ReplyDeleteIts been a lamb here today - glorious sunshine the whole day and thats quite a rare thing - so we'll wake up to another heavy frost in the morning. I can't wait to get out and start working the soil..... once it defrosts and I'm sure you are yearning too for that day.
Hey Jodi...that game was awsome! I am a true blue gardener/photographer..but hey the Olympics was lots of fun this winter...made the last few weeks go faster with us all waiting for spring. Looks like you have a little of that now showing! Congrats to all the medals winners and especially to all the golds...it took us women and a Nova Scotian took make it happen this Olympic time around!!!
ReplyDeleteYou just can't beat those winter blooming witch hazels...and they do look good with snow at their feet~The hockey game was exciting and well played by both teams...It's hard not to be excited about Canada's win! Watching the fans was a delight! March is acting like February here with rain and snow...gail
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the snow melting, isn't it? And congrats on the Gold- a good game!
ReplyDeleteI'm having a serious case of "Hazel" envy this month...such beautiful blooms in the dead of winter!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I missed the hockey game Sunday; hearing the recap, it must have been one of the most exciting events of the Olympics. I did enjoy the closing ceremony, however; Vancouver did a great job hosting, and congrats to the hockey team!
Hi there Jodi .. your comments on the blog were just so nice! I might well get round to doing some cards and will let you know. The bombus pascuorum is one of my favourites too!and lavender.. yes heavenly! I used to grow hamamelis in the UK.. Ahh memories.. if its any consolation we still have chilly and miserable weather here in Florida!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you 'only' have 2 or 3 feet instead of 4 or 5! haha. Congrats on your hockey win...it was a fantastic, close game and I loved all of the sports. I felt like I could relate to Canada even better, now that I have you, Joy, Nancy, Linda, Jen and some others to think of. Congrats on spring buds and hopefully it'll really start to feel like spring sooner rather than later (for us, too...as it's not very nice these days here, either).
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know that I talked with Joe Lampl and he just emailed me that Fiskars WILL send the rain barrels to Canada...so you would be in the running for it if you wish to join in on the sustainability project! I was very glad to hear that;-)
I'm glad that i'm not the only Canadian garden blogger writing about how happy I was over the hockey game lol. I decided to buy a t-shirt from the Olympic store during second period intermission. I asked Mr. A what number/name I should get on the back...he said whatever, so I decided to pick Crosby. Then he goes and scores the winning goal, guess I made a good pick! :D
ReplyDeleteLovely witch hazel! Spring is well on it's way here in Idaho, after a very mild winter, but we are very low on moisture in the form of snowpack, so it may be a dry summer.
ReplyDeleteOn our third day of March - we've had some good winds, a little sun, the snow melted, and now it's snowing again. Certainly not boring here in Connecticut.
ReplyDeleteThat was a great hockey game. Congratulations to the home team winners.
Many congratulations on the Hockey win, but especially on the advent of spring. Spring. Was there ever so nice a concept?
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe autumn. And Some parts of summer, but not all of them. Winter isn't bad, either, if the snow doesn't get too feisty...
Jodi, In central West Virginia March seems to coming in lionish. Since mid-December we've had at least a foot or two of snow on the ground at any given time. Sometimes close to three feet. It's still snowing with another storm in the forecast.
ReplyDeleteThe daffodils are up about two inches in Charleston, the state capitol. All of my crocuses and daffodils are buried by at least two feet of snow. I can't wait for spring, warm weather and colorful flowers.
I hope this cheers you up - your Witch Hazel is further along than mine, which has loosed only 1 petal so far.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to see spring putting forward it's first tentative blooms in your garden Jodi!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you weren't thinking so much of our Southern Hemisphere Autumn when you posed your question, but March has been a lion of sorts here - with flash flooding and hail the size of large marbles!