Does it seem as if winter is hanging on for a long time? Our coastal winter hasn’t been particularly harsh this year (hope I didn’t just jinx it by saying that out loud), but it has been damp and cold and gray, gray, gray for such a long time. It’s no use waiting for a sunny day to do anything. You’d be inactive for a long time. So I took my camera outside a few dreary days ago to look for signs of hope that spring might come one of these days.
I found a rhodo trying to bloom WAY too early.
Rhodo buds trying to open
This bud was successful. Hope it doesn’t freeze.
This calendula should have been sleeping till spring.
What are you doing awake?
And this rudbeckia shouldn’t be trying to bloom. I shouldn’t even be seeing its leaves until spring!
Go back to bed!
Royal Sunset has been trying to bloom for the second time all winter.
In the front yard, this rhodo is loaded in blossoms, hopeful that spring will come again.
Loaded and ready for spring to come.
I came back in the house and made a cup of tea to warm up. Then I thought, “Those plants have such a positive attitude. If they’re so convinced that spring will come soon, surely I can hang in there for a few more weeks of doom and gloom.” We’re almost there!
Winter here has been mostly a mild uneventful winter Grin .. at least so far. We dont have ground hogs however Jake, our famous prairie dog said we would have an early spring this year.
Happy gardening.
Does a mild winter there mean more insects in the summer?
Anneli,
What a great way to send winter off! Keep your fingers crossed! What beautiful macro shots! How I miss the Pacific NW! -Renee
Right now it’s really mild, but oh, the grayness! This year there has been a lot of it. Mild though – so I expect a lot of insects this summer.
Oh, no… hopefully only good pollenators!
That’s the rub. It hasn’t been cold enough to kill the pesky insects over the winter, so we’ll have lots of nuisance “bugs” in the summer, but the cool, damp weather could last well into spring as it has in the last few years. The plum and pear trees blossom but the bees are still too lethargic to come out to do their job, so we’ve had sparse fruit for the last three years.
Hard to believe that you took the pictures just now! Here its deepest winter. But I am hopeful too,
Yes, just the other day. The plants are really mixed up this year.
Gorgeous!
Thanks, Julie. I bet you have some gorgeous plants blooming there right now. Get that camera out and show us what’s happening.
There’s always hope! Love the pictures, thank you. There are crocuses and snowdrops coming up at this end ~ maybe I could post some to my blog and we can start a worldwide spring-photo-share campaign!! x
Wow! No crocuses or snowdrops here yet. Wish they’d hurry up.
Winter has just begun, Anneli, at least around here. I think all of these beauties should go back to sleep. But you might be more lucky..
Judging from your snowy photos, your flowers HAVE to be sleeping! But at least you have that bright sunshine.
Hang in there! Spring will be here before you know it. Like you said, the plants know it!
It hasn’t been harsh but it’s been a long one. Thanks for checking in, Kristin.
Anneli, I think the weather and the plants are actually all confused as to what time of the year it should be… we are having some cold days now, but that same cold day.. the night turns warm that you need the aircon… forget that the plants are confused.. I’m totally at a loss for words…
However your photos are marvelous and the plants are doing their best to either tell the weather to change .. or they are as confused as me…
The flowers must be trying to tell you something! The warmth of spring can’t be too far away….fingers crossed!
I may escape to Mexico for a bit to make spring come more quickly
I hope you’re walking out the door this minute with your bags packed……….that would definitely make spring seem to arrive sooner!
Soon!
Seeing those flowers is a good sign for you. Not for me. The sooner it gets nice out by you, the sooner it gets boiling hot by me. Where I live, I pray for winter to stay. From your photos, it looks like you’re going to get your wish. Lovely photos.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all have the perfect temperature all the time?
Lovely little post Anneli. I really enjoyed the photographs. Funny, I had just finished a chat with our other sister about how I like to go outside when I get a little “Cabin Fever” and take my camera with me. One never knows what surprises lurk in the garden. Raindrops that look like diamonds hanging off a bare twig, or buds just waiting to burst open with a vengeance on the first sunny warm day. Love trying to capture that magic with my little camera. So thank you again for your post! I think I’ll go outside!
Going outside with a camera is good therapy, isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by, Sonja.
Hey, you’ve got green. You’re not buried under snow like many other places.
Yes, it’s great, but I’m worried that those flowers will get a nasty surprise one morning if it turns cold again. Hope it doesn’t though.
Mother nature has the last “at bat”..you go GIRL!!
So true, and there’s nothing we can do about it (except head south and wait till things settle down).
Oh my, these are absolutely gorgeous. Thank you so much!
Thanks. Yeah, I wish it was really spring and they were coming up at the right time.
Those flowers have a good attitude – it’s going to be spring soon! It helps to think like that…
I’ll take you at your word. Now if anything happens – like a snowstorm or ten days of deep freeze – I’ll be in touch with you! Meanwhile I’ll try to take on the attitude of the flowers. thanks for visiting, Meg.
My, you must have been having mild weather! Beautiful blossoms! I did find a buttercup in bloom today and some heather in a flower bed looks like it wants to bloom, but none of our other flowers are stirring at all yet. Maybe we need some of that coastal air!
Warning! It comes with perma-gray skies!!
But I saw that buttercup in your blog. Beautiful sharp photo and a lovely humble flower.
How wonderful. I love especially Rhodo photos. In our previous home we had 10 Rhodos. If You did not see my post, then take a look at:
Rhododendrons in our garden.
Have a wonderful day!
I went to your post, Matti. They’re beautiful rhodos.
We’ve had the same endless days of grey here too, and here too we are beginning to see signs of spring… but that just means strong winds, icicles, a few chickadees and cheery ravens, not buds! I do hope they don’t get nipped in the bud.
Well, spring will come to the north eventually. I just hope it’s not really late so it doesn’t shorten your summer. I remember summers in Dawson Creek were wonderful.