Sunday, March 15, 2015

The end of winter?

I haven't posted here since winter began, and it has been a long one! We got only a couple of feet of snow total, but the cold was intermittently severe (for Maryland) and the biggest snowfall was the latest. After a week of above-freezing temperatures and some rain, it's finally melted, aside from plow piles and shady spots.


Actually this is a very good way to identify the shadiest, coolest spots in the yard - where the snow takes longest to melt. Though this remaining snow is partly due to shade and partly to snow blower additions.

I'd hoped to have more flowers to report for GBBD, but no such luck. I do have lots of snowdrops:


but as of my walk-around yesterday, that's it. I saw a crocus a few days ago, but failed to take a photo, so it doesn't officially exist. Next week there will likely be an explosion of color, but it's a long way to daffodils yet - they are only three inches high. This is always the point when I realize how far out of DC I live, because all the photos from there are full of flowers.

I can show you my lovely cabbages though:


I started them at the beginning of February this year, to make sure I had big plants to go outside whenever that was possible. Today I am starting the hardening-off process, and preparing the cold frames (which were buried in snow a week ago) to shelter the plants through this week's below-freezing dips. There is still a small chance of snow at the end of the week, but resolving into rain. Crossing fingers that I can safely plant out by the end of the month.

Here's to spring!!

6 comments:

  1. We are in much the same boat here in Illinois--the last of the snow melted this week, and it's been very warm the last few days, but no blooms yet, other than a couple tiny snowdrops. I'm still looking for something to show for a Bloom Day post. Your cabbages look great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They just need a little time to catch up! Blooms this week, I'm sure.

      Delete
  2. I am hoping that when the foot or so of snow left on the ground here melts, everything will be trying to come up! I was amazed when I read this, I remember when you had snowdrops in January, not that many years ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I did have snowdrops in January, but then they got buried. I've had snowdrops in November, so I don't think of them as any kind of barometer - but crocus in February I've definitely had, and not this year.

      Delete
  3. Erica, I hope it has warmed up a bit at your place by now, and that your cabbages have made their way to new outdoor homes. Here in Bakersfield, its looked like spring since early January ,,, please stop by and take a look, my GBBD post went up a few days late, and is filled with color and sunshine :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cabbages are in the ground as of today! And crocuses are blooming. Your flowers are beautiful - ah, California!

      Delete