BS: Signs of spring (2)

Subject: Signs of spring (2)
From: CarolC
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 06:28 PM

We've got porch sitters and drapey dresses... and dandelions.

We've got full blown spring here (finally). The grass is completely green. The trees are tinged with the faintest mist of green. Everything's blooming, and the flowering trees are making the center of town smell like a broken perfume bottle.

The tourists have arrived. They bring new eyes and the enthusiasm of those newly freed from their sub/urban prisons. That's nice. But they also bring a little bit of the city with them. By the time they're able to really breathe deep and relax, it'll be time for them to go home.

Love dandelions.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: CarolC
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 06:37 PM

Previous thread

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: kendall
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 09:33 PM

We still have plenty of snow, but, today I saw a woodchuck.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Chip2447
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 11:21 PM

Do Tornados count?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: CarolC
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 11:33 PM

I don't know, Chip2447, when is tornado season?

Did you have a tornado? Are you ok?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Chip2447
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 05:47 AM

Thanx for the concern Carol, we had a really interesting day in mid Missouri. While not as bad as Texas, Oklahoma, or Kansas, we're on the fringes of tornado alley and you can just about say we're right at the beginning of the twister fun season.

Had it not been for a Dr's appointment that ran long and turned into a day off for my little sister this could have been a tragic day, as her workplace was destroyed by said twister...

I've lived in this part of the country most of my life, and have never seen a tornado, but I've gone through 2 mid atlantic hurricanes, one of which was at sea....Go figure?

The robins are singing, and the grass is greening, the sun is shining and flowers are blooming, Yep, spring is here, and nary a moment too soon.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: gnu
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 07:37 AM

Fishing season is starting here on Sunday so it's time to get out the cross country skis and the ice auger. Can't wait to get me some mercury trout. I understand they don't stick to the pan, just kinda slide around.

Pretty sad stuff. An article in the paper this AM says to limit consumption of brook trout over 8 inches long to once per week and the portion wouldn't be enough for a half decent breakfast. Where the heck did this mercury come from ? Did it fall from the sky ?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: LR Mole
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 09:06 AM

The peepers have started in my pond, finally. Ah, romance. I always feel badly for those few little froggies still singing as the late spring heat sets in,probably next month sometime. Swamp bachelors.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 09:58 AM

FINALLY Wyoming is getting rain instead of snow. The tulips on the south side have buds,and the grass is more green than brown. My aspargus is up about 2 inches, and the rhubarb us going crazy! No robins or finches yet, and we have up to six inches of (snow--sshhh) forcast for tonight. Sigh.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 10:10 AM

As Princess Svetlana of Antioch I hereby proclaim it the Official Season of Sleeping Naked With the Windows Open!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 10:43 AM

Naked with the winddows open?? Come here to London and try that!!!

Still a bit 'fresh' first thing in the morning, but I have nearly 20 different varieties of flower out in my garden, almost all in shades of blue, purple, yellow and white. Lamenting the demise of my favourite clemetis, but rejoicing in the fact that my willow tree is still (just) alive. And also in the fact that today, I actually felt well enough to go out and look at it, rather than gaze at it through the bedroom window.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 10:44 AM

Signs of Spring? It's 90 degrees here in NC! Signs of summer, more like it!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 11:02 AM

Yeah, here in the South we don't really get Spring...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 11:12 AM

42 one day, 85 the next. Winter to Summer!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Jeri
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 11:22 AM

Shut up Matt. ;-)

I was outside a good bit of yesterday. I finally have garden things poking out of the ground and through the snow. Imagine me outside in a T-shirt, clearing snow off the garden. Still no blossoms, but there's hope! And the crabgrass had little shoots of green! Oh rapturous joy! (I suspect the snowdrops looked out, said "eff it" and went back to sleep until next spring. Hope the crocus didn't do the same, although I just planted both last fall and they may just be shy.)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: jeffp
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 11:43 AM

Take heart, Jeri. According to my sister, who should know, "First they sleep, then they creep, then they leap." Your snowdrops and crocuses should come up next year and be spreading like mad the following year.

We've got crocuses and daffodils all around now (Maryland). The forsythia is in bloom, too. And I got my first trout of the season on Sunday. Spring is here (better late than never)!

jeffp

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Bert
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 11:47 AM

You scared 'em Jeri, goin' outside with just a T-Shirt on.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 02:49 PM

we have snowdrops, crocus and one lonely hyacinth in bloom - more hyacinths in bud. Daffies and tulips are up - but not doing much. Gold fish ponds are almost clear of ice. The smaller, warmer pond is about to undergo a population explosion if the activity I witnessed sunday is any indication. (Which is a good thing, because one of the other ponds appears to be populated with nothing but corpses).

But the definative sign of spring - the cats have started depositing "presents" on the stoop.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: CarolC
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 05:23 PM

Chip2447, I'm glad your sister's ok. I lived in Oklahoma for a couple of years. I know how frightening that sort of thing can be.

Carol

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Llanfair
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 05:35 PM

Mrs Goose has been sitting on a clutch of eggs for a fortnight now, with Mr Goose in close attendance.
The wild bird population are going crazy now that the rain has stopped. Everything is sprouting, including the weeds, and the planting season is well under way.
I love the spring when it's not raining!
Cheers, Bron.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:15 AM

Hmm yeah, I know it's Spring really when the cat stops pooping indoors and goes outdoors to poop. But I thought I'd spare you that description. Then I thought, Nah, share everything!!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:23 AM

Of course, there is the blackbird just oustide my window, going completely batty and welcoming in the dawn (it's 5.30 am here now....) with more volume than I feel is strictly necessary, but 10 out of 10 for enthusiasm.....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Deni
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:53 AM

i know it's spring when I walk to school with my girls and the little one keeps going ooh and ahh at the blossom tress, just like I used to. Charming, except she's dreaming so much she often trips up...still it means I get to hold her hand..And that won't last for ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Kim C
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:05 PM

Here in Nashville there are plenty of daffodils, and my personal favorite --- TULIPS!!! Lots and lots of tulips. Wish they could stay around longer.

Last night I had the first official shandy of the season. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: chip a
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:26 PM

Service, dogwood, apple ... blooming stuff all around. Windows open all night again. But the days this week have been in the 80's! That's at 2000' elev. in N. Ga. My wife & I sat outside playing music after supper this week too. And four new kittens. Anybody want a kitten?

Chip

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Bert
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:29 PM

We have a pair of starlings building a nest under our eaves.

People have started complaining about having to add HTML code on Mudcat.

No Chip we don't need any more kittens.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Jeri
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:38 PM

Well, tulip, jonquil, hyacinth and dwarf iris are starting to come out of the ground, so I didn't scare everything. All my thyme is alive, even the little patch I swiped from F.J. Child's grave last spring. I also caught the little bas...the mole that's been making my front yard look like a map of the circulatory system. One of them anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: gnu
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 07:02 AM

CarolC... I was looking for this thread and could only find the first one. So, hoping to find a link to this one,I scrolled down to the end and, lo and behold, there was one ! I also noticed that you asked me about canaries in NB. Why, yes, we do. They really stand out this time of year against the white background.

Actually, it never ceases to amaze me that I see "new" birds every year. Canaries and various similar types of southern birds have been appearing here for about fifteen years. I could go on and on, but the reason for my post is this....

The robins and various other migratory birds who have arrived in NB probably wish they had stayed south a while longer because we still have a couple of feet of snow on the ground in open areas. Please pass the following weather forecast for southern NB, issued at 0500h today.

A mix of sun and cloud this morning. Becoming mainly sunny this afternoon. Winds light. High near 10. POP 20 percent. Tonight Clear. Winds light. Low minus 2. POP zero percent. Wednesday - Becoming cloudy early in the morning then snow heavy at times developing in the morning. Winds northeast increasing to 40 km/h with gusts to 70. High near plus one. Total accumulation 15 to 25 cm.

Thursday - Cloudy with sunny periods. Chance of flurries or showers. Low near minus 2. High near 8.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE !!!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: lady penelope
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 02:42 PM

"maybe it's because I'm a Londoner" that I wish spring could be a little definite in it's arriving. It's no fun waitng for the bus when the weather men have been lulled into a false sense of security by the previous days warmth and sunshine, have predicted more of the same, you foolishly believe them, fore go the parka and wellies, only to fall on your arse due to the ice on the pavement!!!!! Ok I was a little put out by that. My arse even more so. The real sign of spring on my manor, is the cherry trees in front of the flats finally deciding to go from bare branches to full blossom in four hours. That happened last thursday, so apparently the first day of spring is NOT the 22nd of March as the PTB in England would have it. It was 12th of April.

TTFN M'Lady P.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: CarolC
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 04:07 PM

gnu...

hahahaha...

So you've heard about my singing too, then, have you?

I'm curious about where your Canaries are coming from. We don't have any native species of Canary in the continental U.S. that I could find in my bird book.

We have several species of Warbler that are yellow. And some Oriols and Tanagers, and the Evening Grosbeak. Our commonest yellow bird is probably the Goldfinch.

Do you think your Canaries are migrating from more southern climes than the U.S., or do you think 'Canary' is a local name for one of the species of yellow birds we have here?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: gnu
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 04:33 PM

Lady. Your arse even more so. Good one !

CC said... So you've heard about my singing too, then, have you?... No, I have not. And, I can only draw inference that you sing as well as I do. Two wrongs don't make a right, they say, so perhaps you should stay where yoy are, if that is what you alluded to.

As for Canaries, yes, I suppose we don't actually have canaries. I just call them that because they are small and yellow, being a good old boy from the bog country. Grosbeaks showed up here around 1980. Orioles ( sp ? ) about three years ago, 'cept they're brownish, reddish, whatever. Anyway, the ones that are here must be darn cold and, tomorrow, they will be mostly white. I would feel sorry for them but they do have wings and an iternal road map, so it's their fault if they are cold. Who am I kidding ? I have been feeding the poor little buggers all day just in case they didn't catch the forecast on the tube or net. BTW, could you use some seagulls ? They have been stealing the grub from the little ones all day and I'm about to snowball a few !

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: vindelis
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 07:00 PM

No we don't want anymore seagulls (of any variety). A pair have started nesting on my boyfriend's garage roof, again, this year. - Watch out for more dirty washing, (and having your hair parted by over-protective parents). Honest they do get very close and if you're not expecting it, it can be quite frightening. The only problem is that it is illegal to remove the nest once eggs have been laid, as the birds are protected. As if they were still an endangered species. On a brighter note We did see the first swallows, and skylarks, while waking along West Cliff on Easter Monday. Julie

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: Burke
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 07:55 PM

All but the biggest, dirtiest piles of snow are gone. We could sure use a good hard rain to wash all the crud away, but that would probably cause more high water than we need. Crocuses are looking good, but I thought I had more of them. I guess some little burrowing critters got them. The daffodils are coming up, but still a few weeks from blooming. Opened a window for a few minutes on Saturday.

Spring is sure relative. Some of the descriptions sound like summer to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: lady penelope
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 08:26 PM

Vindelis---- West Cliff---- You don't hail from Hastings do you by any chance?

If you do are you staying put for the 'jack in the green'?

If you are I may see you there! I'm short, spherical with very long brownish/reddish hair and I generally hang out with Liz the Squeak.

TTFN M'Lady P.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: roopoo
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 02:51 AM

Yep, we know it's Spring: the sun is shining, the little showers are showering (I mean rain, not my kids!), the buds is budding and the birds is being noisy...and the bloody wind's in the north and cutting like a knife!

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: gnu
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 07:14 AM

Better get them gulls off the roof if you have asphalt shingles. Gull poop'l eat right through em. I had to reshingle my baby barn due to pidgeon droppings. I am also reminded of when I worked on an airport runway in Churchill Falls, Labrador where the gulls used to gorge themselves on blueberries by the side of the strip and then sit on the warm pavement until they had digested the berries. Had to repave the strip prematurely because of the damage.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: CarolC
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 05:04 PM

I hear a lawn mower!!

(first one of the season... )

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: gnu
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 05:24 PM

I hear a snowblower. I hope it's the last one of the season.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: gnu
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 07:59 PM

Updated forecasted for tomorrow for southeastern New Brunswick - 17C !!! Which way to the beach !!! Beer & BBQ !!!

I wouldn't normally check the forecast, but I heard a robin singing his heart out in my backyard and it's the first time this spring I have heard one singing. So I checked the weather office for a lark. He was right. Spring IS here !

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: CarolC
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 08:04 PM

Alright! Way to go, gnu!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of spring (2)
From: gnu
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 08:18 PM

I had nothing to do with it. The three hundreed pound robin in my back yard is the hero of this story. Of course, in a short while, when I have my bedroom window open all day and all night long, and he starts his incessant song at 0330 dark hundred hours every ****ing day, I will be thinking about robin stew.