Who's having Spring? And what are you doing about it?

[rainey]

It's beautiful here in SoCal!

I've been out all week cleaning up the debris of last year's garden and the carcasses of what didn't make it through the Winter. And I've been planting, planting, planting. With much more to go in the next couple weeks.

I hope to get all my planting done as soon as possible so I can turn my efforts to building a new brick garden path and re-arranging my whole compost set up before the heat starts settling in.

 

[Smart Red]

(Insert picture of tongue making a raspberry noise here) SPRING? Only the one in my backside from the chair. Spring is hiding under 14 inches of fluffy white rainfall. It is Wisconsin after all.

 

[rainey]

I know some of us live in different worlds. But I'm stoked and hoped to connect with someone else who is too.

Does it help to know that we'll have triple digit heat and probably water rationing at some point?

 

[Nyboy]

Been a very strange winter here Dec was arctic like. Now Feb going to hit 60 this week. Strange very strange

 

[flowerbug]

it was below zero this morning, but will be warming up later this week into the 40s and supposed to be some rain too. we'll see.

probably had a few feet of snow this week. both of us got out for shovelling and it felt good to move.

right now a nice sunny morning. trees got heavily frosted last night and are now sparkling in the sun. we've had a lot more sunshine this winter than we're used to, but that does mean colder nights with the clear skies.

usually i don't get much garden tasks going until April or even May. first planting of warm weather crops is around the end of May. some years i can get things done earlier than others. other times it seems like we go from winter directly into summer.

 

[Smart Red]

I know some of us live in different worlds. But I'm stoked and hoped to connect with someone else who is too.

I am sorry. That last post of mine did sound rather off-putting. Not my intention, I think I was more responding to past teasing from some of my Southern friends here.

I totally understand your eagerness. I've got spring fever as well, it's just that spring is still months away. Monday should find plenty of southerners helping and cheering you on. As for me, I envy your weather at this time and I am envy-green that you can start gardening when all I'm doing is planning and dreaming.

 

[sumi]

Our weather was absolutely gorgeous, temperatures in the 50's, just long enough to make me start eyeing the seed packets and wondering… when...



We HAD spring, I guess… briefly Looking forward to the real deal!

 

[rainey]

I am sorry. That last post of mine did sound rather off-putting. Not my intention, I think I was more responding to past teasing from some of my Southern friends here.

 

[rainey]

Not in the least! Truth is we always seem to be first and it gets so hot here in a few months that it's best to get all the heavy work done ASAP and then tweak, water and try to save things through the hot months.

Used to be I was rushing putting tomatoes in in February. Now they're ready to GO and the second snap of cold never comes along anymore! It happens earlier every year now. ...so tell me why some folks refuse to believe in climate change???

 

[Smart Red]

"Cuz people haven't been on the Earth or keeping records long enough to determine if this weather is a normal change or not. Pretty conceited of MAN to think he has power over the works of God. Suppose the prehistoric people tried to stop climate change when the glaciers moved south? Other than prayers and magic, they could do no more than today's people to change or effect their climate.

Whenever I think of climate change -- the new catch phrase for global warming -- I remember the fear put into my parents and others at the announcement that Earth was going into a "global cooling" period where we could expect energy costs to soar and the South to be innundated by throngs of cold Northerners. That was the future senario in the late 1970s. If the same people could be so wrong less than 50 years ago is it not possible, indeed probable, that they are just as wrong today?

Remember Gore's prediction that life on Earth would be nearly a thing of the past before now -- the East coast would move inland by many miles, and Nyboy would be treading water -- if we didn't all pay him for 'carbon credits'? As if that would save anything. In fact, there are theorists who now claim that any of the serious suggestions for stopping global warming at the athmospheric level would result in extreme global cooling that would throw the Earth back into another thousand year Ice Age. Quite the conundrum.

God says, "Have no fear" and then sets the Earth on course with distruction? I prefer to trust in Him and doubt the naysayers. Yes, I believe MAN has done much damage to things here on Earth. I believe we are called to be good stewards of this land and its populations and there is plenty of room for improvement on our part. Earth has changed and will continue to change while mere mortals are waiting.