In the third week of February?
Unheard of!
Thanks for following along while I couldn't get out to take pictures,
and joining me on a brief European detour from last summer.
Time to get back to 'Seasons in the Valley' now.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Signs of Spring!
Suddenly it's feeling like spring here, far too early! In spite of my complaints that warm temperatures will leave us with ice from the overnight cold, we really have had two beautiful warm sunny spring days, with temperatures reaching about 10°C (50°F). They reminded me of the beautiful blue sky days we usually get in March after the grey skies of winter.
The beautiful blue skies of early March normally represent spring to me, but they've come a little early this year. Heard a Chickadee calling its spring mating song this morning too - 'ham-bur-burg'.
The moving sun and the longer days are the biggest signs of spring, though we tend to take them for granted. The sun here is coming up much further north in the morning. Back on the solstice in December it would be rising in the centre of this picture.
The willows are turning yellow and the Red Osier Dogwood are turning pink. They'll eventually be red. But right now the yellow willow twigs are really standing out.
Right here at home both the buds on the Silver Maple and the catkins on the White Birch are swollen and ready for spring. Though I hope they wait awhile yet!
Tiny spring fed streams are opening up, and this permanent spring that stays open all year is at its highest level. Soon the landscape will be saturated with spring run-off.
Even the snowy woods in the distance looks like spring to me. Though you can't see them, all kinds of spring wildflower bulbs are biding their time under that blanket of snow, ready to bloom later in May.
So even though I had a frozen icy driveway this morning, I had sensibly driven up and down yesterday when it was warm and chewed it up a bit. Now it's half bare gravel.
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There is no snow left here in Toronto! It is a bit scary isn't it?
ReplyDeleteA tad early for spring. No fear of it here yet, FG.
ReplyDeleteWow, and we are in the middle of a heat wave, Over 31C 3 days running. Lovely photos, and so good to know you can get out again.
ReplyDeleteWe are saying the same thing down here in Ohio! We're near 60...way too early! I bet we'll have blooms and then snow again.
ReplyDeleteWe are having 30 to 32 C. temps here, too early, also.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos - here on the west coast of Washington state our snow is gone and we hope will stay away - our winters are so much milder than yours, but that means we don't get the amazing frozen waterfalls like you do, and which I love so much.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are getting a break from winter. If it's anything like where I grew up (South Dakota) you'll get another blast of winter weather before the season's over.
ReplyDeleteI really like the dogwoods. The line designs created by the dense trees are beautiful. Yes we are melted way down now and I know snow will come back again.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that your seasons are taking the same course as ours; Spring these days is not so much a season as a series of false starts. Today the sun is shining and the snowdrops are blooming, but it may all slip back into winter any day.
ReplyDeleteThat is a bit early but I bet it sure felt nice. Hopefully things will gradually warm up there.
ReplyDeleteI saw primroses for sale outside the grocery store yesterday, which is another sure sign of spring! Love your pictures and that beautiful blue sky. :-)
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed those early Spring photos and I remember those March like days well years ago and how wonderful it was to feel the warmth of the sun and see the snow melting. We're hoping for an early Spring in southern Ontario this year so we can head home from the southwest a little sooner than later. If that warm weather keeps up it will soon be maple syrup time.
ReplyDeleteWe broke 70F yesterday. Weird and scary, but nice.
ReplyDeleteWe have been seeing the signs of spring here, too. The robins are back in our neck of the woods. I have seen them in Indianapolis all year long but never here. And we are just about straight west of Indy.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the willows get their color...
It has been unseasonally warm in the UK too.
ReplyDeleteLoved all of your photo's
All the best Jan
you have done a great job entertaining us all winter, fabulous, i would say!! it was 70 degrees here yesterday, and all our snow has melted!! i loved this set of pictures - my favorites 2, 3 & 4!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid this weather is typical of what's to come in the future. Everything and everybody that depends on winter weather and snow is about to be in deep, deep trouble.
ReplyDeleteUp and down temperatures seem to be all over the place this year. It was in the 60's here today.
ReplyDeleteAll your pictures are so very pretty.
These definitely have a late winter feel to them. We had two warm up days on Saturday and Sunday, then it dropped again below freezing. Still lots of snow around.
ReplyDeleteYour early spring photos are wonderful! Love that brilliant blue sky against the bright snow. I love watching the seasons change. My good friend's dad used to tell us that the chickadee's spring song was "Spring's Here!".
ReplyDeleteWendy