Tag Archives: crocus

Happy Groundhog’s Day!

I’m posting twice today to share some lovely photos of a ridiculously lovely day:

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Today is Groundhog’s Day, a peculiar holiday we in the States celebrate by dragging large, hibernating rodents from their burrows, snapping lots of photos, and then making unfounded weather predictions, supposedly based on whether or not the poor creatures see their shadows. Today the Bluegrass State seemed to take the official rodent at his word: the sun was shining, the air was 60 degrees F, and both crocus and honey bees (see topmost flower) were out.

hellebore1

This is one of my hellebores – see the dusty mauve blossom in the center of the photo? One or another hellebore has been in bloom since Thanksgiving (late November, for my non-U.S. readers); they’ve been taking turns. The pink one just finished, but it’s already got tiny buds in the crown. I guess I’ve got them planted in the right place.

Two weeks ago, we got almost 2 feet of snow. Today we had a light shower out of a sunny sky, and my neighborhood was framed in a rainbow. It was a beautiful day here. I hope it was beautiful wherever you are, too.

Sprung

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Others may gripe
about the late spring
snow shower,  but I smile
because the flowers
are not fooled.

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First flowers

(This post is for my British beekeeping blogging buddy, Emily Heath, of Adventuresinbeeland. Sorry I have no cake to share! )

After three warm days here in the Bluegrass, the snow has mostly melted, except for those big piles in parking lots. I had forgotten that the first bulbs to bloom in my gardens are not the crocuses:

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but the Iris reticula.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI don’t usually notice them until the yellow ones open, which might be today, given the forecast.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThey’ve even beat the hellebores to the punch!

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThough we’re supposed to have a fourth day of sun and warm (temperatures in the 70s F), tomorrow night is supposed to get down in the teens. I just hope the magnolias don’t jump the gun and get zapped when the temperatures drop.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERANo bee activity to report in my yard yet, though I have seen some flies on a window screen. Maybe I’ll take a walk in the Arboretum today and see what’s blooming and if any bees are active there.

Addendum, later that afternoon: I was right about the yellow iris!

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