No signs of spring here at all today, Digit! But it has warmed up 5º from last nite's low! It's 7º out now!!! [It's 1:30!] Supposed to get down to about -9º tonite! I haven't been out to measure anything yet--warming up my clothes right now to go out and start shoveling--but it looks like I got maybe about 8-9", could be 10"!

Was out and got my last spring-blooming bulbs planted on Monday! It was pretty nice--tho a little bit breezy! Would that maybe possibly sorta qualify as a Sign of Spring???

But I'm noticing the ends of the days getting longer already, so spring can't be TOO far away! And the snow pack in "our" mountains--ALL of them I think--is way above 100%, so that's a good sign FOR spring! Hope it keeps on keepin' on--Out There--in the High Country!

Skybird

"One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of a March thaw, is the spring." Well, we have plenty of geese around, but I daresay they are not headed northward anytime soon.

Seed catalogs have arrived and I've ordered the few packets of seed I will be using this SPRING, but thats the closest we are here. Like Skybird said, it was a miserable cold day, although I did brave it for about an hour. I catch cabin fever pretty quickly, even if it is only in the single digits.

I, too, have noticed the daylight lingering ever slightly longer. Though, I am shocked to hear our mountains are at 100% snowpack. This winter has been mighty warm and dry.

No signs of spring here either but I've been shopping for spring planted perennials! Have ordered several iris varieties and hopefully will be getting some tiny candy lily in, Skybird! Have been ordering yet more peonies for next fall as well, concentrating on more tree peonies this year.

Whatever those things are, the one certainly has the right idea!

I have some annual poppy seeds I was going to try in a pot here at the apartment, I wonder how they will do? Im told the seeds appriciate a good chill so I'm thinking of putting them out soon.

Hey, by the way, is anyone winter sowing this year? That ought to get us in the mood for spring eh?

I am but much smaller than last year, and only some hardy perennials. Last year was a complete bust in the winter sowing department for me, not a single transplant. Getting it done much earlier this year--weekend after next since I'll be out of town for 10 days coming up.

I spent some time during the first sub-zero cold spell in December writing a time table for sowing the tree seeds I've bought or collected. I sowed 4 types in the veggie beds in November and also I started 3 kinds of dogwood that need a long, warm stratification inside. I started soaking Pinus cembra and koraiensis seed yesterday. They'll be sown in the veggie beds later this week if we get enough melting and the soil isn't still frozen. I'll start Pinus flexilis (Limber Pine) in February, Acer grandidentatum (Bigtooth maple) and Cupressus arizonica (Arizona cypress) in March. I think that qualifies as winter sowing.

I just got a catalog from Territorial Seed Company. I haven't ordered from them and don't know why I got it, but I'm glad! In addition to seeds, they'll ship veggie plants. This is the first year I'm giving some thought to just buying plants instead of going through the hassle of starting and growing and up-potting. Territorial has a good selection, pretty much what I'd be sowing myself. When you calculate shipping it comes to about $6.48 for a 2 1/2 inch or larger pot. Ah, there's the reality check! Now I remember why I start from seed, lol!

Then you have to consider the $55 cost for a bale of potting mix. I go through a bale of Sunshine mix a year. I'm not factoring in my time or the cost of seeds, heat mats, electricity to run them, water, fertilizer, etc.

I only buy plants $6 plants from Lowe's or Home Depot if I've had a starting failure or hail damage. They tend to only carry the most common veggie types. There is an allure to having a box show up with the plants I want that just need to be hardened off and planted.

Then, I remember the absolute joy I feel when the seeds germinate and poke their little heads through the soil! It's a wonder to me every time and there's a satisfaction in knowing I had a hand in that.

Thanks for letting my ramble! Cabin fever has a hold of me after 3 bouts of sub-zero temps. I'm going to put on the Sorels today and walk around in the snow. 43 degrees is going to feel pretty good.

Barb

Right there with you Liz! Lots of germination, but I had trouble keeping the temperature from getting either too hot and frying them or too cold and freezing them and watering was a major issue too. Not a single transplant survived except one sickly and weak little container of breadseed poppies that barely flowered at all.

No winter sowing at all here right now, but like I said I have those packages of poppies and also some snapdragons that are officially called "night and day" but I'm unofficially renaming "Boomer Sooner." Anyhow I am going to try and get both of those "winter sown" or rather just put the seeds in the pots I want them to grow in, hopefully in spring something comes up.

Wow Barb, what on earth, rather WHERE on earth do you put all those TREES?! Your property must look somewhat like an eastern forest by now!

Another benefit of starting from seed, it gives me (us?) SOMETHING to do "in the garden" weeks before we are actually out "in the garden." I have some bhut jalokia (ghost pepper) seeds sent to me by a friend, those will be planted in about a month, shortly followed by some other hot peppers, and then the mild/sweet peppers shortly after that. "Gardening" under some shop lights, better than not gardening at all! Cabin fever starts to set in for me right around hour 6 of being stuck indoors.....

I have plans to order some seeds this month! Inventory is first, however.

We didn't have the ice storm locally that Oregon had, altho sleet was falling not all that far south.

Snow is piled beside my driveway higher than my 3' picket fence and finding places to put it is becoming a little bit of a problem. Fortunately, I was up to (like, on a ladder) getting the snow off the porch roofs, yesterday. There was about 14" to pull off on the north side. Now, I don't have to worry so much about the weight.

Maybe 5 inches of snow has fallen over the last 24 hours and it was 30°f, the warmest it's been this month. A couple more afternoons like this then it will be back in the single ..

. digitS' (one side or the other of zero ;o)

Thanks for the reminder on inventory, digit. I do need to go through my seeds.

Zach, most of these won't make it and any extras usually find their way to the swaps. I do have 2 acres and there were about 4 trees here when I moved in. It will get crowded, some day!

Most of the trees I sow from seed are ones that are hard to find here, or just available in large sizes, which I try to avoid for both the weight (I'm not getting any younger) and the expense.

Nearly all our snow melted yesterday. The Chinook winds will do that! I hope you warm up soon, digit!

The nearest Weather Underground station says it's 1°f right now. For some reason, I have all my outdoor thermometers shut away in cabinets, waiting to go in the greenhouse, etc. for when I begin trying to grow some things. Yesterday morning that WU station said it was -1° but the nearest airport had it as 1°. The thermometers haven't read above freezing this month.

Ho hum ...

I'm just going by their forecast but rain is on its way ..! There's lots of snow here but, probably, just above average. The berms along my driveway are above 3', as measured by my picket fence. But, there are supposed to be 2 nights this week when those thermometers do not fall below the freezing point ..!

I hope that there is "fruit" arriving behind this "Pineapple Express" that is supposed to be on its way!

Steve

We had the warm day and rain! What a mess!

Cars were stuck on level asphalt ... even on plowed streets. The ice there was covered by a thin layer of water. Sometimes the tires just spun! Other locations on the streets the water was a good deal deeper than a thin layer and on other streets - the unplowed slush was nearly impassable.

Now things are a little better cleaned up. I thought that there must have been a night when it didn't freeze at all. The Weather Service had promised that and the horrible mess of snow and water made me think that melting was going on for days! Not so. I always found a layer of ice over the puddles ... except, maybe ... this morning. It's about 3am and doesn't look like it will freeze. Then what? Well, there is snow predicted for the weekend and, maybe, right on thru Tuesday. Then, cold and no more of that melted snow making a mess of Winter. > wink <

This will happen again, won't it?

Steve

(What do you think? :o)

Steve

The seed catalogs have come, orders placed, the 2017 garden layout is planned, and all I need now is April. Bring it on!

60° today, and even warmer tomorrow... It sure FEELS like spring. I even saw a honey bee buzzing around this afternoon.

Of course March and April will no doubt remind us that sprigtime in the Rockies is usually worse than winter lol.

And don't forget May, Zach! May hasn't been very spring friendly for several years....even with all of the warm weather most of my garden beds are still under ice. A thin layer I'm sure but definitely ice....

It must be spring because I'm already feeling like I'm behind on seed starting.

Yeah 12" of snow on Mother's Day 2 out of the past 3 years. Of course after that comes thunderstorms and HAIL...... I'm getting discouraged just thinking about it.

I haven't started sowing seeds for this year, either. Only a few for me though, some hardy perennials only....

Good one, digit! I so needed that today! It's 58 degrees, which sounds lovely, but with 30mph winds. Am stuck inside watering plants and puttering through the seed inventory, hoping for less wind tomorrow.

Barb

Snow report ... about as much as we get 1 winter out of every 5.

January temperatures were supposedly, the coldest on average over the last 30 years or so. Supposedly ... because, they are talking about average daily temperatures. We had very few below zero mornings this winter. Many afternoons had above freezing with, like, 33° or 34°f. Tedious but okay, as long as we can retain some of this winter moisture. Not much January warmth but nothing very frigid, either.

Right now, it's above freezing with a 35° high predicted. And, 100% chance of either rain or snow ... I think we are okay ... don't want to see any flooding! There was an additional 9" of snow for me to move around over the last 36 hours. We will see what the week will bring!! We probably won't see any marmots above ground for a long while ... And, no!!! I don't want to see any high winds blowing this moisture away!

Steve

Keep your moisture, digit, just send a little our way! I was able to dip into the rain barrels this morning to give the fall planted stuff a drink. Very light winds today and 51 here now, so much nicer than yesterday!

November was the warmest I can remember in quite a while, then we got smacked hard with cold December through mid-January with below zero temps on 3 different occasions. We at least had snow cover for most of it. -19 was the coldest we got at the house with -25 windchill, but overall, it was a very cold 6 weeks!

We're above normal snow pack in the mountains, a good thing, but it's gotten quite dry here on the plains. It looks like I'll be watering to get through till the March and April snowstorms come. For now, I'm just enjoying not having to be in a down coat and wool socks for a few days.

Barb

They're calling for 68-72 all along the Front Range this coming Friday. Not completely unheard of, but certainly not that common this time of year. Talk about spring fever! This whole week has been very mild, especially at night, thanks to those chinooks. Mother Nature always has her way of reminding us that she's in charge, though, so remember to be patient. :) I will, however, begin hardening off some lettuce and kale starts and direct-sowing some radishes and lettuces over the next couple of weeks. It's not too early for that, especially with cold frames.

Good Heavens! I am sore from last weekend's storms first shoveling snow, then some rain and melting with the snowplow closing my driveway, then another day trying to clear the parking in front of the house that had turned into massive chunks of ice after a 20°f morning ...

Now, it's snowing again. Might be a lot with a 100% chance of "heavy rain," tomorrow! Freezing hard again!

Sunny on the weekend, I'll be a basket case if I have to move much more slush or ice with a shovel ... wonder if my basement will flood ... maybe marmots will drown!

Steve

The man on the radio said Denver International, where the official temperature for the city is taken (even though its a good ways OUTSIDE the city) hit 80° today. I saw a butterfly flying around, and in some spots freshly green grass is growing. Lots of bud swell, and a few mahonia growing in some sheltered spots I saw has baby flower buds on it.

Of course, unlike the Butterfly and grape holly, I'm well aware that this situation is not long lived.

Sniw shoveling is not any fun, particularly the wet heavy slush. But you guys have been in a pretty severe drought the past couple years haven't you Steve? As big of a pain as it is, it might be a good thing.

I had 80º here in Thornton today too! (The old record was 71º--set in 50-something!) Was out in the yard for a while, but it was just too windy to stay out long.

Zach! Why do you make yourself miserable even when it's nice
outside??? There's no snow outside right now! Really! Just enjoy it
while it lasts!

Skybird

Signs of spring around here include chives popping up, I harvested asparagus already, clover starting to grow, almost all the ground seems unfrozen and Cherry Creek Lake has no ice.

I was probing around some of the sod soil here in Westminster and it seems like some of it could use watering. Not that I'm a lover of grass but might as well keep it in shape for now. If I had my way I'd lasagna garden most of it. Which is happening a 150 sq. ft at a time anyways.

Im not grumbling Skybird, just noting that some of the plant and insect life has jumped the gun a bit haha. Im happier this winter than I have been in many winters past actually lol.

Even on the cold and crappy days I have decided to be undeterred in finding and excuse and the motivation to get outdoors. It has helped my mood immensely. As a matter of fact I have gobs of photos to share, once I get the chance.

Course the weather last week does have me excited for spring, and I'd be lieing if I said I wasn't a little upset about this weekends forecast.

Hello everyone! :)

Mother Nature will get her own back in April and May snows, though. I'm with Zach--could do without shoveling snow.....

Hi Jali!!

There is some water under the frozen puddles on the concrete sidewalk between the snow berms every morning ...

No, we moved out of the severe status for drought the winter of 2015-6. However, you wouldn't have believed that with the very limited rain last summer and the record heat! Then, record October rain! No, I would not want to give up this moisture. It's mostly going straight down. The WSU ag sites all report above 30°f, 8" into the soil. The snow came early enough and heavy enough that it should add greatly to soil moisture and the aquifer.

Of course, Fox News had to report an ice dam on the St Joe, yesterday. Let me tell you, it broke up well and there has been little flooding around here. Afternoon high at a very reasonable 39° is a good thing. No, there won't be any Ice Age balance on Climate Change stories from looking around here. However, if we were to have an overnight low of 57°, I imagine you'd find us all hanging onto driftwood and floating down the Columbia!

Steve

Hi Steve! Hope there isn't too much flooding from the ice dam, but as others have said, send the extra moisture our way. All my friends are chirping the "so many days 'til spring" Bah! That's when it snows and you know it! Moisture welcome, but it isn't chirpy time. "When do I sow my seeds?" Well not for a bit, silly. Our last frosts have been after Mother's Day the last few years so chill, because the weather is going to. LOL Yes, I have sprouted peppers, but I don't show those pictures to those eager people or they'll be putting tomato seedlings without real leaves in a container on the porch and wondering what happened. :)

Northeastern WA: There's finally free flowing water in the seasonal stream near my house! But my garden is still under foot of snow. :( The spots of open ground on south facing slopes are starting to get me pretty excited for spring!

Plus the ice is melting! Although, I did see report that there was still 20" of ice on lake from last weekend. The open water is from a dock bubbler so it's not truely melted from the weather there.

There is a pretty bad mess around my place, what with all the melting snow and recent rain!

Tianaluke, it would be a difficult task for me to find pretty scenery here at home for a picture without just pointing the camera straight up into this afternoon's blue, blue sky!

No, I'm not impatient to start seeds, Jali'. Maybe a little stir-crazy! It's difficult to be very enthusiastic for spring when I've only seen a little peeked lawn grass for about 36 hours and the snow I piled up is still high! The forecast doesn't look like spring will be here in the near future. Onion seed could go in a flat of soil but that is about it. Maybe, if I can get to the garden center, they have a packet of pansies for this pansy ... One thing for sure! I better order some pepper seed soon. Maybe there will be a turnaround that I just can't see yet, over yonder snow berm!

Steve