Sped, those colored bottles add joyful whimsy. Where are the Tibetan prayer flags?

Heavy wind cracked a branch on a maple tree. It is sap-running time, but
this sap is frozen in place. I should put a pancake under it.

Jane

Jane, the Tibetan flags are up the hill behind me (as I snapped the bottom photo). They are slowly unraveling (as they are supposed to do) so I expect to see colorful threads decorating birds' nests this spring. I bought three sets of flags, so replacements are waiting in the wings, but I imagine it will take 5 years at a minimum for the current flags to completely disintegrate.

Sap should be running again tomorrow! A thaw is predicted!

That does look hopeful, spedigrees, and water in the brook is a wonderful thing.

I second the pancake placement, Jane.

As if the cold snap wasn't enough, the NWS is talking about

"... Elevated risk for fire spread today...

Even drier air will overspread southern New England today with
minimum relative humidities only 10 to 20 percent expected across
much of the region. Northwest winds will not be as gusty as
Saturday, but still quite strong with frequent gusts around
25 mph. This combination will lead to an elevated risk for fire
spread. Winds should diminish fairly quickly early this evening,
after sunset."

I do have one unexpected sign of impending spring. My clivia 'Golden Dragon' has never bloomed in the winter when it's supposed to - it always waits until it goes out on the deck (around the beginning of June) and then blooms in July.
But this year it started showing a bud on February 28 - probably earlier but I wasn't looking for one.

and today the blossom is looking serious even though it's hiding between the leaves!

And last year's flower stalk has two seed pods on it!

I think I'll wait and see if the seed pods/fruit ripen and then maybe try to germinate the seeds (if there are any in there).

Claire

Yesterday the temperature was in the upper 50's and more crocuses were blooming; these in the front yard.

I guess those crocuses are still here under the snow that's coming down with about 5 inches forecast by the end of the day. I'm trying not to bang my head on the table.

I've already been out shoveling to feed the birds and I'll clear off and start the car later.

I was joking a few days ago about a Saint Patrick's Day Blizzard with green snow. That was probably a mistake with another, bigger storm looming next week.

Enough of the Winter Wonderland - I want Spring!

Claire

Quite a contrast, Claire. The crocuses are such a wonderful harbinger of spring. I haven't been able to keep crocuses; they seem to be a favorite of voles, though I love those tiny early species crocuses. We are just getting a few scattered flakes, interspersed with very brief blizzard conditions, so not much accumulation so far here. But they are calling for something approaching a foot Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Well, the snow is gone (again!) and the garden is making another try at spring (again!).

Snowdrops:

Crocuses:

and the witch hazel 'Arnold Promise' has a few remaining blossoms:

The clivia 'Golden Dragon' is putting out more blooms on the one stalk:

It's supposed to be warm again today and then an Arctic chill crashes in (again!) for a few days. I don't have the heart to go across the street this afternoon and listen for peepers (again!). But I probably will...

Claire

Poor little Peepers!