Spring Is Coming

Posted 33 Comments by dogear6

Last week, the eagerly awaited event finally happened – wait for it, wait for it – YES!  There were robins shivering in the snow.  And according to my observations over many years and in many states, that means spring is ready to arrive.  Last year’s robins shivered in snow right around the same time (click here for last year’s actual pictures of the robins in snow).

There have been other signs of spring.  Several weeks ago, a large flock (30 to 40) of cedar waxwings came migrating through, yanking red berries off from any hollies that weren’t already denuded.  I saw a blue heron flying overhead already, although I don’t think I saw egrets.  I think those were seagulls, which have not yet left to go north.

So last Wednesday looked like this – be sure to look for the beagle!

See the beagle?
Taken from the garage

In anticipation of the snow, I’d brought home my laptop and some work.  I had a very clingy dog due to problems with our fire alarm.  For some reason, the sound just terrified him and earlier in the week, he’d breached the dog gates several times trying to get away from it.

So the easiest thing to do was to put the dog bed under the kitchen table where I worked.  He was happy and I was comfortable.  Unfortunately for him, there was the big eeew! factor of a tiny dog deciding he wanted to do this too.  But the bed was big enough for both of them.

Major icky happening here.

So go forward just three days and I went for a walk to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.  Although I started with my winter coat on, I quickly traded it for my lighter spring coat and eventually wrapped that around my waist to get it off.  The sky was blue, the clouds were pretty, and although there weren’t a lot of flowers, I saw enough to enjoy my walk.

One little bird was singing away, his throat feathers puffing out each time he let loose.  I thought it was a wren until I got home, looked at my pictures and realized it was a little sparrow.  He was certainly vocal and warbled quite prettily.

And of course, I couldn’t help but go into the greenhouse to see what was there.  It was a great way to end my morning and I thought you’d like it too!

20130309-135 Blog

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens robins

dogear6 View All →

I am a backyard adventurer, philosopher and observer, recording my life in journals and photographs. Visit my blog at www.livingtheseasons.com.

33 Comments Leave a comment ›

  1. Pingback: Anatomy of Spring | Living The Seasons

  2. oh those tulips make me long for mine to bloom. A couple of week’s ago it seemed that spring would arrive and then, we’ve had snow and more snow almost every day for over a week now. But it will melt soon and the crocus and tulips will bloom along with the daffodils and all will seem well, once again.

    • I know what you mean – we’re having more snow here too. A year ago, early March saw all the trees in bloom plus all the daffodils. It was a few weeks early; this year is a few weeks late.

      And thanks for the comment back on your blog – you were so right.

  3. Today officially marks the first day of Spring in the northern hemisphere although I believe someone forgot to remind Old Man Winter, he dumped several inches of fresh snow yesterday!

    Lovely photo’s–can’t wait for spring to BLOOM!

    • Can you believe that! I was at work when someone wished me a happy first day of spring – I so had not paid attention to the calendar. We had snow earlier this week and might have more on Friday. Ick! It’s punishment for a mild winter, but I wish it could go already.

  5. What a contrast in weather! Lovely photos, and that is one gorgeous blue sky. It’s been so gray here the past few days that it’s a great pleasure to see it. :)

    • The photos really did contrast, which I hadn’t planned until I started looking at what I took. I’ve found that just taking pictures and being available often leads to good layouts like this.

      I’m glad you enjoyed it. Hang in there – the good weather will eventually come. It usually does!

  6. I have been seeing more birds these days and even some signs of life again. Spring is such a wonderful season, plus it is a great metaphor for death and life. Nice photos!

    • Spring does bring the hope of the resurrection, doesn’t it. I love each season as it comes and the newness of this time of the year is always refreshing.

      Thanks for the compliment on the photos!

  7. Your pictures present the remarkable contrast in the changing weather patterns over the course of only 3 days – amazing! It was also interesting to see your images from last year at the same time.

    We had a mild winter and that’s fine with me.There’s a reason we live here in the mildest climate zone in Canada. We were raised primarily on the prairies where 7 months of the year are cold ones and we chose to leave plugging in cars, shoveling snow and driving on ice behind us.

    The south coast of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have mild temperatures year round but winter also brings vast snowfalls to the Vancouver Island Mountains. One can ski early in the day and drive to the coast and swim in the same day. Spring arrives early and hundreds of thousands of blossoms and bulbs are blooming by late February on the south coast. Our island temperatures range from 11-15 ºC at this time of the year but we do experience occasional storms.

    I’m not a fan of either snow or rain so I’m happy spring is on her way too.

    • Your weather sounds like what I experienced when I lived in Minnesota. I would go see my Dad in Texas and drool over how green it was and the warmth, then come home and wait until May to see any green in the grass or the trees! And the water definitely impacts it too. We also lived by Lake Michigan for a while and the water definitely moderates the temperature.

      Those blooms sound incredible – do you have any posts about them? If you do, leave me a link or links. I’d love to see them.

  8. (Nope – pretty sure that is a wren – from picture and description.) Ahhh spring again – should be 70 tomorrow before another cold front comes in – more digging in the dirt for me this weekend. Yea. Still looking for that first bloom on the ridge – the service berry – my first true sign of spring in the Ozarks. Enjoy your day, my friend! K

    • I sure thought it sounded like a wren, but the striping around the eye and on the tail looked like a sparrow.

      We’ve had snow again! Now much and it rained a few hours later, but it snowed this week! Last year, the trees were in bloom by now. This year is running several weeks behind at least. I’m ready for the bad weather to be done and gone.

      Enjoy your day also! Thanks for stopping by!

  10. wow! What a difference a few days makes! All that snow, and then…the sunshine, and the birds and the flowers! Just beautiful! Looks like a beautful place to go for a walk! :)

    • That’s part of why I won’t drive in snow anymore. For what? To risk an accident when a few days later everything is okay again?

      Ginter is a beautiful botanical garden. It’s not real big, but it has a lot crammed in there.

      I have a number of “walks” through there that I’ve posted. This one from last fall has other walks listed at the bottom.

      https://livingtheseasons.com/2012/11/17/autumn-sound/

      Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

    • It is like awakening form a long slumber – and anyone who names their dog after the Brother’s Grimm would know about that LOL! But yeah, I’m really ready for spring.

  12. I so enjoyed the pictures of the tulips, but the dogs took the blue ribbon. How cute and cuddly. thank you for sending them. Love, Mom

  13. Oh wow I love your photo of the lake, that blue sky is divine! We have had signs of Spring here too – snowdrops and crocuses are starting to show their colours – but we’ve had a load of snow dumped on us over the past few days telling us that Winter hasn’t truly gone yet. The strangest weather I have ever seen was on Monday morning where we had a blizzard and bright sunshine at the same time. Weird!

    Hope your day is a good one :)

    • Thanks Pam! I appreciate the feedback and yeah, the snow isn’t done here yet either. We might get more on Friday.

      I hope you had a good day today as well. And thanks for stopping by!

    • Thanks Darlene! I’m eagerly awaiting spring as well. We had snow again this week – only 1/2 inch – but I really really want some warmth and sunshine!

    • I’m really looking forward to it too. Last year was early – by this time I had pictures of all the trees in flower. This year, they are just barely budding.

    • I totally agree with you. We had snow again this week and now it’s back in the 50’s again. Sheesh! It happens like this though – each time it’s a mild winter, early spring makes up for it.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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