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Signs of Spring...?

 
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RockitRon



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 7646

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:29 pm    Post subject: Signs of Spring...? Reply with quote

I know it's not even a month since Christmas, but to relieve the forecast economic gloom, and after what we were told was Blue Monday - statistically the day of the year we were most likely to feel grumpy - I thought I'd cast around for any signs that spring might be on its way.

Nothing much in the garden yet; the lawn is more like a paddy field after all the rain. Birds keep a respectful distance because of neighbours' cats.

The sun has shone today, and for the first time since November it has managed to peep over the houses opposite (which are higher than us) and bathe the lounge for a little while round midday.

The National Trust 2008 Yearbook and Spring Magazine thudded onto the doormat this morning. (Not exactly carbon footprint friendly, at 400 pages long, the yearbook has always been an invaluable guide, both for members and non-members, who can buy it at any bookshop. Only snag for the latter is that this year they have decided to omit the admission prices for all their sites!)

Clutching at straws, I know, but they'll do as indications that there's light at the end of the tunnel. Can anyone else report other signs?
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Mindda



Joined: 10 Dec 2006
Posts: 37

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ron, dear - just to be friendly! Very Happy

Snowdrops in the garden
japonica bursting into bloom
squirrels chasing each other up and down the plum tree
people working in the allotments at the bottom of the garden (mind you they've been doing that during the winter also)
central heating turned off for a few hours

Mindda
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Minx



Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4088
Location: France/Spain/Peterborough/Tenerife

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We shipped a load of daffodil bulbs over to Spain with us. It's not an ideal climate for them, and out of more than a hundred bulbs only about thirty survived, and of that only 15 or so have managed to flower this year.

A Spanish friend came round today and on seeing the daffodil blooms in the garden, fell on her knees and started sniffing and stroking them. She said she had never seen anything like them before, and had never heard of the name.

You can't imagine it, can you - never having seen a daffodil. How exquisite they must look to the unaccustomed eye. For me, nothing has ever equalled the sight of banks of daffodils nodding in a brisk spring breeze. And nothing is more Spring-like.

Smile
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SantaFefan



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 11258
Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can't say I've noticed much, but then again, I wouldn't really know what to look for anyway apart from my trees starting to bud. Rolling Eyes
I'm pleased it's been dry here in Norfolk for a couple of days with hopefully more to come so I can work outside! I hate constant rain and so do my dogs Laughing

However, I did notice it was still reasonably light at about 5pm last night...
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iwarburton



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 2133
Location: Northumberland

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not dark at 5pm now--well, it's a start!

Ian.
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tarahrah bomdiay



Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Posts: 260

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are daffodils out here already Shocked
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Helen May



Joined: 10 Dec 2006
Posts: 19372
Location: Cheshire

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got some snowdrops out but that's all.

H
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Briant



Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Posts: 964
Location: Liverpool England UK

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My grandchildren are blooming.......marvellous! Laughing Laughing
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Spanners



Joined: 05 Jan 2008
Posts: 169
Location: Lincolnshire

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

New love is blossoming for me. What better start to spring.

Spanners Smile Smile Smile
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iwarburton



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Splendid! I wish you all the best.

Ian.
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Lord Evan Elpuss



Joined: 10 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a beer I once sampled at a beer festival. Yes, it really is that colour!!
http://www.stonehengeales.co.uk/sign_of_spring.html

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Briant



Joined: 02 Jun 2007
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope you didn't go flying after drinking a few pints of those, Phil Jr! Laughing
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Cherskiy



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: near Amble, Northumberland

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very few signs of spring when I was standing on Craig y Bwlch to the east of Dolgellau yesterday.... more like the middle of winter (oh, wait - it is January!) - it was bl**dy freezing, and the wind kept threatening to blow me off the rock ledge I was perched on. Could hardly keep the camera straight due to shivering....

The things I do for my hobby. Rolling Eyes
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Lord Evan Elpuss



Joined: 10 Dec 2006
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Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cherskiy wrote:
Very few signs of spring when I was standing on Craig y Bwlch to the east of Dolgellau yesterday.... more like the middle of winter (oh, wait - it is January!) - it was bl**dy freezing, and the wind kept threatening to blow me off the rock ledge I was perched on. Could hardly keep the camera straight due to shivering....

The things I do for my hobby. Rolling Eyes


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I hope you didn't go flying after drinking a few pints of those, Phil Jr"



No I didn't Briant!! Laughing

Not a good day for photographing fast jets then Cherskiy! Shocked

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RockitRon



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's amazing what a couple of half-decent days of weather (hereabouts, anyway) will do; it was much lighter later into the afternoon yesterday.

Closer inspection of the garden reveals the snowdrops and crocuses just about to come out. The squirrels are suddenly in playful mood, chasing through the trees rather than concentrating on digging up nuts and acorns that they buried in the autumn. I just wish they were red ones.

Lee - I should have known there'd be a beer!
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iwarburton



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PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The weather has been far from half-decent here. We've had some of the worst gales for years.

Ian.
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RockitRon



Joined: 07 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thought I'd bump this thread, since, once again, the new National Trust handbook and Spring Magazine thumped on to my doormat this morning.

There's scant few other signs of spring around here yet, can't even detect the snowdrops and crocuses on their way, and it's still dark at half past seven, as it is now as I write this at ten past four. The squirrels were getting frisky at the bottom of the garden though, but they might just have been trying to keep warm.

Any fledgling signs of spring to lighten the winter gloom where you are?
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MadeinSurrey



Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 3130
Location: The Beautiful South

PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have the odd snowdrop pushing their way through, and there are still glimmers of light at 5pm, so yes, there is reason for optimism!
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Toggy



Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Posts: 1239

PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We had our handbook a couple of weeks ago, this was when it was still snowy Laughing

No other sign of spring, so grey and murky lately nothing wants to come out, I don't blame it!
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aviddiva



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 1135
Location: Wakefield, West Yorkshire

PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:14 am    Post subject: Signs of spring Reply with quote

Snowdrops coming up, and unseasonal flurries of sleet and snow.

Easter eggs in the shops and hype for Valentine's Day in every magazine with the exception of Mojo, Classic Rock and Uncut, it seems.
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Minx



Joined: 09 Dec 2006
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Location: France/Spain/Peterborough/Tenerife

PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I noticed our apple tree has some buds on the ends of the branches. And there seems to be fresh growth on the laurel hedge.
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Toggy



Joined: 18 Aug 2008
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We noticed the cats going mad over something about 10 minutes ago, it wasn't until Simba, one of our Bengals caught it we realised it was a wasp Shocked
Miracle it didn't sting him really but it seemed docile.

Very odd indeed, not what you expect in February!
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