This is one of my favorite stitchery pictures. I usually get it out right after Valentine's Day. The answer of course is "no, it is not spring yet!" However, an article in the newspaper this morning caught my interest about spring. Marianne Green is the gardening columnist for The Dallas Morning News. Her article this morning was titled "The ribbits may be right" She says ever year she remind readers (including her husband) that spring is not until March 20th; we will have an Easter frost, and if you "succumb to the siren song of those beautiful geraniums retailers are putting on shelves, you better be prepared to cover them!" I agree! (but I will still buy when I can!) But..she goes on to say she may be forced to "eat crow with an extra helping of humble pie." This is an excerpt from her article:"As I was tucking the city chickens in for the evening on Sunday, I heard what sounded like a burp. It was definitely not a chicken syllable; it was much too deep a pitch. I latched the chicken coop door and squinted into the night. I heard a rusty, weak croak but didn't trust my ears. But by the light of the moon, I saw a familiar shape skimming slowly across the top of the backyard pond: The big bullfrog who lives among the elephant-ear roots in summer had surfaced."
She goes on to say she has never heard a bullfrog "begin their chorus" before mid-March . Are they fooled by our warm weather? Are they letting us know it will be an early spring? My goldfish usually always stay at the bottom of the pond until mid-March. Right now they are up at the top wondering about food (which they will not get yet!)
No, I don't believe it's spring yet...just when we think winter is over we'll get an Arctic Blast that will bring us back to reality. But just in case, I'm keeping my stitchery picture out!
"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month." Henry Van Dyke
13 comments:
We are so thirsty, so hungry, for spring blooms, we sometimes jump the gun. Well, gardeners probably always jump the gun. Food for thought. I would love to have a bull frog in my pond. She can send the relatives to mine!
Brenda
I have a bull frog that hangs out in my pond. He scares me to death taking a hugh leap into the water when I least expect it!
Great post / thought!!! We can dream and I like the way the dream starts.
Please let it be spring soon. I know we will suffer for it with mosquitos later, yet still I am ready. We tried to raise frogs in our little water garden last year. They ate each other.
I like the spring quote very much. We have peepers here and I heard them for the first time last week. Maybe it is early this year? Bodes badly for a long hot summer though.
mr--oh how I can dream!! :)
Debbi-you are so funny! I am still laughing at your comment.
I am so thankful to live in Texas. I know it gets hot, but I love our early springs!
Tina, we live close to a "finger" of Lake Ray Hubbard and in the summer, after dark, it is anything but quiet! I haven't heard anything yet...but I do love that frog chorus!
Love your stitchery and love your post. I knew right away, (even before reading your post) it wasn't Spring yet....your countdown TAUNTS me every time I visit your blog and the days are not clicking away fast enough ;-)
jj-I think our spring days arrive long before the first day of spring here--we are so lucky!!
Have a good weekend!
I love the quote; I think we are having the spring days already, just haven't had the first day of spring! I don't trust the weather to stay this way, but I am grateful for each warm day when my potted plants can sit on the driveway instead of being crammed into the garage. I never plant more than I am willing to cover/lose this early, but I always put something in the ground waaaay to early!
I'm sure the animals know something we don't, but I don't think it is spring quite yet. Their are some promising signs such as the Maple Trees are budding out and the bulbs are pushing up & forming some buds.
The other night my hubbie and I went out and stood on the patio for a few moments observing the beautiful full moon. Behind us is an empty lot that has a small pond and it had a chorus of frogs singing. It was such a sweet sound and truly made you think of spring. I went to Wal-mart the other day and they had beautiful geraniums out and vegetable plants. I think that is just a little too early.
I hope you have a great weekend Linda. Happy Valentines Day!
Yup those Artic Blasts are due here starting today. My goldfish are coming up for food too so I have been feeding them periodically.(-: I have heard the frogs too. I think they are confused this year because we had such nice weather there for a few weeks. I think that is all going to change now.
Oh Nola I am so like you! I cannot pass up those plants in the nurseries this time of year, but I try to be careful not to buy too much. It is so hard though!
Racquel-you're right. It is not spring yet...just wishful thinking!
Susie-I love to hear the frogs too! Those garden centers sure do tempt us don't they! It is so hard to wait for warm weather and digging in the dirt!
Happy Valentine's Day to you and hubby too!
Like I said Cindee--just when we think winter is about over...here comes the cold front! It won't be too much longer though! I hope, I hope! :)
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