Surprise!

Stu offered to send some rain, to help with the wildfires that were burning in our part of the world. He did better than that. He sent us snow! That's being a good friend. Hunky Husband had told me to expect snow over-night; but, I could hardly believe him. He was right!

 

The only flowers that we have abloom are the Daffodils, Narcissi, Ice Plant, and Creeping Phlox (our tulips are about ready to bloom). Since the Ice Plant and Creeping Phlox are under the snow, I'll show how well hidden are the Daffodil and Narcissus blooms, and then when they are out of hiding five hours later. The forked stick will someday be a Catalpa tree.

I had wanted to post about the unusually early spring we were having 1/2 a month ago, but was just too wrapped up in volunteer work. Here are a couple of the photos that I took on March 11, 2016 showing trees abloom at least four or five weeks earlier than normal.

 

We had a little, female Downy woodpecker (no photo) fly into the sliding glass door in our breakfast room, last evening. It was quite the impact! When I checked out the noise, she was all spread out on the porch floor - panting heavily, but otherwise looking like a goner. An hour later, she had picked herself up, fluffed herself up, and flown off. What a pleasant surprise!

Comments

[Joared]

I recall my mother always reminding me winter's end was often unpredictable and we should expect occasional years with Easter snow, even if end of March after select flowers began blooming. This was her experience in Northeaastern Ohio Great Lakes area beginning in the 1900s. Guess we just have the event more frequently with climate warming.

I wonder if birds experience closed head (brain) trauma or traumatic brain injury (TBI)? This could result in altered behaviors if the woodpecker survived as it seems. Observe the woodpeckers in your area for anything unusual. Just thinkin'! *smile*

Last year I had a hummingbird repeatedly trying to fly through my living room window to an indoor red flowering plant even though the glass was dirty, but the bird only fluttered gently against the window, so didn't seem to be injured -- though I did wonder about its judgment when after failing it returned to do the same several times.

[Co Car]

Joared--We frequently have birds fly into the windows and sliding glass door that are near our current feeding stations. The other day, a couple of starlings were startled by a squirrel (Yay, squirrel!) and flew into the same sliding glass door. We don't have a glass wall, but we do have a higher-than-average percentage of glass to brick (in front) and glass to wood (in back). Before the house was even completed, a yellow-billed cuckoo flew into a front window, breaking its neck.

BTW: The women doing some yard work for us, today, found a nest on the ground with four eggs in it. I assume it is a nest of Mallard ducks. They nested next to the front foundation a few years ago.

[Ingineer66]

Wouldn't be spring without some crazy weather. The high desert east of here got hammered with snow that stretched to Reno, but some of the mountain towns hardly got any. And my friend that lives in Boulder got a foot of snow and they were expecting nice temps soon after.

[Hattie]

I really like those photos. I hope your birdie is OK! Every once in a while a sparrow will fly into the glass on our deck and break its neck, but no casualties lately.
We left Seattle a couple of weeks ago, when it was just starting to be spring. The weather was crazy: wind, rain, sun, high temperatures, low temperatures.
Last year we were in Seattle a little later in the season and got the full blooming experience.

[bogie]

Beautiful trees - both under the snow and prior to it! I have daffodils and hyacinths starting to push up some greenery. I am amazed that the English Primrose are green and in bloom (have been for some time). Just heard on the news we are due for 1-4" of snow tonight/tomorrow morning. Was nearly 70 a couple of days ago.

This was the winter that wasn't (or not much of one. So far we have the lowest snow total ever on record (pending tomorrow's snowfall), and something like the 4th warmest. However, it also brought the lowest temperature I ever remember seeing in my area at -21*. Yeah, El Nino years certainly bring mixed up weather.

[Cop Car]

Ingineer--You are right about crazy spring weather!

Hattie--Thank you. I'm not sure on the status of the woodpecker since I can't tell one female downy from another!

Bogie--Notice how, except for our redbuds (most of which are not in the photos), the beautiful trees belong to one or another of our neighbors? I've enjoyed them for 16 years, now. Your weather has really been different!