Spring Blooms From the Wet Land

I'll mostly let the pictures speak for themselves.  I sure enjoyed seeing all of these blooms, and even more of which I didn't take photos of.  All are from my parents yards.

Crocus 02/09/2014

Strawberry blossoms, and uh, weeds too.

These are commonly known as Wild Flags (a wild iris).  I understand my mom dug up some bulbs from the ranch where I grew up.  I remember finding them as a child and being amazed by them. They only reach about 6"- 8" high and they didn't open up well with the cold overcast days before wilting completely.

Violets

Crocus

Hyacinth

These blooms photos are not in chronological order, the tulips came in way after all the rest, and the crocus were back in the early part of February.

Late Start Wednesday

Wednesdays are currently my least favorite day.  I know, most people see Wednesday as 'hump day' that point of the week when you start heading toward the weekend rather than away from it.  For us, it's that one odd day during the week when Nick's school starts late.  Instead of the school day beginning at 8:00, it begins at 9:30.  And while it's nice that I could sleep in a little longer, it throws my day off and cuts into the morning routine.  I'm sure I'll adjust, but I'd still prefer time consistency Monday through Friday!

We have a few clouds.  Very few, very high.  These will never produce shade, nor rain.

This Wednesday, after dropping Nick off at school, I had errands to run.  I had to run over to his former school and pick up his Epi-pen from the school medical office as we failed to do so before the Christmas break, and to order his yearbook.  His picture won't be in the one from his new school so he doesn't want it.  While there I spent time chatting with a friend who works in the office, and then cutting through the library chatted with another mom I knew.  

Upon leaving the school, I had to make a quick stop at a market for a couple loaves of bread, and then on to the Credit Union where I had to take care of some banking matters and then I had to stop to gas up the car before heading home.  All of that sure shortens my day for at-home stuff.

Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.

 Our winter weather is for the birds.  I'm sure there are a lot of "snow birds" from some of those super cold states that are wintering here and thoroughly enjoying these temperatures, but I'd like some rain; I pray for rain.  That 16% humidity reading is false.  This gauge never falls below 16%.  I'm sure we're somewhere closer to single-digit humidity.  It is very dry out.  You can see we're already at 82 (higher now I'm sure).  That was yesterday's high with a low of 48.  Indoors is the 66 temp with 16% humidity - which is also probably false, I need to dig out my humidifier and get some moisture into the air.

First 2014 daffodil.

I took a stroll outside to get that shot of the faint clouds in an otherwise blue sky and was pleasantly surprised to find some blooming daffodils in their pots.  I'm sure they need water, but I'll do that later, or tomorrow.  Daffodils are one of my favorite flowers, they remind me of the wet land where they grow abundantly, and often in the wild where perhaps they were originally planted by an original homesteader where the buildings have long since returned to dust.

10-day forecast

Our weather outlook through the end of the month is one of little change.  There is certainly no moisture on the horizon.  Our state governor has officially declared us to be in a drought and asked us to voluntarily conserve water by 20%.  We (us personally) are not big water consumers compared to the average household, so cutting back 20% may not be an easy task.  If it becomes mandatory, and they base it on prior consumption, we could have a real challenge on our hands, I may only shower once a week!

Spring

Spring has arrived, and I know so much of the country is wondering 'where?' and 'when' as they are still getting snow or rain, but here, it's been nice and warm for the last several days.  Today was cooler, but still in the low 70s, and was overcast in the morning with the sun peeking out later in the day.

We've had flowers blooming for quite awhile, all of my daffodils have bloomed and faded, and now the freesia is beginning to bloom.  There may be more out there, but I haven't looked closely.

From my kitchen window I've noticed a new set of lovebirds (actually finches) are building a nest under the patio awning, and the hummingbird, or one of her offspring from the last three years, is rebuilding the nest.  I find it fascinating that it/they keep using the previous year's nest as the base for the new one.  Last year's was pretty much torn apart by inclement weather over the winter, but enough was still there to be added onto.

Spring is probably my most favorite season of all.  Fresh and green with beautiful flowers, lawns that begin to need mowing, and chattering birds galore.  These trees, I believe they are ornamental pear, I find exceptionally pretty as the young green leaves first start appearing while the clusters of white flowers are still on the tree.  Our neighbor also has one of which the branches hang over our fence, but these were taken in a parking lot where I was headed for an MRI on my neck and upper back yesterday.

ornamental pear (I think)

I'm not sure if this one is the same, it doesn't have much for leaves yet if it is.

These are some miniature daffodils, photo taken spring 2010 - I didn't get any photos of them this year.  I also had a yellow, and some purple hyacinths in bloom, but they were barely more than a handful of flowers on the stem, so no pics there either.  Now I'm waiting for the tulips, and I'd really enjoy if my irises would bloom as I see a neighbor's are, but mine don't seem to do well - I keep trying.