Signs of Spring

[Karen]

I know spring is well under way in some places, but of course is still a chancy thing here in Massachusetts. Yesterday I saw not my first robin of the season - that showed up during that warm patch in January, and looked pretty miserable through much of February, but a whole mess of robins for the first time.

What heralds spring for you, and what have you notice, or are waiting for so far this year?

[Freedom]

Karen, there is one type of robin which remain here all winter; I wonder, since you saw it in Jan, maybe it was not one of the migratory ones?

Heralds of Spring: I saw a HUGE "V" formation of Canadian geese traveling north, honking up a storm, on Thursday morning when I walked out to get the newspaper. They were quite high up, definitely in long distance mode, ha haaa. Must have been 50 at least!

That afternoon I saw a smaller group of 6 flying low and south; they were just moving from one golf course to the other for lunch. :D Since we have quite a few here all winter, that is not a sign of Spring.

Many of my bulbs - daffs, hyacinths - broke ground in late DECEMBER, so now I can't even say THAT means Spring is coming, lol.

[pomtzu]

I've been hearing more and more birds everyday, and not the winter residents that stick around. I was listening to the doves cooing a few days ago.

I guess when I see the daffodils and crocus and hostas break thru the ground, then I'll agree that Spring is here.

So what's in our forecast for Wednesday???? - snow, and it could be a sizable amount. I got tired of waiting for it all Winter, and now I don't want it!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

My tulip leaves and lily leaves were coming up before they got buried by a foot of snow. I'm hoping the will revive when the snow finally melts. :love:

[Lady's Human]

Pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training.

Clipper fleet schedule in the mail.

F-1 winter testing in Spain.

Seed catalogs.

[Moesha]

We've had daffodils blooming and even some trees with flowers on them. I don't believe spring is here until I see leaves on the weeping willow trees. Today I saw my first ones!

[Taz_Zoee]

Longer days of daylight! Loving it!! :D

[Karen]

Karen, there is one type of robin which remain here all winter; I wonder, since you saw it in Jan, maybe it was not one of the migratory ones?

I doubt it, it showed up out of the blue that warm patch in January, looking exactly like the ones that migrate, just off schedule by a couple month. I tried to tell is visible grass didn't mean worms were present, just the now had melted. The ground was still frozen an inch down, and the worms were all deep asleep!

It look completely miserable, feathers puffed against the cold and out of place, pecking at seeds amidst the tidy little juncos after the snowstorms!

[kaycountrygal]

Some of my daffodils started blooming 2 wks ago. Others havent bloomed yet.... Little crocuses bloomed several weeks ago and are long gone..... A month ago during a warm spell I saw a bluebird perched on a bluebird box in the yard, I think I'll see more bluebirds soon.... Robins are here... Geese are always flying back and forth here. They stay here year round. They go to a pond nearby and then they go back to wherever and the next day day they do the same thing..... I saw two ducks in the pond perhaps looking for a nesting area.... The bees are out from their hives and have been on most days this winter unless it is very very cold.... Some trees here are budding out..... Frogs are croaking/peeping away at the pond... The yard is mostly green and I was thinking today that it won't be long before I'll be cutting the grass. It's not unusual to mow at the beginning of April. I'll be glad when SPRING really gets here:)

[Karen]

The yard is mostly green and I was thinking today that it won't be long before I'll be cutting the grass. It's not unusual to mow at the beginning of April. I'll be glad when SPRING really gets here:)

A dear friend of mine moved to the Boise Idaho area a few years ago, and having to mow the lawn in March was one thing that really freaked her out a bit! Right now the grass here is only green because it stays that color when dormant, nothing is actually growing yet!

[Freedom]

A dear friend of mine moved to the Boise Idaho area a few years ago, and having to mow the lawn in March was one thing that really freaked her out a bit! Right now the grass here is only green because it stays that color when dormant, nothing is actually growing yet!

He hee, yup mowing in March WOULD take getting used to, as a native of New England!

[Moesha]

Last year I had to have my yard mowed from February through October, although there were a few weeks in July that I didn't have to mow because the weather was over 100 degrees and the grass wasn't growing. I have my yard mowed by someone else, but if I had a mower, I probably would have mowed my yard by now. It isn't really warm enough for the grass to grow regularly, but there are areas that are rather tall.

[pomtzu]

Oops - I forgot about the insects. I've been finding lady bugs (or their evil imposters) in the house lately. I know they stay here year round, but they go "somewhere" and remain dormant when it's winter. Now they're waking up. And a few flies are back too - I see them on the back of the house in the afternoon when the sun warms the siding. Unfortunately, the stink bugs never leave ! :rolleyes:

[Bonny]

A good sign of spring the other day I checked the eagle nest up the road & they are incubating their eggs. We are now receiving more snow today but under that snow there is something waiting to come pop up out of the ground the daffodils & tulips. :cool:

[chocolatepuppy]

The birds are singing. Tulips coming up.:)

Downfall of spring? Mud. :(

[smokey the elder]

I have crocuses coming up by the house, but we're going to get some more snow!

[Alysser]

It may sound weird, but for me it's new beginnings, which always seem to occur for me every year around this time.

I got a new job, so I guess that's a sign!

Overall, as an avid hiker, it's the time when I yurn to be outside. I love hearing the birdsong return and the places that were quiet all winter are now so seemingly full of life.

Mikey as well, gets a little skinnier. ;)

[pomtzu]

Birds, birds, and more birds..........

I was watching about a dozen robins and probably about 100 pesty blackbirds :( from my kitchen window this morning. These are the first robins I've noticed this season. They're probably finding lots to eat - no snow here yesterday (not so much as one snowflake!), and the ground isn't frozen either. Temps are headed for the upper 50's and even 60's starting Saturday. :D

[Steve Arnold]

Here the first sign of spring is when my neighbor starts wearing shorts again, whether it's warm enough for it or not. Last night, even though the snow pile in his yard is higher than his mailbox, he was outside in shorts, because it's March.

[pomtzu]

Here the first sign of spring is when my neighbor starts wearing shorts again, whether it's warm enough for it or not. Last night, even though the snow pile in his yard is higher than his mailbox, he was outside in shorts, because it's March.

Sounds like my son!!! And if we have a warm snap in the middle of winter - he's in shorts then too!

My next door neighbors wear shorts around their house year round. I'll see them taking the dog outside when it's colder than a well-diggers a$$ in China - and they will have shorts on! :eek:

[Bonny]

LOL! I have one a little bit better.

When I was growing up in the Minnesota the neighbor kids some tough German/Polish crosses wore their shorts outside barefoot running around on the sidewalk when there was snow on the ground. In the summer they didn't wear shoes & went barefoot so their feet must of still been protected by the calluses. I just think about it & it makes me shiver all over. :eek:

[pomtzu]

When I was younger, I used to go barefoot whenever possible - and weather permitting of course. But in the winter and with snow on the ground????? - that's a bit much for even me! :p

I don't do the barefoot routine outside anymore. Stepped on too many stinging insects over the years, and that cured me for good.

[Karen]

I think today the back yard may end up more grass showing than snow! It's movement in the direction of spring, at least!

[ramanth]

Consistent warm weather. LOL!

Still have snow on the ground and what little is peeking out is brown, whether it be grass or mud. :p

[lizbud]

I have crocuses sprinkled throughout the front lawn. Been blooming for the last two weeks. They look so pretty.:)
Another sign of Spring is all of the grass divots that cling to the dogs paws & are dragged through the house. I find
them everywhere. This Spring certainly is a wet one.;)