Monday, 18 February 2013
Spring? In February?
Don't tell the grandkids but when I was little, instead of President's Day, we had Abraham Lincoln's birthday AND George Washington's birthday – both of them holidays. Now school children get just one day off in February.
Most of “official” U.S. shuts down today – if you count all local, state and federal government offices, banks, the Postal Service and schools. So I'm taking off today too or, at least, writing something that takes zero intellectual effort.
Just this one note: it surprises me but spring is making itself known already. Green shoots are in evidence around my place and last week, pink blossoms started popping out on this bush:
Then, after weeks and weeks and weeks of chilly, gray overcast, with and without rain, this is what it looked like chez Bennett last Friday – bright, early morning sun foretelling of more to come.
At The Elder Storytelling Place today, Ellen Younkins: Cabin Fever
Posted by Ronni Bennett at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Email this post
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Enjoy your day, Ronni. What a lovely view from your window, very pleasing to the eye, not to mention comfy and restful.
Posted by: Marge | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 11:43 AM
Since my birthday is Feb. 12, Lincoln's B'day, I used to always have a holiday from school. And, my parents' anniversary was Feb. 22, so they got a holiday for celebration as well. President's Day ruined all that.
Posted by: Tarzana | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 11:58 AM
The scenery from your window
is beautiful.
Looks like a painting :)
Enjoy....
Posted by: ernestine lawson | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 12:36 PM
Your Daphne is looking good and should smell good too.
Posted by: Pilgrm | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 01:19 PM
Ronni--I scratched my head, this morning, trying to recall if you had given us a fore-warning of your impending absence. That you decided to take a holiday off is a relief.
Pilgrm--Thanks for the identification.
Posted by: Cop Car | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 01:29 PM
Spring in February, who'd have expected it? Not me. I expect the middle of summer and searing heat (which is what I'm getting).
Posted by: Peter Tibbles | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 02:02 PM
Pilgrim and Cop Car...
Not daphne. I know daphne. This is not daphne. But I don't know what it is.
Cop Car...
Re absence. I set blog stories to publish automatically at 5:30AM Pacific time and went on with my life today assuming that had taken place as usual.
Until a reader emailed to ask why her daily dose of TGB was missing.
Ahem - somehow, I set the story to post at 5:30AM on 18 February but with the year 2015.
I've no idea how that happened.
Posted by: Ronni Bennett | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 02:11 PM
That looks like a variegated dogwood to me. We used to have them in our backyard, but I think the winter was too harsh and the deer too hungry. You can check and compare here http://www.aboutdogwood.com/dogwood_bush.shtml
We are still long from spring. I am quite envious of the green and flowering.
Posted by: chlost | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 03:50 PM
A little better site on dogwoods for indentifying: http://www.naturehills.com/bushes-and-shrubs/dogwood-shrubs
Posted by: chlost | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 03:54 PM
The snowdrops began flowering about two weeks ago here in central Jersey. The daffodil leaves are about two-to-three inches out of the ground...maybe we will have flowers for the Welsh celebration of St. David's Day on March 1st.
[I was also looking for this morning's post...thought maybe you took President's Day off.]
Posted by: Susan G. | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 04:02 PM
Pretty sure it is Daphne odora ‘Aureo-marginata’ check this pict at 7 Dees http://www.dennis7dees.com/garden-centers/plants-products/plants-for-winter-interest/daphne-odora-aureo-marginata-4-x-4-part-shade-april-march-bloom-a/.
Posted by: Celia | Monday, 18 February 2013 at 07:44 PM
Ronni, your flower has us intrigued. I assumed they were daphne bushes when we visited and thought how wonderful the perfume would be. So I'm sorry they're not. But we'll need another photo in full flower!
Posted by: Norma, the A.M. | Tuesday, 19 February 2013 at 03:47 AM
What a lovely early morning sun shot!! Look forward to that happening HERE one fine day!
Posted by: Nikki | Tuesday, 19 February 2013 at 08:05 AM
Certainly not doubting your botany, Ronni, just curious. As for bushfires, I'm a devout coward, so if they get close, I'm outta there!
Posted by: Norma, the A.M. | Tuesday, 19 February 2013 at 02:06 PM
Beautiful photos!
Posted by: Renee Watkins | Tuesday, 19 February 2013 at 02:59 PM
I'm with Celia...I'm almost positive that it is Daphne Odora! I have some in my front yard, and it looks identical! It is one of my favorite plants because of the wonderfully fragrant flowers. There are other daphnes, and what you knew as 'daphne' may, indeed, have been one of the others. If the odor is heavenly, once the flowers open, it is Daphne Odora! :-)
Posted by: Alice | Saturday, 23 February 2013 at 08:39 PM
As I stated above, these blossoms have no fragrance.
Posted by: Ronni Bennett | Sunday, 24 February 2013 at 04:33 AM