Spring? You’ve got to be kidding!

Snow chairs

What is all this nonesense about spring? I spend a few minutes looking around at other blogs, and I’m about ready to sell my house (as if anyone could do that these days!) and move south.

Mr. McGregor’s Daughter has a post titled “It Really Is Spring;” Always Growing has one called “Happy for Warm Days;” Benjamin of The Deep Middle announces that the "Sandhill Cranes Are Here," The Giraffe Head Tree has a "New Look for Spring." and the Heirloom Gardener is blithely (rashly, if she could see my scowl) writing about "The First Tree to Flower in the Garden," the witchhazel. Even though Gotta Garden has a post titled "Snow Flowers," the snow gets short shrift and the flowers are many and lovely.

Now if you visit my garden, I'd be happy to offer you a seat, but I don't know if you'd want to accept the offer, and there sure wouldn't be any flowers to admire, as the photograph above demonstrates.

The irony here is that I started this post about the lovely snow. I went about the garden yesterday morning taking photographs of the sculpure in the patio circle,

Snow circle sculpture

the row of plant hangers on the south wall of the house,

Snow plant hangers

the netting that peas will climb, come May.

Snow pea fence 

In other words, I was perfectly happy about all the white stuff until I started making the rounds of others' gardens, and saw all those snowdrops, crocuses, and daffodils. The more I saw, the grumpier I got, and the more misanthropic.

My pea plans, for instance, depend on my having better luck than Susan Tomlinson of The Bicycle Garden, whose transplanted snap peas died off in droves, leading to the wonderful title "File Under: Um, that didn't work…" Now, I like Susan, a lot, and I love her blog, and I'm sorry that her peas died and all, but the main problem she's facing is this: it may be too late in the season, down there in Texas, to re-plant directly.

Too late in the season? Not in Bozeman, Montana. The traditional planting date here is Memorial Day, around May 20. Peas can be put in earlier, but only by a few weeks. Of course, the last couple of springs have come a month early, but still, we've got a three to four month growing season here.

At the moment, the only person I like is the author of "Propitiating the Snow Demons," on Leave Me Alone, I'm Digging, who was wishing for snow and got it. Though come to think of it, he's way too cheerful about his snowfall. Cross off another one.

Excuse me while I go sulk.

19 Responses to Spring? You’ve got to be kidding!

  1. ON the flip side, won’t you be in full bloom while the rest of us are wasting away to winter? We’re forecast to get rain and possible snow this weekend. Evin MN.

  2. Did I mention I was outside yesterday in a tee? It was 76 and sunny with no breeze. A record high. The last two mornings all I can hear are happy little song birds come sunrise. Just lovely to wake up to after a month of the new house being built next door.
    My wife and I got home yesterday afternoon and were BAKING. The house was 73, so we threw open the window, turned on the fans, and drank some fruity beverages as geese flew overhead.

  3. I’m glad you stopped at my place so I could track you back here.
    I feel the same way about spring, blooms and outbursts of happiness. It’s too early in the year to think ‘garden’. All those happy spring posts are driving me south literally. I plan on putting at least 400 miles on the odometer this Sunday.

  4. I really don’t see what you have to complain about Kate. You live in zone 3, or maybe 4, but the point is you brought your misery on yourself by living in such a cold climate. Now me I have something to complain about. I live in zone 6 and got a blizzard on Monday. My last post was about skiing. I’m SUPPOSED to be planting peas on Saint Patties Day. It is not going to happen.

  5. we have been close to 90 degrees for two weeks now here in Texas. But we are not normal here in Texas… seriously.

  6. You people are mean.
    Melanthia, if our growing season here were shorter than yours only at one end, then there would be some justice in the world. But there isn’t, so it’s not.
    Benjamin, if a strange woman you’ve never seen before starts hurling water balloons at you whenever you leave your house, think of me.
    wiseacre–Can I come too?
    Daphne, I see your point, but I refuse to concede. (You don’t expect me to admit you’re right just because you ARE right, do you? You know me better than that.) But I hope you had fun skiing.
    Maybe I’ll include you in the water-balloon treatment, James. Ninety degrees? Sheesh.
    I shall now return to my sulk. Beside the fire, as it is currently ten degrees out, and may dip below freezing tonight.
    –Kate

  7. Over here in Hollang still no spring either.
    The winter keeps on going, or winter?
    At the moment it looks more like autumn, everything is late, although the first Hellebores, Crocus and Snowdrops finally starting to bloom.

  8. I bet you are tired of all of us down south. My heart feels for you. It is a lovely snowfall though. I didn’t realize you live in a cabin. I do too. We’ll have to compare notes sometime.~~Dee

  9. Kate, Kate, Kate … we’re not BRAGGING about our high temperatures down here in Texas, we’re lamenting them! If it’s 90 degrees in early March, that does not bode well for the months to come. Especially when there’s been no measurable rain for months, at least not here on my corner of Katy. All that beautiful snow of yours will melt into the soil and your gardens will be lovelier for it. Although it’s perfect gardening weather here (a balmy 73 and sunny), we garden knowing that all our efforts could dry up and blow away when real summer weather gets here. Until it does, I’ll be outside!
    Hey, what’s that in your hand? Aw, c’mon, Kate … put down the water balloon!

  10. You will get your revenge when we are baking down South, and you still have pleasant weather. Remember, we can be envious of the plants you can grow because you are in a colder environment. Be patient, spring will come for you.
    Jan
    Always Growing

  11. Wow girl ! .. even though that white stuff is snow (moan groan) that is a really pretty picture !!
    We are very fortunate to get some rain finally to start washing the snow away .. we are on a bit of a tight schedule with trying to get the outside renos done before I get to play in the garden.
    Hang in there girl .. it has to get better SOON !!

  12. Welcome, Jalos. Hellebores, crocus, and snowdrops sounds like spring to me, but my standards are low.
    Dee— Very much so a cabin. More photos in the very first post. Where should I look on your blog for pictures of your cabin?
    Sounds bad, Cindy, especially the part about no rain. And I don’t actually envy you your 90 degree weather. But I have my pride; I have a position, however untenable, to uphold. So you won’t find me admitting any of that publically. As for putting down the water balloons–not happening.
    Jan–Now here is someone who speaks my language: revenge. But while I actually love Montana weather most of the time, I’ve never heard of anyone’s envying what we can grow here. It’s a struggle to get tomatoes and squash to ripen before the first frost.
    Joy— Thank you. I thought those chairs had never looked better. Good luck with the inside renos, and I hope you get more rain.
    –Kate

  13. It’s not always that I chuckle while reading comments. I do here (excuse me). Lively and funny chats(excuse me again) that I have to join in. Oh come on, I happen to like snow (’cause I never have snow in Malaysia). Can you send all those snow here? I’ll take them all …

  14. Welcome, Blossom! I’m thrilled to hear from someone in Malaysia. No, I don’t suppose you get too much snow there, but I’m not sure how to send you mine. Maybe on the back of a snow goose it wouldn’t melt. I’ll be working on it. Glad you enjoyed the chat as well as the post. I’ll visit your blog tomorrow, and be sure to stop by again. The door’s always open.
    –Kate

  15. If it’s any consolation, we too are farrrrrrrr from spring. Since you wrote this post a couple of days ago, we had more snow, then rain, then more snow, then more rain…and more snow is expected. I think eventually spring will come to your garden AND mine, and we’ll enjoy it while some of our friends are dealing with drought and too much heat and other too-hot issues. But we won’t gloat. No, we won’t.
    Much. :-)

  16. Yes, Jodi, it is a comfort to know that I’m not alone. Misery loves company.
    –Kate

  17. Hi Kate, I’d love to have all that snow! Well, maybe not now, as it is getting on to March. Thanks for visiting my blog. I’m adding you to my links!

  18. Thanks for the shout out. It all depends on how you define “spring.” To me, spring includes snow & bitter temperatures as well as sunny days in the upper 70s & low 80s, often following each other in close succession. Last year we had the heaviest snow of the year on Good Friday. It’s hard to believe, but in a couple of months, we’ll be complaining about the heat.

  19. Thanks, David; I’ve added you too, as you can see. You may not have snow, but think of all those flamingos?
    MMcD–You’re right about definitions of spring, and we get spring snows as well. But believe me, this is still winter here, not spring. Highs are supposed to be above freezing this week, but it’s currently !8 degrees F. (-7 C.) and the ground is still covered with last week’s snow.
    Depends on your definition of shout out, too, as you were first on my list of people to scowl at! Glad you appreciate it.
    Kate

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