The way things will be until tomorrow. It’s unbelievably cold out there with high winds. The wind chill is down in the twenties. In May. Tonight there is a freeze warning, though I don’t know why there wasn’t one last night, as our temp went down to at least 32, more likely 31. The water in the bird bath is frozen. The only thing this day has got going for it at the moment is that it’s quite sunny out there. That helps a bit. Who knows what will happen tonight? We brought everything in and then I covered a few potted plants, like the geraniums in the barrels and the hollyhock in the zinc barrel right outside the kitchen door.
First I tried covering the geraniums with a sheet but it got so wet in the rain that I worried it would freeze and impact the plants. So I ran out there and covered the plants with two of the gardening totes that I use around here. I covered the hollyhock with a metal planter. I’m not even sure if I should take them off during the day because it’s so windy. I’ll wait and see.
Even the doves came inside!
One thing: there was no snow on the ground when I woke up at 6. That’s good news. But I’ve seen photos from friends north of me and there was definitely snow on their plants.
The worst of it will be today and tonight, but nighttime temps are going down to the mid to low thirties every night until Thursday. Insane.
I’m already a week behind sowing seeds and I sure won’t be able to sow anything until the ground warms up a bit. The catalpa shows no sign of leaves yet. It’s always the last tree to leaf out. I checked out our catalpas up in the woods, as well as our neighbor’s catalpa and they’re all behind. Will the peonies bloom late for the first time since we moved here 15 years ago? The lilacs are late, too. Let me remind you that a week ago, it reached 80 degrees.
I’ve never seen a spring like this one.
Ah well, enough of that for now. We’ve done all we can do. I feel the most for those who have already planted vegetables and truly have tender plants in the ground that are in danger. No one wants to lose seedlings. And farmers can’t afford to lose a crop. It’s much more dire for them, so I’m praying there is no damage and that steps can be taken to cover the plants.
All in all, a continuation of what has been a surreal year.
Gosh, what else? Not much, as this has been consuming us for the past 24 hours. I’m still reading Love in a Cold Climate and I’m starting in on the letters of the Mitford sisters. After that, I might reread some Robertson Davies, one of my favorite writers ever. He was a Canadian writer and I got hooked on his writing in the late seventies. I can’t remember how I discovered him, but I read everything he wrote as well as two new novels that were published during that time. I long ago lost track of my copies, darn it, but I did buy a used copy of The Cornish Trilogy and The Lyre of Orpheus a few years ago when I realized I missed his presence on my shelves. I think I found them at The Strand in NYC. I’m going to replenish my Robertson Davies library. If you are not familiar with him, you should google his name. He looks positively Dickensian and he was brilliant. It feels as if the Universe is telling me to reread him. I find I’ve been thinking a lot about him, looking over to my right at the books on the shelf, and just a week ago, I read a post from a fellow bookstagrammer about him. All signs point to Robertson Davies.
But first, the Mitfords.
I started the puzzle. It’s hard, but not nearly as hard as the one I scrapped. And it’s beautiful.
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday.
I don’t think I can leave a photo in comments, so I will tell you about our recent Robertson Davies find. We live in Saskatchewan and are going through family photos and papers to use up time during Covid. We found a letter to my husband’s grandfather from Roberson Davies! My husband’s grandfather was well know in North America for printing carnival/circus posters and Robertson Davies wrote him asking questions about carnivals so that he could get things right in his book “World of Wonders.” It is a treasure.
Oh my goodness! How wonderful! I love this. Thanks for sharing it with me, Brenda. Stay safe!
Okay that Brenda is not this Brenda…but love the post…love the pictures and the book info…Claudia, your gift is this blog-at this time-for your readers…not your only gift of course-but an important one…vitally important to be wordy as we English teachers don’t love…lol…I enjoy the blog…the words of those who respond…I am finding that you are a positive person despite this time we are going through-oh we all have those days we want it to end…I also enjoy my blogs I read of those in England and Ireland-so positive…they celebrated at a distance VE day yesterday and loved the Queen’s message…such up people who don’t seem to expect too much…take care…enjoy the day…warm weather come…not too hot of course…I am picky about weather…I know…
I loved the bunting and all the VE Day celebrations in Great Britain! So inspiring. Stay safe, Brenda!
Seeing your beautiful flowers waiting patiently and cheerfully in your house until it’s safe for them to go out again cheered me up. I’ve been so anxious and stressed out this week, but when I saw the photos I thought, the weather will calm down, spring will be here and the plants will take their normal places in the porch and yard and thrive. I don’t want to think too hard about the parallels my mind seems to be drawing between your plants and our current situation, since I suspect they are too weak to survive close examination, but thank you for the boost as always. (Meanwhile, it’s supposed to get close to 100 degrees here today in my part of Northern California, so I guess I should go do some watering)
They may be too weak to survive close examination, but I tend to agree with you. Thank you for your kind words and I’m glad those photos helped to cheer you up today. So hot out in California and so cold out here. Stay safe and stay cool, Christy.
I’m not familiar with Robertson Davies so I’ll definitely look him Tomorrow the temperature is going to drop 23 degrees to 49F.
Yesterday’s VE celebrations were moving and the Queen gave another inspiring speech. Normally in May my village hosts a WW2 weekend, the shops do special window displays and people dress in vintage costumes complete with hair and makeup. There’s vintage cars and lots of folk in uniform, we even have some G.I.s! Plus music from Glenn Miller & Andrews Sisters tribute acts. The village has a preservation steam railway/platform so it really adds to the feeling of stepping back in time. It’s often used for TV and the odd film.
Obviously this couldn’t go ahead this year.
Happy Saturday
I loved seeing pictures on Instagram of house wrapped in bunting and little neighborhood (social distancing, of course) celebrations. I’m sorry your village celebration can’t go on this year. Hopefully, we will be back to normal next year at this time. Stay safe, Dee Dee!
Hi Claudia
I was going to write you a message but when I saw you are a Robertson Davies fan, I just had to reply. First, my heart goes out to you and your husband when you lose all income. And for you both it will be quite a while before theatre will be back to normal. And Robertson Davies –The Deptford trilogy is my favourite!!! I read Fifth Business in high school and read the other two on my own. I can’t say I have read all of his books. You have inspired me to look into that! Hope you have a great day even though it is windy and cold!!
I love The Deptford Trilogy, too! I think Fifth Business is one of the finest books ever. The rest of his trilogies are also captivating.
I went through most of Robertson Davies’s books, and found a copy of The Cunning Man when I was visiting Canada. There was a scene involving abuse of a prostitute in it that I found so disturbing that I stopped reading and got rid of the book.
Claudia, I loved Love in a Cold Climate, and The Pursuit of Love. Lucky you to be reading them for the first time!
I think The Deptford Trilogy is the best as well. I have to get another copy of it. I think I read The Cunning Man, or tried to, but don’t remember finishing it, Cara. Maybe that scene you describe is why. But I’m so glad to hear from fellow Davies lovers! I’m so enjoying the Mitfords. I have Don’t Tell Alfred, as well. Stay safe!
I love the Deptford Trilogy, Marian. I think it’s my favorite and it’s the one I read first. That makes more than a few of us here who are Davies fans! That makes me happy. Stay safe – the wind chill here is in the 20s.
Well…the flowers do look lovely in your cottage. Although, walking may be an issue…teehee.
We spent a good 1 1/2 hrs last evening covering up the hostas. Funny…but I didn’t think I had that many hostas til I had to cover them all up. I always save old sheets, towels, quilts…and everyone got used last night. It was supposed to be down to 27…but here in the marsh it’s always colder. I wasn’t taking any chances, since I have quite the collection of hostas. Early estimate…they all look like they survived! My yard looked like a patchwork quilt last night…kind of pretty. This is the weirdest spring I can remember, eh?
I’m glad to hear you are making progress on your new puzzle. That other one looked really difficult…but it was pretty.
I started reading the Kincaid/James mysteries from Deborah Crombie from the beginning….I found the first three hiding in a closet. (Guess they were just waiting for me to discover them.). I’m still not able to read for any length of time, but it’s a nice diversion from 24 hrs of Covid. And it gives me something to look forward to, as I sit on the deck enjoying the warmer weather that I hope will come.
Stay safe…and enjoy your day! ;)
Walking IS an issue! I thought about covering my hostas but it’s very windy here. I’ve looked at several weather forecasts – one says it’s going down to 31, but the rest say 33 or 34. So I’m crossing my fingers and hoping against hope all will be well. So glad that yours survived, Donna. I read that they will survive a spring frost, but there might be leaf damage. Fingers crossed that yours are intact.
This puzzle is very difficult as well, but I’m making headway, It will take much longer than any of the Nancy Drews did. But that’s okay. I’ll grab a half hour here and there and keep plugging away. I love the Crombies – all of them – and they just might be the perfect read if you’re having trouble staying with something. Stay safe.
Hi Claudia,
Your containers look wonderful, I’m glad you got them all in. I left two out and am not happy about that! They are ones that I started from seed and had such high hopes for. I have more seed so might just start some more.
This is day 5 of the woodstove and it looks like maybe a few more.
I think we’re in for it on some level through Wednesday night. Stay safe, Kelly, and enjoy the woodstove.
My phone shows that it got down to 26* here overnight. And freeze warnings again for tonight. It is a pretty and sunny day today, but it is only 52* right now. Tomorrow we have a high of 46* with snow and rain. We really do need rain, but in my opinion, we never ever need snow.
Glad you are enjoying this new puzzle. And reading…. well, there is always that!! Once I can get into a book, I am ok. It is the starting a new book that I now find so hard to do because of a true lack of concentration. I find if I read a paragraph or two aloud, I can focus much better and then move on. It now takes me many pages to get into the storyline of a new read.
Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe ~~ as well as trying to stay either cool or warm depending on where you live.
Simply insane weather, Chris! No one needs snow, especially in May. We’ve had high winds all day long and I’m ready for them to end now, please. I think a lot of people are having trouble concentrating, Chris. Especially long time readers. It’s seems to go with this surreal time we’re living in. Stay safe!
Gosh it must be crowded around the cottage but at least you’ve saved it all. When I opened the blinds after getting out of bed yesterday, there were flakes flying. Fortunately none of our growing plants have grown much. We’re that much further north than you are plus we have the lake only a couple miles away so we always lag behind the western suburbs. For once I’m grateful, rather than jealous, for that. Even though it’s brisk, I’ve tried to stay outdoor as much as possible so far today since tomorrow will be rainy, snowy ickiness.
I read an article about how people are doing a lot of re-reading of old favorites since they’re finding it hard to concentrate on new plots right now. I fall into that category too. Since I prefer non-fic, right now I’m re-reading Fred Astaire’s autobiography “Steps in Time.” I love, love his movies, especially the ones with Ginger. And I love to hear his stories about Broadway in the 1920’s. A good escape right now.
Take care.
Kay
It’s incredibly crowded!
I have always been a huge Astaire fan. When I was a young teenager I read everything I could about him, including Steps in Time and lots of other books. I was known for my knowledge of Astaire trivia and movies. When I went away to college, I took my huge poster of Fred and Ginger dancing Cheek to Cheek! (I wish I still had that!) Still a huge fan. There was no one like him and there never will be. I loved the Fred and Ginger movies the most. xo Stay safe.
Oh, my goodness Claudia. I’ve also been a huge fan since I was a teenager. My kids gave me the boxed set of Fred and Ginger movies one year for my birthday and I’m right now going through them yet again as I read his book. I also have an 11 x 14 publicity photo of him in white tie and tails framed and hanging in my craft room. I told my husband from time I met him I will never, ever part with it.
Sorry, but I get so excited when I find a kindred spirit ;-)
I have one of those photos somewhere, Kay! We are kindred spirits, indeed. Today is his birthday!
hope the sunshine gets you through until (and after) warmer weather arrives and that you can soon take those pretty plants outside once and for all. well, until winter anyway.
glad you’re enjoying the van gogh puzzle and some books.
i am home after getting groceries for three households this morning. meant going to four stores … three for necessities and the fourth one because i was determined to get something my father wanted (and i did get it … his favorite ice cream, something i’d not found for over a month). glad and grateful to be able to do that for them. now i am showered and bundled up because it’s chilly here, too. still working on my files and trying to read, but not right now … i want to paint (watercolors)!
hope everyone is safe, well and has what you need … including something fun to do.
kathy in iowa
Kathy, you are a hero!
to shanna …
thanks for saying that. i would do anything for my family … they are my heroes!
hope you and your family are safe and well.
kathy in iowa
Go and paint! You deserve it after doing all of that. I bet your father is going to enjoy that ice cream! Sending love your way, Kathy. Stay safe!
hej, claudia.
thank you and same back to you.
time in a crowded store was worth it after my father called and told me that he enjoyed some of that ice cream last night. :)
hope you and don will have a nice day today.
kathy in iowa
xo
This is a weird spring. I never would have imagined that on a day in May when the sun was out I would be inside working on my book (the one I’m writing, not the one I’m reading) and doing that for eight hours, hardly moving. Productive I think, but not how I planned to spend any pretty (but super cold) May day!
Enjoy the Mitfords. I don’t think I’ve read any Robertson Davies. I must check him out!
Thank you, Jeanie. Stay safe!
Hope your flowers survive. I have some seeds that need planting. Hopefully this week. The grass needs mowing,too.
Marilyn
We mowed just before this so we’re okay for now, but yes! Those seeds need to be planted! Stay safe, Marilyn.
Gracious, what an ordeal; SO much going on with your weather; I find it completely unreal as I sit here in sunny/warm days and, yes, 80s temps in SoCalif today! The extremes are remarkable. My husband WAS recalling a weird Mother’s Day when he (with his folks and siblings) happened to be on the road, driving in snow in the Midwest, late 1960s (to where his dad had to temporarily [I didn’t catch for how many hours] pull off [‘way off] to beyond the shoulder/edge of the pavement and just ‘punt’, as it was too snowy to drive to their holiday destination that Sunday [to be with other family/grandparents {you know, back in the days when families could actually GATHER!}]; just couldn’t see the highway; it’s actually a big memory for my then-teenage husband; they were scared and didn’t want to freeze to death in a parked-off-to-the-side vehicle getting buried in snow [I said, “Did you have weather reports/advisories back then ..?.. did anybody pay them any heed?” He didn’t have a good answer!]) so I guess it CAN happen that there’s a late/freak Spring snow (I know nothing about snow) but I hope it’s over for you soon. I also hope you don’t lose power in all that hellacious wind. (Ugh, wind; I do KNOW how the wind can cause a person to feel a lot of unease; we of course get the darn Santa Anas here [associated now, most all the time, with wildfire], and they can be violent and loud/howlers; also dirty-dry-gritty and more hot/low humidity than a cold and wet wind.) All I can say again is that I am grateful you and Don aren’t having to be out in this type of miserable weather, like if you (in a former life!) were having to commute back & forth to the City for work obligations; that sort of thing. Stay home; stay safe; stay warm. Then it’ll be gone. But, wow, has gotta play havoc with your ‘system’ (body) with one day hot, then one day cold, like 50-degree drops in temps! All in all, Claudia, with EVERYthing going on, I think your 2020 Spring will be one for the record books in your personal history!
Well, indeed your life is a lot more exciting than mine. Today for us? MAJOR ant hunt to get to their trails. They went crazy in the heat of our last days here…is it because they look for water?…and we’re invaded in our tiny-little home office which is part of the garage. It’s where I sit at the computer and I had the ants crawling on me (creeped out with it!!); my husband had them on him. (Watch how fast I flew into the shower!! So gross.) We turned everything upside down in the room, then vacuumed the whole house, put out the remaining ant traps we have on hand; I HATE ANTS in the house. Then, later this evening, switch gears: I have to do something about my waning fresh produce in the frig which is now limp, so I guess I’ll make soup again. And then it’s on to frozen veggies for awhile. And canned (no salt variety!).
Back to vacuuming, can I just say how much the vacuum cleaner freaks out my poor dog? She just shakes like a leaf, all fifty pounds of her; tries to hide in corners. She’s always been like this! We’ve had her since she was 9 weeks old (was a stray; got dumped) and she’s never had any kind of trauma in her life with us, so we have no idea why she gets like this, but we had a vet tell us once that sometimes certain breeds of shepherds are just wired tight. And she’s a mix of genes/breeds, not a purebred, so who knows; but poor baby! It exhausts her. Just wait til next month with people starting to set off illegal fireworks out of boredom, well before the Fourth of July; it’ll be like five weeks of hell for her. Bad economy or not, there’ll always be violators around here buying firecrackers as we approach the time of year (they’ve canceled our annual LEGAL fireworks show for the city, of course; and FINALLY canceled our county fair).
It is truly crazy here. Today? Sunny and a high of 61. Still ten degrees lower than average, but much better than yesterday. We still have a few iffy nights ahead of us, but then we should be back to normal. My sinuses are complaining, that’s for sure. Stay safe.