Our warmer weather took a windy and cold turn yesterday. Oh, March, you are one tough month to get through. You are not quite winter, not quite spring. You just are.
I put on my winter jacket and went outside in search of signs of spring. There aren’t many. Granted, I haven’t yet cleaned up the garden and there are leaves covering everything. But my trusty Sedum, always the first to push out of the ground, is on schedule. I do believe this emergence happened earlier last year, but then again, we had a strangely mild winter last year.
This little plant, whose name I can’t remember, was here when we moved in. It comes up very early in the spring and has tiny little white flowers.
That’s it. No sign of the hyacinth or the daffodils. I’m sure there are more subtle signs here and there but it was darned cold out there. Oh, I forgot. I did see buds on the Lilac bush.
I find March, quite frankly, to be a pain in the tush. I want to shout “Get on with it, already! We’re all waiting for spring; why do you have to tease us so?” Because March is a tease. If not for the fact that I have several dear friends with birthdays in March, I would find no redeeming qualities in it whatsoever.
It’s the ides of March today. Et tu, Brute? Or better yet, Et tu, March?
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Keep your eye on the Etsy shop over the weekend as I will be adding new Springtime Crochet Flower Garlands. Aha! There’s a touch of green for you, fickle March!
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Blogkeeping: Have you heard? Google is discontinuing Google Reader, effective July 1, 2013. Yep. You can read about it here. Or here. Or here. Some of these links suggest alternatives and you can transfer your data through something called Google Takeout. I’m not sure why they would discontinue something that is apparently wildly popular, but then again, they did it with Picnik and might eventually do the same with Feedburner – both of which Google acquired and then let languish. Go figure.
Just wanted to give you a heads up if you use Google Reader’s service to keep up with your favorite websites and blogs.
And the winner of a copy of Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright is Trudy Mintun! Congratulations, Trudy. I’m sending you an email right now.
Happy Friday.
Oh some green is teasing you. Spring is coming.
I can only hope, Elaine!
Your leaves and tiny sight of green look exactly like what I saw the other day in my yard..I think it was a beginning daffodil…not sure but it was a welcome sight I know that : )
It is indeed a welcome sight, Debra!
Well, they’ve done it again, huh, my friend! I’ve been trying to “transfer over” or “takeout” but nothing works so far. I wonder if it’s just a Mac thing that WE can’t transfer over. When I do it, all I get is gibberish. Asked my granddaughter who is the Senior Program Manager for Office Suite at Microsoft if she can help, but she said it comes up gibberish for her also. HUH?!?! Anyway, it is what it is…or WILL BE. I’m so disgusted but I don’t want to transfer over. Trying out some of the new “readers” but they’ve got me stymied a bit. I may just have to put my favorites in a thing on my blog sidebar and add as I see more I want to keep in there. Sheeeesh!!! Why can’t they leave well enough alone?
Anyway, spring-like here in the desert today with 66° for us!
xoxo,
Connie
Oh no. I haven’t tried it yet, but what you’re saying about it doesn’t bode well, does it?
I used Google Takeout with no problems. It saves your data as a zip file (which I haven’t bothered to open, so maybe I should go try that….
Yup, opened fine. The data is saved in JSON form which is like a markup language so it can sensibly be imported into something else — but shows up as a ton of curly brackets and stuff if you open the file directly.
I ended up at Feedly which I played a bit with last night and am using today. Things are in different places (like marking “read all” on my local paper’s feed after I’ve read the ones I’m interested in), but it’s pretty. I also blogged about my first five minutes of use if you wanna pop over and check it out.
Drop me an email if’n you need more help. I’ll see what I can figure out.
Does your little white flower look like this one above? Star of Bethlehem…
I got my garland today…YAY!!! Colours are perfect for my hutch in the sunroom – just need to get my Miss Mustardseed Milk paint and I’ll be in business. J
The link didn’t work, Julie, so I deleted it – but I googled it and yes! That’s the one! Thanks so much for the name – because it went completely out of my head, as most things do lately! So glad you got your garland – get going with that Milk Paint and have fun!
It’s upsetting when they drop a favorite thing…there is a lot of sighing over at Google Reader. I’ve switched over to Bloglovin, and am now following my blogs through that.
But…I can’t access my data through Takeout either. So each blog has to be transferred individually.
Jen
What a pain! I’ve tried Bloglovin and am even signed up for it, but I’m not crazy about it. I’ll figure out something.
I still find it amazing how quickly Spring arrives on the Isle of Man…our Daffs and Hyacinths are definitely out and lots of greenery can be found peeping from the soil in the garden. I hope you can say the same soon enough :)
I do, too, Tanya. I’ve always wanted to visit the Isle of Man – I bet it’s beautiful there.
Hi Claudia, My theory is that Reader is being discontinued because Google can’t put its ads and other links on a post that is read on Reader. I personally don’t care because I very much prefer to visit a site and see the headers and side links and all the artistry that is part of a blog. And I know March is a hard month up here–you caught it perfectly with the title of your post–but I’m trying to enjoy it for what is has–little hints of warmth, beautiful silhouettes on the landscape, and freshening winds. I am longing for Spring, so please, no more snow, but I will enjoy the transition! Hope all is well with Scout. Linda
Have you seen a robin yet, Linda? I haven’t – that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there, I just haven’t seen one.
Like you, I much prefer visiting a site – because the whole picture is important to me and I find what I see in readers lifeless.
My theory is like yours with the addition that Google wants to steer everyone toward Google+, which isn’t as popular as they had hoped. I sure have stayed away from it.
Oh yes–I saw an entire flock of robins–around 12– in my backyard just before that snowstorm last week! I have been wondering where they spent the stormy night and day. They may have gone south again because they aren’t here today and my rhododendron leaves are pointing straight to the ground, which means it’s quite cold outside. I agree about Google+. I don’t like the way it functions or the way it looks, and now they have changed the layout of Picasa too. I am thinking of changing to WordPress as I don’t like the control Google tries to assert. Linda
I feel the same way about Google – they are a bit too ever-present. That’s a part of the reason I moved to WP – and I found Blogger’s support to be very lacking.
I would love to know what the plant is as we have them everywhere this time of year and yes they will have beautiful white flowers. They’re all in gravel paths here and I’m constantly nagging everyone not to step on them. I even tell Brown Eyes our big Lab/Pyrenees mix but he pays me no mind.
I have managed to collect a few early daffodils every few days for a jug but the big ones haven’t bloomed yet.
Julie (a reader) left a link and I think its called Star of Bethehem, Dewena. Isn’t that a lovely name?
I did notice tiny buds on my lilac the other day. It is cold and windy the last few days with rain and possibly wet snow on thew weekend early next week, ugh. You are so right about March, I have four friends with birthdays, and I enjoy St. Paddy’s Day, but it is way too early for Easter. xo
Oh, I know! Way too early for Easter – in fact, I was shocked when I realized it was this month!
I’m missing most of the signs of spring at home! Here in Texas they aren’t as special…not as much of a surprise! Oh well, I’ll be home for Easter and the full blooms that come in April!! I’m mad at google. I always go to the blog but enjoy the reader to tell me when a new post is up. I’ll just find another way.
hugs, Linda
Google always seems to make us unhappy!
I’m not a fan of March, either. The weather is warm then cold and I don’t know what to wear when I go out. I am very ready for April. I am having a giveaway form Shabby Apple if you want to come over.
Hugs,
Laura
I am very, very ready for April, Laura!
Let me just say, I am happy for you, but, OH SO JEALOUS!! It’s still white here…not a bud insight! March is just March..no teases here. i’m looking forward to April! We were so spoiled from last year. Then it’s supposed to warm up to the 40’s! Enjoy your weekend! ;)
We are supposed to get rain and snow showers on Tuesday, Donna – but I don’t think there will be any accumulation. At least, I hope so!
Right now, just a touch of green satisfies me! We are getting some green grass and green sprouts popping up everywhere. I’m so glad. At least, we know another few weeks and all will be right with the world.
Have a great day!!
Judy
Yes indeed, my friend!
I just saw a robin a few minutes ago, so I am hopeful. And, of course we are experiencing signs earlier here. Before we know it we will be covered in pollen.
You’re right, Beverly. But pollen means blooms! (And allergy problems, of course!)
Claudia, I feel like I won the lottery! I never win anything, ever. Thank you so much.
In Minnesota we say if you don’t like the weather …wait 5 minutes. This isn’t more true than in March. Also said about March is this…In like a lion, out like a lamb.
It came in roaring so I truly hope it goes out with a Bah.
So glad you won, Trudy! Now you can no longer say you never win anything!
First of all, congratulations to trudy! I’ll have to go to the library and track down that book. It does sound so interesting.
March is definitely a tease. About a year ago I adopted a new attitude about March. I just consider it winter. Spring, in my mind, is now going to start on April 21 each year. We’ve still got 2′ of snow and it’s snowing even now. March is so unreliable, but I know that by April 21 things will look more like your yard. And isn’t it exciting to see the new growth! When my mom was still alive, she and I would take the tour of each other’s backyards and notice all the perennials that were coming up. It’s something I miss a lot.
Unfortunately, I leave town for Hartford before April 21st! So I’m hoping there’s a bit more green before that date! We’re supposed to get snow Monday and Tuesday – not sure how much!
You are right, March is quite a tease. However, I am like a little kid when discovering new growth emerging from the dark of winter and bursting forth through the debris of leaves. And yes, I regularly check on the progress of those precious new buds. I have forsythia blooming on my piano which I forced and a basket of twig from my weeping cherry which are sporting swollen buds now. Whatever the weather…March does a good job of new beginnings…even if I have to force a few to happen. :)
Thank you for the update about Google Reader. Believe it or not, I just started using GR. My inbox was overflowing and this way I could read in chunks and not feel so out of control….ie 10K disaster.
And Feedburner…I just saw Songbird made the change and I’m gathering it’s not an easy one to make either. Now I really wonder why a co. would make changes to things … even eliminating that which is wildly popular. Maybe they’ll eliminate g-mail, too? Oh…maybe not…too much free info there. Oh…sorrry for my snarkiness there.
Blessings!
You must have sonic ears. The past week my family has been grumbling about this very topic.
I’m tired of this capricious weather, too, Claudia, although like you I’ve had brave little spurts of green in the garden. They seem utterly undaunted by the frequent icy snowfalls we’ve had because each time the snow melts, there there are… Happy and green. *phew* My crocus are blooming… always a welcome sight. But it’s really time to stop now with the snow and icy rain. Enough!