I know we're not the only one to experience a bizarre winter this year. I saw on the news today that this winter (December, January and thus far of February) we have had 30 days over 40* F (some of those have been over 60!!). And I do believe that we have had no days below 0 F this year. How odd. Definitely NOT typical.
I wonder how this will affect the trees, shrubs and other perennials. I know I heard somewhere that there are places South of here that are worried about their fruit production because they may not have had enough chill days for the fruit buds to set. Who knows what something like that will do to food prices. I also worry about the pests that didn't get frozen over the winter and what that will mean for the garden this summer. And we've had so little rain/snow this winter that I worry about drought. So many worries...
Now more randomness... I'm feeling quite random lately.
Work today was brutal and incredibly busy. And I work on Saturday so I've still got two days to go. Then Sunday I have to work all morning at a pancake breakfast so no time off there. But, if I can get through another week I've got a 4 day weekend ahead. I just need to hold on to that. I'm feeling tired out. I know that exercising more is supposed to energize me but I'm not 'over the hump' to where it's doing that. So far, it is just wearing me out. But I'm going to keep it up. I need to for many reasons.
I do need to do something with sourdough starter soon. I found a pretzel recipe that I'm going to try. I think I may pull out the starter tonight before I go to bed and get the primary ferment going for them so I can make them tomorrow night. In addition to the primary ferment time the dough is supposed to proof for 2 hours plus shaping and baking time so I need to make sure I get started early.
I need to call Mom to see if she found the tomato seeds she was looking for. I'm contemplating ordering some new herb seeds and if she still needs her tomato seeds I may order them for her so we can save on shipping- and so I have an excuse to order something else. I know, I know- I said I was done. Of course... I can stop buying seeds any time I want... really... I'm not addicted or anything....
Well here in Calgary we have had 2 weeks of yucky but not as much as normal. The buds of some trees are already budding which is very concerning for February. Really concerning but it's a cycle and every 7 - 8 years it happens..
ReplyDeleteAs for seeds, I'm late in the game .. or more importantly just joined the game so I ordered mine today. I hope this new found urban hippy/homesteader mentality of mine will also come with a green thumb.. Well to the scale I want in this tiny garden we have..
I had to drive to one of the aunts yesterday and I could see the yellow buds of the willows as I was driving. In February! That shocked me because I've never gathered willow until the middle of March at the earliest. Strange, strange winter.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can push through a few more days and then blessed rest (or what qualifies for rest in your life). Sometimes it seems like the things you HAVE to do will never give way to the things you WANT to do.
Or and for the seed addiction...At the Amish store, Len said that he would have some in starting Monday. I actually put that day on my calendar. Monday-check out seeds. I made a date for seed shopping. lol
The trees are budding here as well. Scary.
Deleteand seed addiction... I think it's a gardener's hazard. But I did manage to go into the local garden center on Wednesday afternoon and come out empty handed. I was proud of myself!
J
After proclaiming I didn't need to order but a fill-in packet or two of seeds this year, I would be embarrassed to say how much I spent on seeds this year! From two companies. But the last arrived this week so now I have them and am so, so ready for gardening this year. Lack of moisture, bugs . . . I have the same fears for this year's garden as you. We'll all do our best no matter what.
ReplyDeleteWe're in the same boat as far as getting over that exercising hump. As soon as our bodies get into the swing, we're gonna have OODLES of energy!
We'll get over the hump for exercising. It's just keeping it going through this tough time.
DeleteI know what you mean about being so, so ready for gardening. This mild winter has made me want to get out there but I KNOW it's too early.
J
What worries me more than the high lows is the high highs. I can only thing of two or three days this season where the high for the day was below freezing. Now here we are less than two weeks from meteorological spring and a little over four weeks from the calendar one!
ReplyDeleteYou are further south than we are- we've had quite a few days when it wasn't above freezing- WAAAAAY fewer than usual but we've had some cold stretches.
DeleteJ
I expect the Squash Bugs and Squash Vine Borers to knock on the back door any minute now to announce that they need more square footage and they are evicting us to move in! I'm sure there will be some very serious consequences to our mainstream food supply the coming year.
ReplyDeleteUgh- you had to mention Squash Bugs didn't you. LOL!!
DeleteJ
Hmmm... I've been lurking here for a while and figured I'd chime in. Here in Denver we seem to be getting all of the winter that's passed everyone else by. We did have an unseasonably warm January, but other than that it's been a very cold and snowy winter... I think we're well over 4 feet of snow so far. It's been below average pretty much every day this month and snow 2-3 times each week. But it's sort of odd, because February isn't usually a snowy month for us... we usually have dry winter with big snow in the fall and spring. It's odd any way you slice it.
ReplyDeleteWelcome! Thanks for de-lurking! I've got a sister that lives in CO between Berthoud and Loveland. I've heard about the snow from her. It seems you got all our snow this year.
DeleteYup, weird year all around.
Judy
I worry about the pests too. I think it's gonna be bad. I have been in the exotic pest business since college and everytime we have had a milder winter, we see a spike in exotic pest discovery (in traps or through the public). This winter, by far, has been the most mild one I can remember since entering this area of work. A couple of years ago, we had a bit of a mild winter and Emerald Ash Borer spread from Michigan to the rest of the Midwest (and it was still colder than this year). Bark beetles are another one that causes damage and seem more prolific after a mild winter. Of course, the colder ones we had the two prior years may help too. I am keeping my fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteWe have been having the summer that wasn't in my area of NSW, Australia.I try not to worry even though our harvests are down due to the cool and wet weather this season.
ReplyDeleteI hope your spring/summer is more predictable.
tracy