birdfeeding

Today is sunny, windy, and warm. Thermometer says 75°F. Crocuses are now blooming in several shades of lavender and yellow, along with more winter aconite.

I fed the birds. I've seen a flock of sparrows.

I put out water for the birds.

I raked off the rectangular flowerbed beside the telephone pole, and started digging out grass shoots. I raked off the rectangular flowerbed beside the telephone pole, and started digging out grass shoots. Bergamot and hollyhock are starting to sprout.

EDIT 2/26/24 -- I've dug out most of the grass and weeds from the interior of the rectangular bed. I think I may use a spade to speed up the edging.

EDIT 2/26/24 -- Using a spade definitely speeds up the edge-clearing process. However, it also leaves me with bigger pieces of discard. The big hole I was planning to put them in has poppies sprouting in it. So now I need to move the poppies. There's a hole in the bucket ...

EDIT 2/26/24 -- I dug some poppy shoots out of the hole and moved them to the flowerbed.

EDIT 2/26/24 -- I did more edging with the spade.

EDIT 2/26/24 -- I did more edging with the spade.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

75 degrees in Illinois in February? 👀

And it's supposed to reach 80s tomorrow. 0_o

When I was growing up, this area was Zone 5b. It started snowing in late November or early December and we saw the ground again in March -- although some years had a January thaw that would clear patches of grass.

Then it shifted to Zone 6a some years ago. Snow in winter became sparser, but sometimes it would rain enough in summer to flood the fields and roads. Disconcerting.

Now my area is right on the border between Zone 6a and 6b. Zone 7 is burning its way up southern Illinois.

This year, it barely managed to snow in December. Realistically we've had only two substantial snowfalls enough to cover the ground, and one deep cold snap that overlapped one of the snows. I've gotten a lot more yardwork done in the off-season because we've had maybe a couple weeks of genuine winter and the rest has been the crummy days of fall and spring.

It's messing with the plants and animals. The bees are out. They're fighting over the few flowers. I've put out water and cut open an orange to help them along. Normally the bees don't come out until after the last frost. They are months early and there's just not much for them to eat. I have made notes to buy more winter aconite and early crocuses to plant this fall.

I grew up in the Midwest but live elsewhere now and have for quite awhile, so I did an actual double-take at that temperature. Gosh, that's sad. I'm glad you're making an effort to help the bees!

The speed of the change is really distressing. :(

On the bright side, there are so many honeybees out already, I suspect there's a bee tree somewhere in the yard again. I haven't found it yet but will keep looking.

I am walking around saying to patches of dirt and leaves, "Don't come up yet, don't come up yet." The snowdrops are up, it is way too early, and they are very short -- maybe less light now than in APRIL or MAY when they usually emerge? But they are also very tough, and I can see that they've spread from two tight clumps to an additional scattering of single plants, each with its little nodding white flower. I suppose that that too is a reaction to extra warmth.

P.

>> I am walking around saying to patches of dirt and leaves, "Don't come up yet, don't come up yet." <<

Good idea.

>> The snowdrops are up, it is way too early, and they are very short -- maybe less light now than in APRIL or MAY when they usually emerge? <<

Mine are up and in full bloom here. Normally they come out in late February or early March. It's true that there is less light in winter, not just duration but also intensity. The angle spreads the same amount of light over a larger area.

>>But they are also very tough, and I can see that they've spread from two tight clumps to an additional scattering of single plants, each with its little nodding white flower. I suppose that that too is a reaction to extra warmth.<<

Gosh, yes, mine are all over the east end of the savanna, scattered around the flowerbeds and parking lot, and spreading in the white garden. I planted them at the north end of the flower garden and in the white garden. They seem to be spreading well by seed. I should bring in some new ones so they don't get inbred, but I'm sure they come from several sources already.

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Yes ...

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