Nature Friday ~ March 1, 2019

Nature FridayIt’s Friday which means we are joining our fur-iends Rosy and her brothers from LLB in Our Backyard for this week’s edition of the Nature Friday Blog Hop. Be sure to click on the link to check out nature around Blogville.

Mother Nature seems to be very confused judging by the bizarro weather she’s dishing out. Severe rain on the West Coast, tons of snow on the East Coast with warm temps followed by bitter cold and snow in the Rocky Mountains. I can’t remember when I experienced such yoyo conditions.

When we were out on our afternoon walk yesterday, we discovered positive signs that Spring really is around the corner. Check out Exhibit A.

Irises

These blue beauties are called reticulated irises. Growing only to about 4-5 inches tall, as early blooming Spring bulbs they provide the promise that Spring really is being worked on for a soon-to-be roll out. Reticulated irises are hardy down to USDA planting zone 4a (with temps as low as -34.4 °C/-30 °F). Beware though, they are toxic if ingested and should not  be planted where pets could inadvertently snack on them.

Reticulated irises are a huge favorite of mine, yet my eagle eye always scans the landscape for my other early blooming Spring crush, crocuses. These striking tiny gems caught my eye and for good reason…they are fabulous.

Purple crocus

Seeing these lovely blooms gives me hope that Spring will arrive soon, despite a winter storm watch for our region. I hope they don’t mind being dumped on by the white stuff. Ignorance is truly bliss, isn’t it?

Have a great weekend, especially celebrating National Read Across America Day, which is Dr. Seuss’ birthday tomorrow, March 2.

Live, love, bark! 🐾

79 thoughts on “Nature Friday ~ March 1, 2019

  1. We don’t have anything blooming in our neck of the woods, except evergreens. Of course, we couldn’t find the signs under the snow anyway. BOL

    1. Oh trust me, they were buried under a bunch of white stuff over the weekend.

            1. If only that would be enough. The management will no doubt figure out a way to screw it up. 😈

              1. Still, you kept one of the game’s best. And I am happy for that. My Yankees were hot for his trot, but I’m always cool with a player staying home.

                1. I was surprised. I figured he’d book. Kudos to him. If only he had a team behind him. 😇

  2. Pretty much any flower that shows up in early spring is my favorite!! I’d never heard of those irises though and might like to add some of those to my garden.
    We were initially expecting a lot of snow this weekend, but Mother Nature changed her mind – yay! – and we’ll probably only get a few inches tomorrow night. 🙂

    1. Thank you. I only wish they were in my yard-everything is pretty drab still there. Thanks for swinging by the Ranch-we 💙visitors.

    2. Thank you very much. We love early spring bulbs-they give us hope that Old Man Winter will be leaving soon. 😇

    1. The little ones are a little harder to grow, the bearded ones practically take care of themselves. I doubt your ma could kill those guys off if she tried.

    1. Mother Nature seems to know winter colors are so drab so she provides the blues and purples to make us forget.

    1. Sometimes it’s good to be blissfully ignorant and an 8″ forecast of white stuff seems like the perfect time. 🤣

    1. Hope springs eternal it arrives right after the forecasted 6″ inches of snow this weekend. 😊

      1. That reminds me of my parents, going out for the evening in the age of powdered shoulders, formal suits and dinner dances. While he was getting ready father would be whistling ‘Cigareets and whisky and wild wild women…’ and I would say he wss hardly like to get any of that at the staid affairs mother liked.
        ‘Hope springs eternal’ he would say.

  3. Meow meow Miss Monika those Irisess are LadyMew’ss faverite flowerss! An Cow-cusses are purrty too.
    Wee have 3 feet of snow an more to come. FISHSTICKSS!
    Thanx fore yore lovelee photoess 😉
    ***purrsss*** BellaDharma

    1. Yikes…we have a bunch coming, but not 3 feet. At least I hope it’s not 3 feet! 😆 Stay safe and warm.

      1. Miss Monika it started snowin Monday nite at 10 Pee Em an it iss now Tuesday past lunch time an wee inn a blizzard up to our earss inn snow!!! FISHCAKESS!!!!!
        How are you an Sam an Elsa doin there?

        1. Awk! We received 5″ of snow and it’s been cold but no blizzard. Guess we should stop complaining, it could be worse. Hope springs comes your way soon.

  4. We usually have spring begin in February when the almond trees bloom across the valley but this year it rains either today or tomorrow all month. Oh well, at least the drought is over.

    1. Let’s hope the drought is over, though I suspect it’s simply remediated.

  5. Honestly. Where oh where is the fairness in that? Of course, I do live north of you… Sigh… Should be seeing those babies some time in April!
    Glad you have them, though…

    1. Understood. They’ll be buried this weekend, but hopefully will make a return appearance when the temps yoyo again.

  6. Oh how beautiful. Those just scream spring. I’m so ready. We’re off to the boat for the weekend. It’s cold and tomorrow it’s going to rain. We’re going anyway.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. ♥

    1. Hope your boat excursion is still fun. Any day on a boat is better than not, right? 😁

    1. Incredible…the differences our two communities have! Are you sure you’re not in Kansas? 😉

  7. A warm weather lover I vowed to embraced all seasons – even the cold one -when we moved to the Golden K. But this year with all our snow I am more than ready for Spring. These lovely early blooming colored bulbs are beautiful. Hope does indeed spring eternal. Bring on the warm!

    1. I’m with you, I’m more than ready. Despite February being the shortest month, it seemed extra long and brutal this year. DST starts soon so perhaps that’ll speed things up. 🤞🏼Have a groovy weekend.

  8. Even if we are so much farther south and at a way lower elevation, we don’t have these signs of spring yet.

    1. Whoa…that’s a surprise. I would have thought the Blue Bonnets would start showing signs of spring.

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