Spring Snow

My cousin Chuckie was telling us yesterday that his Tuesday morning fishing  time was interrupted by two hours of snow…it melted as it hit the ground.

It turned cold enough to snow.  One morning on the way into town there were chunks of snow on the roadway.  Far Guy and I looked at each other to confirm that we weren’t both crazy seeing things.  It was SNOW. Dropped off by trucks or cars passing through from North Dakota or South Dakota.

Then we had this…

Don’t get too excited.  These are flower petals.

Malus X ‘Spring Snow’  A sterile flowering Crabapple.  It only has flowers no fruit.  It has a real strong fragrance…Far Guy noticed it right away.

Then there is this kinda fluff.

Aspen/Populus species/ Piss Popple/Cottonwood fluff.  The fluff carries the tiny seeds all over.  Chance carts them all over and into the house.  The fluff lays in snow drifts over the lawn…and we only have a few trees.  When the wind comes from the North it looks like it is snowing.

Our grass is turning green…finally!  It rained all day yesterday…not enough but it is a start to help out with the drought.

“To me an ancient Cottonwood is the greatest of trees because in his youth he shaded the buffalo and wore a halo of pigeons, and I like a young cottonwood because he may some day become ancient. But the farmer’s wife (and hence the farmer) despises all cottonwoods because in June the female tree clogs the screens with cotton. The modern dogma is comfort at any cost” Aldo Leopold

Winter revisited

Monday and Tuesday were like one of those frozen flashbacks.  Then it happened.  It snowed and the snow stayed on the ground.

Chance loves scooping up fresh snow in his mouth.

  Winter was here about 48 hours then he released his icy grip and the sun came out.

 

You can almost watch the grass turn green.

During this cold spell I also heard a Loon calling down on the lake. 

What else could we do but cook winter survival food…hot roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy and cooked carrots and fresh fruit.

I worked on my fur ball scarf and a bead project…Far Guy was busy painting bikini clad women for his train set…there must be a beach up there now.

Spitting Snow

It spit snow most of the day Monday.  Most of it melted as soon as it hit the ground.

Yes it turned cold here.  So far in April we have had one real rain where one inch of rain fell on Sunday…then this snow shower yesterday.  Not nearly enough moisture to bring May flowers.

There was a little accumulation on the Wheel Seat.

Too chilly to sit out there and enjoy the weather…mostly the snow was falling sideways.

Far Guy is feeling better than he did last week…so that is an improvement.

Spring’s Arrival

Just before it became officially spring at 5:45 PM.  It snowed.  Winter never got Spring’s memo. The memo was probably something like this “ Get the #&%* out.”

Chance was not real happy with me.  I made him go outside just to take a photo.  If he could have scowled or stuck out his tongue he would have.

The snow melted as soon as it hit the ground.  As you can see we have many different shades of brown in our yard.  No green no flowers.  Not very spring like.

This little bunny rabbit was balanced on the wreath outside the door.  He was a garage sale find a few years ago.  He replaced the red lights and the snowman that said “welcome”.

Say it isn’t SNOW

Well it did it.  The April Showers turned to April SNOW.

Far Guy and I had a date day away.  It started to rain as we left home.  Many hours later when we returned the temperature was dropping and we had snow.

It snowed on Little Elvis.  His teenage best friend should enjoy this photo while he is in California.  Miney is also visiting…she felt that she needed to eat as soon as we arrived home.

We visited a new antique shop…well not new…but new to us.  Oh there was Lionel Train “stuff” galore but Far Guy only bought one piece.  I found some more old photos…imagine that.  I also looked at some marbles and dice but they were too expensive in my opinion. It was so relaxing to just wander and browse the shops.

Chance had a boring day, we walked him several times in the rain.  He enjoyed some ball playing in a field near the airport.  Meeting up with Miney and Little Elvis meant that he had to share his backseat.

He is a gentleman and always shares his backseat, water dish, toys and food.  He may look a bit worried in this photo…there was some snow thunder.  He will be real happy the next couple of days as he loves having company.

Spring Snow

We got a dusting of snow, the big snow went south of us again. We did get the cold air which must have come straight from the Artic Circle.

 

Not much to see that looks like spring yet.  Not even a hint of green.

Chance loves having fresh snow to eat.

We had dental checkups.  Far Guy passed.  I needed one filling and a little touch up on a tooth that they agitated during the cleaning and the exam.  I am relieved to have that all over for another six months.  Fresh cracked wheat flatbread is the reward for going to the Dentist as the best little bakery in all of Minnesota is next to the Dentist’s Office in Menahga.

I finally recouped from the late night outing for the Blood Moon photos.  I heard my Grandson  Noah wanted to see the lunar eclipse too…he said he was cold all the next day.  I have an old lady corn bag that I heat in the microwave for three minutes…I took that to sleep with me and I was warm in no time.

I started to clean out a few cupboards in the kitchen… I have enough flour for about a year.  I must have bought flour every time it was on sale.

We are working on the Christmas Ornament woodcarvings just about everyday.  Progress is slow…but we knew it would be.  I ordered special boxes to house the ornaments and they were delivered yesterday…so I can make labels and start stacking them in a laundry basket.  Six ornaments are ready for names and boxing.  We are crusin’ along!

Bored with Brown? Try White

As soon as I complain about the state of brown we are in it turns cold and snows and makes our world white again.

Yesterdays muddy driveway is now white.  Oh well this will melt someday.

It snowed about 2 inches but it settled quickly.  The snow stick is at 11 inches and holding.

We waited for the main highway to clear off before heading to town to do errands.  Far Guy special ordered some saw blades and I had “stuff” to drop off all over town. 

Organizing and selling off “stuff” is going well.  I read an article recently about organizing during Lent it was called Forty Bags or some such thing…the whole idea being that if you took one bag of “stuff” out of the house every day at the end of forty days you would notice a difference.  I haven’t kept track of my bags…but by Easter I may notice a difference.

From the looks of the weather it looks like I have lots of time to while away before spring arrives for real.

Spring Snow

There is a beautiful flowering crabapple called Malus X ‘Spring Snow’.  I was sure that I would have to go to the NDSU Campus to see one again. It is a Zone 4 plant.  On Monday when I stepped out of the vehicle at the Library I knew it was her. I could smell her immediately.

The fragrance was heavy in the air..it was intoxicating.  I told Far Guy..I will get some photos and be in shortly..I was so happy to see this old friend that I used to enjoy every spring on the campus.  Over in the Red River Valley they are a Zone 4 and can grow her.  In this area the microclimate must be just right to grow her, apparently the area near the library is warm enough for her to thrive.

She is fruitless.  Yup a sterile Crabapple which makes her perfect for boulevards and yards where you don’t want the messy little apples all over the sidewalk or in the yard attracting bees.

When she loses her flower petals it will look like it is snowing. Now that is my kind of snowstorm:)

Spring Snow

It has turned cold here, it froze a couple of nights, and friends in Canada report snow. I would not appreciate a spring snow...thank you very much.. all my Father's tomato plants froze.. ours are still warm and cozy inside Far Guys greenhouse/workshop. Area gardeners are getting discouraged..some have already planted their gardens twice..

Years ago I took a Woody Plants Identification Class. The secret to this class was knowing exactly how to spell all the scientific names..and knowing where the trees were located on campus. Lectures were given outside, trees were identified..the same trees were on the mid term and final exams. I always wrote in my notes..my observations..one of which was location..this came in very handy. I was always intrigued by the names. I ran across a Flowering Crabapple, Malus X 'Spring Snow' ..well I took the class fall semester..it was not until the following June that I really appreciated this tree. As I walked along, I could see the tree in the distance.. and it looked like it was snowing..in June. I stood directly under the tree and enjoyed the snow, from my view under the tree it was a real "Ta DA" moment.. I now understood it's name. Nice to finally meet you 'Spring Snow'. She is sterile, and produces no fruit, perfect along a sidewalk in town ..instead she produces huge white flowers, and when the wind blows it is just like a snowstorm. It is only a few days in June that she is noticed..

I am sure that there are many other varieties by now. There are so many flowering trees white, pink, rose and red flowered ones.. how do you keep them all straight? I eventually gave up, I just enjoy them for what they are..beautiful flowering trees.

I took some photos up in Bemidji the other day. Maddie and I were going through them. She asked "Grandma when did it snow?" It was not 'Spring Snow' but one of her relatives.

"It didn't snow Maddie, but it sure looks like it did. This is at the end of your driveway." She replied "It is? Way cool. I never noticed that, when I get back home I will have to look." :)