A Heatwave Cometh Early 

April 13th, 2011

A lot has been written about global warming and it has become a hot political issue. Pun intended. Regardless of your stand on whether it exists, it has been a warm spring here in Boulder, Colorado. Last year there was so much snow in the mountains, we worried about flooding. This year it was warm and dry. Snow totals are 39% to 49% of normal.

March 23, 2012

This is the first year my wisteria has bloomed. I am amazed that it has survived our harsh winters here over the last 10 years. This is Colorado not California for God’s sake. I love it!

I am kinda digging this warm spring.

April 24th, 2012

Temperatures reached a very hot 88 degrees today and it feels more like June 24th than April 24^th.

I have already battled ants this season. The miller moths that usually migrate in the millions at the end of May became the next unwelcome early arrival. I can hear them flapping their wings in the night above our bed. They are one month early and they never knock before coming into the house…So rude!

This foreshortened photo of my legs is really weird and so attractive!

In April 2011, we had a seasonal snowstorm that set back the spring foliage and nipped our fruit trees. The pruned die-back on the rose bushes filled a humongous trash can.

April 24th, 2012 – There is very little die-back and that will save me soooo much time!

April 13th, 2011

An icy garden

April 2011

April 24th, 2012

These are the last of the tulips in 2012 and it isn’t even May!

Last year in April the snow slowed down the tulips and this year they have already bloomed!

This year our spring is so summer-like.

Last year was like an ice age. What a difference!

Lilacs are in full bloom on April 24th, 2012. I have similar photos from last year  in the middle of May!

We are not out of the woods for freezing temperatures until May 15th, but if we continue with this warm weather, we will have amazing fruit this year!

I have already made fresh rhubarb pie and the raspberries are about to bloom.

Raspberry rhubarb pie. Yum!

This is the end of a very lean ski season.

Avoiding the rocks.

Climbing them instead!

If it does threaten to freeze, I will be the crazy lady in the yard protecting everything with sheets like a Hampton’s homeowner covering furniture at the end of summer.

It is a good thing that weather isn’t like a bell curve or we would hit temperatures in the 140’s in July. It is supposed to chill out at the end of this week, but I have lost my faith in weather forecasters.

In the meantime, I will take advantage of the nice weather!

~~~~~

April 2013? Not so much.

We’ve had over 40 inches of snow this April and it ain’t over yet! Last week’s snow melted over the weekend. Another 8 inches fell overnight and it is still snowing…

Scientists are scrambling to make sense of the strange weather. A press release from CU-Boulder yesterday, announced findings that climate zones will shift faster as climate warms. This was the result of a joint research project conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and CU.

All I know is every inch of moisture is welcome respite after a long dry winter. We won’t have any forest fires as long as snow is on the ground.

Breckenridge and Vail Ski Resorts reopened for three days last weekend due to the enormous snow totals. Maybe ski areas should start opening in December and close in June!

Do you think we’ll ever be able to work in our gardens here in Boulder?

Will Harry ever regain the respect of his flock? 

All photos by Susie Lindau

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