A Heatwave Cometh Early – A Photo Essay

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 that the Wisteria has bloomed so profusely. It only had about 8 blooms last year. I am amazed that it has survived our harsh winters here over the last 10 years. It is Colorado not California for God’s sake! I love it!

Fabulous! Kinda digging this warm spring. April 24th, 2012

It hit a hot 88 degrees today and it looks and feels like June rather than April 24th.

I have already battled ants this season. The Miller moths that usually migrate in the millions at the end of May have become the next unwelcome arrival. I can hear them flapping their wings in the night above our bed one month early and they never knock when they come in…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. There was a ton of die back on the rose bushes from an early frost and their pruned dead stems filled a humongous trash can.

April 24th, 2012 – There is very little rose 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 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!

Have you been experiencing any strange weather?

All photos by Susie Lindau

103 thoughts on “A Heatwave Cometh Early – A Photo Essay”

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    2. I’ve had such a weird experience, travelling in Central America until March 8th and coming back to Mass. for ///warm temperatures. The lilacs are not blooming well, and the magnolias got really burnt by budding too soon. But last year was insane with a tornado, an earthquake, a hurricane, and then a weird Nor’easter that went inland and took out power for many of us for days, or weeks, the day before Halloween. (Also daylights savings time, ironically.)
      Thanks for the stark reminder of the two winters. – Alison

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  2. Weird is the best way to describe our weather in North Texas. Last year we experienced the most sever single year drought on record and the hottest summer on record.
    December arrived and gave us enough rain to break the drought. Since then our rainfall has increased to the point that in March we had the wettest March on record.
    So far this year, our temps have been mild until this week. Forecast temps for the next four days approach or exceed 90*F.

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    1. Oh Wow! It must be steamy there! I worry about our summer too. We could easily go into a drought. It is trying to rain right now, but I bet it will blow over like it usually does…
      Thanks Rich!

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  5. It was a very mild winter in PA. And I never would have guessed that from what we had this fall- flooding in September, snow in October. That, basically, was it as far as nasty weather was concerned. We had a snowfall a few months back, but it feels like forever ago with all the warm weather we’ve experienced.

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    1. We never got any big storms this year and that is unheard of! Lots of high wind storms over 80 MPH. Usually we go from snowstorms to beautiful weather up and down throughout the winter and early spring season, but not this year…
      Thanks Cayman!

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  7. we get the varied weather in Calgary but it hasn’t warmed up enough to have blossoms or even green grass. and it’s going to get cool and wet for the next few days — but we need the moisture and rain is better than snow.

    great pics.

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  11. Weather has been playing weird games every where but we havent given it much chance…..all the poluution and deforestations are going to make all these impacts….
    Lovely photos Susie and what a marked difference of temp. you have had since last year….

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    1. Amazing! It is another gorgeous day here too. I just heard the word “drought” for the first time on TV last night. I hope we get a deluge this weekend!
      Thanks for stopping by Chris!

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  14. Love your pictures, Susie! I wish my yard looked that nice (of course I’d have to actually LIKE gardening…I prefer hitting the farm market and buying bunches of flowers).

    Has it been weird in Michigan this year? It has! We had a lot of hot weather…literally…in March. At some point we had a winter storm warning during the night, followed by 70’s during that afternoon.

    What I dislike the most is that my daughter’s springtime allergies are worse this year. And I’m sneezing a bit, too. I think I’m allergic to mild winters and early springs. 🙂

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    1. Me too! I never get bad allergies, but this year they have been the worst ever.
      From the responses, I gather that the weather has been weird everywhere.
      Thanks so much Kristi! I am glad you stopped by and took a virtual tour of my garden. 🙂

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  16. Wow.. Susie your photos are such a graphic example of the wild swings.. it really shows how crazy our weather has gotten.. I don’t think ours has been quite so erratic.. but warmer nonetheless!

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  18. Raspberry-rhubarb pie is my favorite! We have been having some interesting weather too here in SE Virginia. We are near the beach and my 11-year old asks me every day if the water temps are warm enough to go surfing. Soon! Loved the pictures, Susie.

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    1. It sounds like your location is idea! The beach so close by; I would love that!
      The weather is weird, but my gardens look so amazing and I am ready to put in my annuals! If only I knew that it wasn’t going to freeze. Snow in the mountains today…
      Thanks Kecia!

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  19. Love this photo essay. You take beautiful photos. Crazy weather! We’ve had the same thing in California. Last week it got up to 90 and this week temps dropped 30 degrees or more and we had another storm. The weather can’t make up its mind!

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    1. It is a lot cooler here today and we are still way above normal. It is beautiful weather!
      Thanks so much Lynn. I should have included the kind of camera like all the pros. A CoolPix with the Coolpix lens. Hahaha

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  21. I know, the weather is crazy! But hey, you’re having a beautiful spring, with tulips! Although next thing you know we’ll have a water shortage. Not to be a bummer, but you know that’s coming. Nice pedi btw Susie! 🙂

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  24. Pingback: April Showers Bring May Flowers . . . and Flowers and Flowers and Flowers! « jansenschmidt

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