Thursday, February 16, 2006

This Bud's for YOU


Mind you, it was just over a week ago that I de-frocked our two Christmas trees (don't laugh--I made it before my Valentine's Day deadline). And it was just this past Sunday when the East Coast was deluged with snow and Atlanta was in the low 30's with light, lazy snow falling all day (but not sticking).

On Monday, the very next day, I went to Nicholas' Sweetheart Valentine's Luncheon (still in the low 30's) and did a complete about-face when I saw this tree near the school. I actually got out of the car to take pictures. Was I blind? This was the first above-ground sight of Spring I had seen since coming back home from Hannover at the beginning of February.

I say above-ground because we had already seen the early Spring flowers starting to bare their shoots. Yesterday I took a walk and saw these daffodils.



On the same walk, I saw this kite stuck in the tree. Surely it wasn't left over from last year, so someone has definitely had Spring on their mind. And it's not even March!



And just feet away, a new house is being built. A sure sign of Spring around here. Temps are now up in the 50's-60's (no wonder we get sick!), which will make the trees and flowers and birds and bees think it's time to do their thing.



So for everyone still in the wintry blues and while the Olympics continue, this Bud's for YOU (on its last leg, I see)! I'll drink my Amstel Light to that!



13 comments:

  1. Ginnie such a wonderful post! I love all the buds. They are starting to come out here too, just barely. But we also might have an artic blast this weekend. I think the plants and birds are all mixed up on what is happening!

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  2. Lucky you! We got a new layer of snow last night. It's beautiful though. :)

    What a great post, and fabulous photos, as always. I especially love the final photo of buds up close.

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  3. I envy everyone their snow, never having lived in anywhere cold enough :( I would love to experience a snowfall.

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  4. Expat: Buds in Vancouver? Wow! That surprises me. You go! Hopefully the artic blast this weekend won't mess everything up.

    Ruth: I'd expect snow in Michigan, actually, for at least another month. Thanks for your comment, as always.

    DW: I grew up with snow and still love it, especially when freshly fallen. I wish for you to experience it someday!

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  5. Spring has sprung! I love the cherry blossoms.

    Vancouver has a very mild climate, actually. My mother is always telling me about things in her garden blooming weeks before they bloom here.

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  6. Ah, Ginnie, you're going give me spring fever. Actually, the past two days up here were in the fifties, warm, and sunny. But this Saturday, it's suppose to get cold again staying below freezing all day.

    I particularly liked that red, flowering tree.

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  7. Christina: I never would have expected Vancouver to to be like that. I'm dumbfounded!

    Tim: Between you and Expat (speaking of Vancouver!), sounds like you're both gonna get the cold weather again. Maybe Atlanta will too?

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  8. Could it be mei plum trees? They blossom in february. They usually grow in Far eastern countries but could be imported in warmer places in US

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  9. *Jealous* Yesterday in Quebec City, snowstorm. Today in Québec City, freezing rain. Tomorrow in Quebec City, minus 12 Cescius. I WANT TO SEE FLOWERS AND TO OPEN THE WINDOWS AND TO HEAR A BIRD SING (NOT A CROW) ... *SIGH* Your pics are cooooool!

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  10. SPRING! Argh!
    Ok, I'm not going to say that here we're having a terrible blizzard today!
    And I'm not going to show you the window of my bedroom with snow going about 4 feet high!
    And not saying that the only cherry blossom I can have is a chocolate one!

    I'm going to say THANKS Ginnie, for showing us such beautifuls pics and giving us the opportunity of feeling a little bit of spring to come... :O)
    And that yesterday, telling my sis MP about this post, we were ferociously jealous... but we had a lot of fun!
    And today, my daughter is very happy because all schools are closed! She's outside now and having a wonderful time with her friend!
    :O)

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  11. Mei: I think it's a Bradford Pear which blooms early here in the South. Both pink and white varieties. I don't know what the bud is in the last photo--not from the tree. Anyone else know?

    MP: Oh how I wish I could blow some of our warm air to you...even if today is now overcast and splinkly! As surely as Winter followed Autumn, Spring is on its way--SOON.

    PG: You're back! Welcome home and let me blow some of that warm air to you as well!

    Clo: Ohhhh. I didn't mean to make everyone feel so jealous!! It's so crazy, isn't it--this wacky weathery world of ours. Sun yesterday; splinkles today. Well, have fun being jealous because your day is coming SOON (but after Gene gets to have fun with a snow day, off from school).

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  12. That's really great Ginnie. Just lately, I heard a bird (not a crow) singing it's ittle heart out outsidde while taking an early morning bath, and it made me feel the spring was really nearing. On the other hand, I think it's the same bird (r family) that woke me up at 4:30 am last summer! Hope it nests a bit futher ;-)

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  13. Mr. Fab: Oh NO. Not YOU. The roller-coaster temps are doing us all in, I think!

    CS: They're damned if they do and damned if they don't. Maybe this year you'll have the best of both worlds!

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