Brrrrr.....

You surely did , What a shock to wake up to that sight ....tuck yourself in ,get out your books and have a duvet day or two xxx

That's dreadful :( Keep safe. Keep warm ...

"have a duvet day ...or two". Great idea, Amy. Today I shoveled the doorways and walkway near the house, came inside and put "Chocolat" on the DVD player and promptly fell asleep. When I awoke it looked like I'd never been out! The wind driven snow can make drifts that will stop a vehicle! We have terrible pile ups on our major highways on days like these..the school buses in Eastern Ontario were all cancelled today. I wouldn't want to commute on a day like this..one of the perks of retirement!

You must watch " Chocolat" another time Lori it's really good .. what a waste all that shoveling for nothing its hard work no wonder you fell asleep , lets hope the snow doesn't last very long ... travelling is always a nightmare in bad weather our country is never prepared the trains come to a stop if there are leaves on the railway lines ...

Hibernation time Lori. We just have wet and windy so it's films and sofa for me too.

I'm a big Juliet Binoche fan, Amy. Loved her in the English Patient too. Here's an idea for some entrepreneurial genius... make a huge leaf blower for the front of your trains!
Good to know I'm not the only one stuck inside, Sandra. Well that's not fair, either, I guess, because I know you have lots of tasks and are a tireless worker! ..with the gales the rain coming in sideways and all that... films and the sofa are just good sense. ;-)

I have to agree. The furthest I've been today is the garage. I have six new plants of Teucrium waiting to be planted, but they will have to wait in the greenhouse. Scott did the doggy walking today while I stayed in, cooked food and read....bliss! Arent we so blessed to have warm, comfortable homes. Sometimes I imagine what it would have been like to live in the cottage here when it was first built in 1857. Rough stone walls, tiny windows, no damp-proof course....and going back another hundred years doesnt bear thinking about! At least the Victorians had ranges for heat and cooking on! On loch Tay they have a 'Crannog' which is an Iron Age house on stilts in the water with thatch and a big fire pit in the centre with a hole for the smoke to get out....how cold must they have been in November back then!

I love my hibernation....the summer months are so busy, laying around watching films is our okay back time....I'm not being totally idle, I have today started to fill out my tax return whilst being granny. I also made my Christmas cake last week and started to clean up ready to put my tree up this weekend. Bet we all have inside jobs to keep us busy.

Guess who's been Christmas shopping today ? I'm so far ahead of myself this year ... I'm pleased with the progress made with the present buying , we have our daughter and family for Christmas day and then our son and family for a week afterwards which makes planning ahead a sensible thing to do ... I hope things will have improved for you weather wise tomorrow Lori ...

I shall be starting on putting up the outside lights this weekend if the weather is kind. I didn't have any outside lights last year...pathetic! But this year I am going mad with fairy lights..just plain white ones, all over the garden! The lights are the best part about Christmas for me :) I got new lights for the tree as well....lots of different colours for a complete change from my usual white ones. Time for a change. We are having my daughter's boyfriend, which will be so lovey as he is a joy to have around. :)

Amy u are organised...I have started shopping but I do hate it..much rather be gardening!
Karen I love the lights too..but every time I put done outside they break..just too windy I think. I keep planning nailing some to a board or something so they can't move in the wind. But I put loads up in the house to make up for it.

Sandra, I got some solar powered fairy lights on copper wire from Amzn. They are really light and bendable, so easy to attach to plants etc. Highly recommend. £6.99 a string. Very bright l.e.d.s like little stars and not that cold blueish light. Plus copper wire is pretty during daylight too. :)

Sorry...its christmas, they put them up to £7.99!

I must be getting old.. (LOL ;-) no lights, no tree, no jolly.
this is the time of year when lights of any kind are most prized. A couple of years ago I tried an outdoor decoration that didn't require electricity... I had four square plastic pails which I filled with water and left on the deck to freeze. If it's cold enough (and it invariably is) the pails freeze around the outer edges leaving a cavity of unfrozen water in the middle (timing is crucial here), if the top freezes over you use a drill to drain out the water and widen the cavity at the top so that a small votive candle can sit down into the hole... (melt around the sides with the warmth of your hands) knock ice out of the pails and place the blocks of ice with the candles in them along the drive..DON'T place them underneath shrubs or trees just for safety.. and light at dusk. They will burn for a couple of hours before they self extinguish. pray for a calm night as wind gusts will also put them out. (to give credit where it's due...I think this is a Martha Stewart Christmas Eve idea). I won't be messing with icewater this year, though.
I pruned some balsam fir earlier to use the bud tips for balsam bags. Tips in a muslin bag under the pillow of anyone with bronchitis or sinusitis will ease breathing and promote deep sleep. I also put some to steep on the stove...the aroma is Christmassy!
Yesterday it cleared up; and with the clearing skies the temperatures dropped to minus 11 overnight...but sometime in the wee hours last night a southerly flow brought us minus 4 and more snow! looks like at least another 2 inches!
I've caught up with the routine indoor chores and housekeeping and read, and watched and painted and wrote and now I'm ready to go outdoors again... think I'll have a cuppa first!
Happy Christmas preparations, everyone!

It looks so cold! I can't imagine having to travel in so much snow. It must be very difficult.

Driving in snow is just a skill set, D1. We are taught how to deal with skidding on ice, or breaking on ice. We change our tires for "snow" tires in the autumn for added traction in snow. We also have seasonal supply kits..a car blanket, a candle, matches, water and hazard flares. some macho types even have winches. ...of course a bit of common sense never hurts as well. Some days you just don't travel.

Love the buckets of water idea Lori...I would have to empty the freezer to give it a go...lol the rain finally took a break today and I got outside cutting grass. With several layers on it got quite warm this afternoon.

Freezer is an excellent idea Sandra... cuts down on the chill blanes! How I wish I was cutting grass rather than shoveling snow!

It dosent stop growing here Lori...the daffodils on our lane will start poking up soon so I need to get that bit done tomorrow.

ohhhh to be a Wales... I imagine that they must bloom in February? you're the Energizer Bunny... always on the go! I'm sitting at my computer in fuzzy slippers and robe, eating my breakfast and keeping warm...won't venture beyond the woodshed today!

Lori,

I guess you would have to adjust and be prepared for such a harsh winter. I guess if you didn't get prepared it could be life-threatening during really horrible snow storms. Good luck and hope it warms up for your soon!

LOL... while reading your comment Andy, I had a flash of poetry from my childhood run through my aging brain:
"Sam McGee was from Tennessee where the cotton blooms and blows,
Why he left his home in the south to roam round the pole, God only knows..." it's from The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service. If you have the time give it a google... just for a giggle.

Lori:

LOL! I'll have to check it out. :>))

It's going to cool down quite a bit over the next few days here. We have a big colder storm moving which is going to bring us real rains. Yay! The upper 70's (26ºC) weather we had yesterday will be gone for a few days. It will be refreshing; however, we will be freezing! (not literally, though lol). Highs in the mid-60's (18ºC) will feel really cold from the 88 - 98ºF (31 - 37ºC) weather we've had most of this month.

Oh that is good news! Get out your snuggies! I found that during the last hot summer, the days of rain were emotional watersheds too! Sudden optimism would spring out of nowhere as soon as the drops started falling. Refreshing!

I was blessed this weekend when eldest son came and strimmed the lane for us. And not a day too soon as I found a box of forgotten bulbs today all sprouting. They are now in a pot by the back door. But this week even we have frost forecast here in Pembrokeshire -1 or even -2!! Last chance tomorrow to tuck away anything tender.

Lori,

It was in the low 60's F. (17ºC) today...San Diegans were all bundled up with their parkas. It's so funny! LOL!

We got -5!!!! But it was gone by lunchtime! Just managed to get the last of the plants I wanted inside...

Sandra:

That's so very cold! I bet everything was frozen, right?

This morning's low was 50ºF (10ºC) and the high is going to be 71ºF (22ºC) just like yesterday. It's just slightly below normal temps for this time of year, though.

Minus 5? That's pretty cold for Wales, aye?
It's amazing how resilient some plants are to cold and how others just turn toes up at the hint of frost! I have at least a couple of days, both spring and fall, when I'm scrambling to bring plants indoors because the overnight temps are nearing zero... cold temps when the plants are young seem to strengthen them... but autumn cold when the plants are mature has the reverse effect, there must be a scientific terminology for that but I don't remember what it is! I guess that's true of all nature... I know I don't feel as invigorated by frosty mornings as I once did! LOL!
Those temps sound like early summer here, D1! I hope you're not offended that I find it a source of amusement. I'm sure any time it's cold enough to cause suffering it's not a laughing matter. But parkas when it's in the '60s still makes me smile! ;-)
The last three days have seen temps hovering around freezing or slightly above and today it was 5 degrees and raining! most of the snow in the photo above has disappeared.

Lori,

I'm definitely not offended when you find my comments amusing. I think it's funny! I know we live in very different climates. That's what makes GoY so fun! Hearing about different climates and how people and plants are affected. :>))

Yes, most people here in San Diego are very much cold-weather wimps! I'm definitely included in that weather wimp comment! LOL! I guess we're just used to the very mild weather in winter and wearing shorts and t-shirts all year. Surfing (I don't surf) and going to the beach all year is part of our way of life here. We're spoiled! :>))

Yes you most definitely are spoiled! The snowbirds are starting their southern migration now. Soon there will be as many Canadians in Florida as there are Floridians! As they say in France... "Vive le difference!"

Yes, we're definitely spoiled. LOL!

The Floridians are spoiled, too! They're weather is just too humid for me. I can barely take our heat and humidity in summer. When it gets excessively hot and humid, we call it Miami weather. lol!

The frightening forecast for Los Angeles and San Diego is the weather will be very similar to Miami's (extremely hot humid) climate in 20 years! I believe it because every year it's hotter and more humid...not only during the day. Night time averages have been well above normal, also.

I'm in the middle of both your temps...lol my -5 was gone by eleven o'clock! Today we are apparently much warmer but the east wind is blowing so it's going to be cold!! It hasn't rained for ten days now so I will have to brave up at some point tide and do some watering!

No rain for 10 days? That must be as close as you get to a drought? ;-)

The high was 78ºF (26ºC) today, here where I live. It's suppose to cool down for two days then warm back up.

Sandra:

I wish I could say throughout the year it only hasn't rained in 10 days! Most of the time it's about 10 months that we don't receive rain. :>((

I can't imagine life without rain Delonix. Although here in Wales we have plenty spare!! And yes Lori we do seem to be in a winter drought....no doubt it won't last much longer!

We have lost the first dumping of snow and it's now giving us more! Freeze/thaw, freeze/thaw... weather for colds. Guess we're all having changeable days. I've forgotten what the "norm" is. Just have to take what comes, alas!
Is there any precip along with the cooler temps, D1? If the weather is going to be weird, it can at least be wet!

Sandra:

I can't imagine living in a climate where it rains a lot! lol! We get so little rain in California. In Kalihi Valley, Honolulu, Hawaii where I'm from originally, it rains every day...mostly at night. The rain is always warm to hot, though. The climate is tropical.

Lori,

No rain since last week. There's none in the forecast for a while. :>((

It's suppose to start warming up in a few days...low 70's (23C) instead of the cool mid-60's (18C).

I would love to experience Hawaii! All that moisture and warmth and glorious vegetation... not to mention lava beaches, Mona Loa and Mona Keia (sp?)~ sigh.
We were surprised (?) by snow squalls today. It's like March out there... near zero and five minutes between a total white-out and bright sunshine!

There's a lot snow on Moana Kea and Moana Loa, Hawaii right now. It's very cold up there (the climate up there is sub-arctic, no vegetation) The elevations is just about 14,000 ft (4267 m) high. I've been up on Moana Kea at sunset. It's the most incredible experience! The only problem, the oxygen level is 35% less than sea level and it's very cold!...even in summer. Most people feel very light-headed up there...I did.

The low-lands of Hawaii are of course tropical. :>))

Oh that's right, I saw pics of white out around the observatory up there...I think it was a news feed but these day's there are lots of people who like to fool those on the internet. How strange it must seem to sit under a palm tree by the ocean and see those white cones in the distance? Have you visited the lava floes? does the whiteness last very long?

I think the snow will be up at the tops for a long time. The snow usually stays above 10,000 ft (3,100m) elevations.

I was there one time when the snow went down a little lower than 10,000 ft (3,100m) elevation. It was incredible!

Yes, it feels very strange to be around coconut palms and see all the snow on the mountain peaks on the big island (Hawaii).

Yes, I have visited the lava flows. I saw the lava going into the ocean and all the steam it creates. Kīlauea isn't the most impressive looking volcano! It is the most active volcano in the world, though.

Hawaii sounds amazing....I would love it to mostly rain at night!!! As I expected the rain has returned..is light misty stuff but my plants are enjoying it more than the frosts...on the plus side my aeoniums have started to flower in the tunnel.. ?

Got pics? That sounds great, Sandra. We've just begun the really cold portion of winter... minus 18C with the windchill this a.m.

Not had chance yet but I will..it's only just started so i will have plenty time for pics...
minus 18 sounds like light the fire and stay inside to me...does that mean the snow is back?

If it gets down around minus 20 it's usually too cold to snow. When temps are between minus 10 and zero C. is usually when we get our snow. Last two winters we've been under the huge Arctic cells that drop down over the eastern part of the continent and bring bright sunny weather, moonlit nights and seriously cold temps, BUT, that didn't start until well into January last year. No figuring the weather anymore. We (hub and I) decided to try to heat our home without using petroleum products this winter... means that I have to get up in the middle of the night to keep the fires going. We wimped out and bought some small electric heaters to use in the bedrooms and bath. Hurry spring!

When our winter weather warms up a little we mostly get rain..it's so mild here that yesterday on a drive west to east we were hampered my mist...

or was it fog...not sure the difference but it past the time on the journey while we discussed the difference..no conclusion...

We were following a river and you could see it riseing with the heat of the sun. It was only when our journey took us up the infamous Nant y caws hill that we got above it into the sunshine.

I don't blame u getting the fires you have to stay warm...especially in those temps!!!
. We are going to finally put in a wood burner in time for next winter hopefully.

burning wood is a lot more work, Sandra. And the fires need tending, wood smoke loses it's appeal after a while, but at least it's not spewing petrochemicals everywhere! Our first year here, I dug a temporary pond for my fish beside the house. I was shocked and dismayed at the "oil slick" on the surface of the water...caused by the exhaust from our chimney! (No wonder my plants didn't survive..it almost killed my fish, too)

WOW!!! You both appear to have a lot of work heating your homes. I can't imagine that problem. I would not like to deal with those heating issues. I guess it's a necessity, though. You need to stay warm in that kind of cold.

I hate to tell you both how mild the mornings have been here. I rarely have to put on the furnace. It causes some problems (when it's used) because the smell of burning dust! It's used so infrequently the dust collects in the vents.

We have Furnace maintenance companies who have vacuum trucks! A pickup size truck with a large vacuum unit in the cargo bed...they run long hoses down the vents and right into the plenum sucking up all the dust. then they replace your filters and you're good for another season! I imagine that having a furnace is a rare thing in SD? Fireplaces, maybe but not furnaces?
A while ago I started some research on alternate heating systems and methods. The Romans used to heat their dwellings in England, Wales, Scotland, and France. They constructed something called a hypocaust which was a source of heat (fires or hotsprings) with subterranean rooms that collected the heat and vented into the living space above. ..and we thought radiant heating was a new invention?! LOL...

Lori,

What I usually do is run the furnace about an hour with all the windows and doors open. This is when the threat of cold weather (by San Diegan standards lol) is coming. I vacuum the vents. I usually do it around the beginning to middle of December. Once, I didn't use the furnace (for the first time) until the beginning of February.

Most homes have heaters, except closer to downtown and the beaches. Fireplaces are rarely used, however, they were built in the older homes (1920's - 1940's). Newer homes are built with ac with no fireplaces. Outdoor fireplaces in patios are very common. We do get real cold weather every now and then...like the horrible January 2007 cold spell, when the temps were the coldest in 60 years. Many areas inland went below freezing. The urban areas of course, did not, though. I had one morning of 34ºF (1.1ºC) and two at 37ºF (2.8ºC) with no frost. It was extremely unusual, though...and a week later it was 80ºF (27ºC).

We live in an old farm house that has a massive old stone fireplace which at the moment has a fake real fire that runs on gas. Our main heating is gas powered radiators but I've always wanted a wood burner in my stone fire place. As you say Lori this will bring with it work supplying the wood and keeping it burning. It will only be supplementary heating in the coldest parts of winter. the one I want has an oven on the side and a hot plate on the top. It's one of the few things on my bucket list....

Burning the fire with the house doors open is one of the things I'm looking forward too Delonix. With all the rain we get here in Wakes damp can become an issue in old houses like mine. We old have a small issue with it but I'm sure the wood burner will help.

Delonix: I have often thought that an outdoor kitchen would be a wonderful thing to have especially if it included an outdoor fireplace with a bread oven..!
Sandra: I love the sound of that oven with your wood burner. Our neighbour suggested going to gas but with all the fracking and earthquakes and pipeline spills/leaks it's getting less appealing by the day. We are a bit old to be struggling with wood and it may be that when the serious cold of January and February set in we will have to reconsider and buy oil...but until then we're giving it our best shot. Delaying the use of it for a couple of months will have some benefit, I think.
I run fans and a dehumidifier constantly in our basement. It makes a real difference when we're heating with wood. I'm having some sinus issues that I think are connected with smoke from the fire but on the whole I don't have the malaise that I often feel when the oil furnace is working. I remember my Dad throwing open the doors in the evening before bed "to air the place out'. My Mom lost some treasured house plants that way and it stopped!
today our winds are gusting and the snow is drifting. We have snow coming in from the west but the sun is shining here..we will have snow overnight and minus 20 something temps tomorrow night. the Brrr.. is back.

Outdoor eating areas with grills are very common here in Southern California. This is the reason for the outdoor fireplace in winter. Lately, it's been so mild at night one wouldn't need to have a fireplace...however, there's many people that love the appeal of a fireplace!

Lori, I'm so sorry to hear the horrible cold weather is back! We are suppose to get a relatively big storm hitting California starting tomorrow. It's suppose to bring a lot of much-needed rain. Yay! :>) I just hope it doesn't fizzle out before it gets to San Diego!

My image of my fire is much more romantic than your picture paints Lori....lol... Not sure I would like it to be my main sorce of heating! Glad you got some sunshine today.

Fingers crossed for your rain Delonix ..I love to cook in the garden in the summer and have even been known to have a Christmas BBQ..

Sandra:

We did receive a lot of rain from this storm, 1 to 2 inches plus in many areas. Yay! We still need a tremendous more amount of rain to break our 6 year drought, though.

Christmas BBQ sounds terrific! Many times on Christmas Day it's dry and 75ºF (24ºC) or warmer here in San Diego. This year it's forecasted to be only 66ºF (19ºC), though. It'll feel more like Christmas. :>))

Glad you got a little rain Delonix. I love the smell of rain in the summer.. I'm hopeing for 10 degrees on Christmas Day which is about our norm.
Lori I think you get as much snow as we get rain...lol hope your wood pile is lasting.im going to start collecting wood in the new year so I have some to burn next winter!

Sandra:

We have gotten a tremendous amount of rain over the last two days and half! It's a wonderful tropical rain that came up from south of Baja California, Mexico. Late tomorrow night through Christmas Eve another colder storm will bring us a lot more rain...even snow to our local mountains 3,500 - 4,000 ft elevation, which is very low. It'll be a beautiful change to see the mountains covered with snow for Christmas! It's going to feel very chilly, though. It's been so warm and mild since Monday afternoon. Next Tuesday back to low 70's F. (20's C).

Oh Andy! That you could hear the peals of laughter that rang out when I mentioned San Diego was going to suffer low '70s! Hurrah for all that rain...has it helped your drought situation? Seriously though, I am SO glad for you and the whole state, for that matter. Merry Christmas! Will the desert bloom?
Hi Sandra!: I wasn't sure what the ratio of snow to rain was...when googled it came up as an astonishing 8 inches of snow per inch of rain!
For the last 5 days our temps have been up around zero with snow!... " JUST A FEW FLURRIES" LOL... we have about an inch and a half of the fluffiest, whitest, "white stuff" on the ground and more is coming down. The trees are covered and according to our weather network it's supposed to hit 2 whole degrees above zero today! We don't want freezing rain on Christmas Eve... especially when we will be up before dawn and on the road to Ottawa.

Lori:

The weather here has been so topsy-turvy! It was chilly last weekend then the tropical rains came up from Mexico and it was warm, now the cold rains came from Alaska it's cold again! LOL! I guess the snow level didn't go down as low as predicted...however, Mt. Laguna (6,000 ft) has more than 6 inches of snow.

We did get some very beneficial rains. We need a lot more rain to break the 6 year long drought, though.

It was a chilly 44ºF (7ºC) here early this morning at 5:00 a.m. We're, of course, freezing to death! lol! The low 70's F. (low 20's C) will return by Wednesday, though.

Oh my Lori!! 8-1!!!!! We would be under mountains of the stuff!!! Still raining! Although the sun did poke it's nose out for a while yesterday.

Andy I hioe you have your camera ready...those plants will be loving all the rain! Just think if it was snow! Lol

Sandra,

Yes, the plants are loving it! They haven't seen such good rains in a long time. The hills around San Diego may get green this year for the first time in years. The last time the hills got really very green was winter of 2004-2005, during a very strong MJO (Madden-Julian Oscillation) we had two and half times our normal (which isn't much) rainfall for that year.

The Saga continues! After almost a week of warmish (zero to minus 3) and lots of precip to go with it...it was minus 16 last night. Today we are to receive 4-6 INCHES of snow! I did my shoveling early so tomorrow will be easier but the winter of 2016-17 is shaping up as a wet one. That means more moderate temps and I'm all for that.
Can you imagine the piles of snow you'd have to shovel, Sandra? You can be very thankful for the good old N. Atlantic Current! Hope 2017 brings hwh to the whole family.. especially that sweet little grand daughter!
D1: Eleven years for the cycle to repeat? I hope you get some nice green this winter. Hope 2017 is an excellent year for you and yours, Andy!

Lori,

Happy New Year! I hope 2017 is a wonderful year for you!

It was a very wet New Year's Eve here. I hope this is a good sign that we'll be getting our rain back this year. We have, in most of Southern California above normal rainfall for the first time in years. Most areas are 1 to 4 inches above normal in rainfall. YAY! I'm so over this 6 year drought!!

San Diego's local news did a recap on the above average temps for each month in 2016. It's crazy! Well-above normal each moth, and the Pacific Ocean off San Diego's coast is getting warmer and warmer every year. It's unusual for the Pacific Ocean to stay so constantly in the upper 70's and even sometimes in the low 80's for such a prolonged period from Spring through Fall. It usually fluctuates more with upwelling.

With all this being said: We've been feeling very chilly here. I won't say how chilly...as you may laugh at me. :>))

Sounds like we are all having better weather than expected..long may it continue.. Lori I don't envy the snow shovelling! But hopefully not as much as last year...x

Sandra:

More normal weather is the word for San Diego. I was so tired of the very hot and dry weather through all of winter. It's so nice to see rain again. The plants are loving it! :>))

Thanks D1! Never laugh at you... only laugh with you! Well we're almost at the end of a very snowy Feb. that began with the groundhog seeing his shadow... BUT today (Feb 24) we are in the middle of a week long warming trend and expecting an ice storm this evening which usually results is loss of power. Bringing in lots of wood for when the heat goes off. Get this! tomorrow it's supposed to be 9 WHOLE DEGREES C!!!! We've lost a lot of snow but I still can't get to the stream. From what I can see from the road the pond is at the top of it's banks and the water is moving fast! Pray for my culvert! Can't wait to see your spring pics of the trees in bloom. Saw an article on a web site last week about flooding that's affecting an almond orchard and the placing of bee hives for spring pollination. Hope things are still stable in San Diego.
Sandra, I thought last year was bad... but the banks are so high...and the spring run off is going to be frightening. As I told Andy, above, the warm temps have started but I don't dare expect true spring until well after the middle of March. I just hope we don't get another 5 ft. of snow as we did back in 2008. The greenhouse (which I re-located last summer) has been covered with a tarp and the snow is deep enough that I can't get to it very easily... won't be able to use it for another couple of months. I don't try to heat it... I've enjoyed seeing your aeoniums.

Glad it's starting to melt Lori....fingers crossed for your culvert.... Wet and windy here again today but I did get a fabulous day yesterday, which I made the very most of... So glad u are enjoying the aeoniums...I can't get over how they have enjoyed the mild winter here. Even the ones outside are flowering.... Hope u didn't loose power...

Lori:

We've had a lot of rain this season...In Northern California they've been inundated with extreme flooding conditions (3 to 5 times the amount of normal rainfall). The Sierra Mountains have record levels of snow...some places 50' (15 m) high of snow! (I can't imagine it!)

It's been so green here. So many trees and plants are flowering and growing like crazy! I've never seen this before...plants that typically don't like much winter rains are absolutely thriving! I thinks it because of the severe 6 year drought, all plants, trees are drinking the water up like they never had water before. I've never seen the tropical guavas put out so many leaves and growth in winter. Typically, they're semi-dormant. Mango trees here have put out 2 to 3 flushes (it's unheard here) of growth this winter and are now flowering. Mango trees don't usually flush growth until mid-spring. It's insane! However, everything looks so lush and green, almost like a tropical rain forest. The wild flowers will be incredible very soon.
:>))

Delonix I bet sales of lawn mowers are up with all that lush grass growing....lol. a friend of mine suffered a terrible flood a few years back...a week or so later she watched in astonishment as her collection of bamboos went crazy with growth....

I have enjoyed this three way look at our weather this winter/summer....!

Sandra:

Yes, I'm sure the lawn mower sales are very high. Most people let their lawns die at least 3 years ago.

Bamboo is a form of grass...so, I can understand why it would grow very quickly after a lot of rain.

It is amazing how much growth plants, trees can have after a long drought, when receiving good rains. Most plants, trees are flowering extremely well here in San Diego! One of the very few exceptions is some large Bougainvillea. However, they will be putting on exceptional growth this year. They typically flower all year here in San Diego.

I've been in the dumps with our crazy weather and haven't been on here in a while...but...WOW. What a difference a week of warm (er) weather can make... we lost a lot of snow and had three days of rain, the creek is running riot and the soil is emerging from beneath the thick blanket, (mostly in south facing slopes) today temps started out at plus 7 C and as I sat at the computer after supper the white stuff was coming in sideways on a serious Nor-Easter. ... and typical of March, "if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes!"
Andy: Have been seeing some really scary videos of Californians, in their vehicles, being swept off the road by walls of flood water. It's a relief to hear that you're seeing so much green and not suffering the terrible flooding! I wish I could grow bougainvillea because it is one of my all time faves... so pretty, and the Jacarandas too. will look forward to your posts.
I've enjoyed it too, Sandra. joining GoY was a wonderful remedy for my "winter blahs". I've seen your aeoniums on Fb! (my flower beds are still buried in snow and the wind was blowing so hard this evening that I thought it was going to take the tarp off the greenhouse. (that might have saved me some effort!)) I have received my seed catalogues and plan to start some veggies for the garden as soon as the weather moderates a little. the greenhouse will get some use this spring...I promise myself.

Lori:

I'm so sorry to hear your weather has been so topsy-turvy! The cold snow doesn't sound good at all!

We've had our share of very crazy weather here in San Diego. A little over a week ago we had 3 - 7 inches of rain in one day! It was the all-time most rain recorded in most areas around San Diego County in one day. The flooding on the San Diego was severe in many areas of Mission Valley (where the river is located). Some areas that were flooded had never been flooded in recorded history (since all the construction in Mission Valley). Now, the weather the last coupe of days has been hot. Tomorrow temps are forecasted to be almost 90ºF (32ºC) in most of San Diego County, except for the immediate coast. It's going to stay pretty hot for the next 10 days, according the the news. I guess we deserve some hot weather after all the rain. Everything is so green and some many trees and plants are flowering like crazy! I hear the deserts are in bloom. The best flower display since 2005 (the year with record rains that broke the last 7 year drought).

So glad your weather is starting to warm up a little Lori... We have actually got a five day window forecast with no rain!! Just need to pace myself now after all the inactivity!

as I had dreaded... March and February's weather have been reversed... Feb was so mild and in every respect seemed to be March..from winds and changeable, etc. to rain and sleet. Here we are almost half way through March and it's turned cold again minus 20's overnight forecast for the next 5 nights...and we have another inch of snow. it's like an endless dirge. I need a mental health break so I've come to Goy to hear how lovely it is in S.California, Andy, and to see the aeoniums in your poly-tunnel, Sandra. see you in the spring...if it ever gets here. :-(

Lori:

That's horrible you're weather has gotten colder instead of warme for the month of March! Hopefully, it will be short-lived and the mild weather will return soon!

It's been very warm here with no rain for this month of March so far. It's suppose to get up into the low 90's (32 or 33 degrees C) this week. The long-range forecast is for continued warm to hot weather.

...won't see much warmth in March, this year. (according to weather network) It's been depressing. I was so desperate that I went back through my pics to see progress of previous years and that made it worse! Gahhh...! so I posted some pics I had from spring of 2011, (our first spring here).
All my plants were so healthy looking...!
So your 32 & 33 degree C temps are closer to normal? Good for you. With all the rain this winter things must be just popping! send some of that warmth out way, please? ;-)

So sorry to hear that you've had such cold weather. I know the East Coast of the U.S. has been experiencing some real cold weather, also. Hopefully, soon your warm spring weather will come!

32 & 33º C. is not normal for this time of year. It's not too unusual, either. Yes, everything is flowering and it's very green with lots of wild flowers this year. The Deserts are having a super bloom this year. I haven't been out there, though. It's been very hot in the low deserts, around 100ºF (38ºC) most of last week. The flowers are not going to last much longer. It cooled down for a few days; however, it's going to heat back up out there this week. I need to get out to Anza Borrego Desert park soon to see the super bloom.

If it's any consolation Lori I have had to start the marathon of cutting the grass....I swear it's growing faster than ever...?