A sudden two-week spell of 70 degree F+ days brought everything into full and rampant bloom. We hit 88 degrees one day and broke a record that had stood for nearly 100 years. Over the course of one month our late spring caught up and overtook itself, leading to an amazing display of flowers. Following is a tour of April 2008.
Our first first flowers of Spring, snow crocus, blooming April 6th, were late this year ...
Our native pussy willow also was a little late to bloom …
However, the sudden and unusually warm weather turned tiny green nubs into daffodils and hellebores in less than 10 days.
On April 25th, Larry and I took the dogs for a walk at Highland Park. Sunny and 80F +, it seemed more like summer than spring in Upstate NY. The first lilacs were breaking bud, and the 100-year-old magnolia collection was in full and spectacular bloom:
Larry, Meisha, and Loki take a break in the shade.
A preview of the annual lilac festival, which will start May 10th this year.
Closeup of my favorite yellow magnolia
Yes, the above and below trees are really magnolias--in Upstate NY.
Later the same day, we had an unusual hail storm. We were glad we went to see the magnolias, as the dime-sized hail (see the view from our front window below) surely trimmed the display. The weather has gone back to cool since then—50s-60s during the day, even a frost one night. Nature has a way of balancing itself out.
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