Café tables are out!

A bit early for the asparagus around here - May here for that. We now have daffodils trying. They seem to be mostly trying here in the Midlands but in the southern half of Oxford yesterday they seem well established. There are plenty of crocuses about.

In terms of other signs of Spring - here in the UK it will be the tulips and then the bluebells. It Texas it always was the Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush.

Daffodils have bloomed and faded here. Hydrangea are sporting buds. Grass is greening. Trees are budding and some blooming. The Bradford Pear tree lines many roads and graces many front yards here and is famous - or imfamous- for its lovely white flowers- and its awful yellow pollen which makes cars all the same color. AND it makes anyone with any allergy problems sneeze and wheeze and cough.

At two AM last night when I got up to check the horses the coyotes were singing.

Yep, all the cafe tables are out here, the birds are singing madly by 05:00, chasing each other about. Saw my 1st City Bee yesterday and all the crocuses are in bloom, as well as a few forsythias. Already went to an Easter Market in Seligenstadt, once in Feb. and last weekend. Will go to another one here in Frankfurt this weekend too. Love to watch them do artistic things to those eggs. The fountains are starting to be filled and turned on. That is always a good sign. The buskers and musicians are out in full force, adding to the liveliness of the city. Have actually seen some asparagus and strawberries in the Farmers markets, but the season is a little bit later in the spring. Hooray for Spring and no long johns.

Our tourist " invasion " has just started. We get about 2M guests every year, but thanks to them, our taxes remain somewhat low. Happy early Spring to all.

We are starting to have bud break in the wine country. And rain is predicted for next week. Not good news for vintners... But it's beautiful today!

The Canadians are arriving in Myrtle Beach!!!

Baseball has started in the Valley of the Sun.

Must be nice, it snowed on my drive to work this morning. Oh well, to be fair we've had a very mild winter and a few days ago it was 16 degrees!

The surfers have changed from full length wetsuits to short wetsuits.

Thunderstorms!! As I type! Which is an excellent thing as we've been in such a terrible drought. Nigel - hardly any Bluebonnets last year, but they should be amazing in a week or two with all of the rain we're getting.

In the Land of La there are no seasons. Oh alright, the dogwood trees have bloomed. That and the abundance of Cadbury Eggs, Peeps, and jelly beans on sale in the grocery stores. Signs of Spring in Los Angeles.

Here in Seattle, the crows and other birds starting to build nests & the crocus have bloomed. Last week, off the Kona coast, I saw humpback whales spouting off and frolicking - maybe on a migration. Love Spring.

New Yorkers running errands at lunch time in shirt sleeves. People eating lunch again in the park and soaking up the sun. The pubs and taverns open up the doors and windows to the street and the party starts to flow a little bit onto the sidewalk.

Well, beside the coyotes yipping, per Monte's post, many of us are considering swapping out our snow tires for our regular tires. Just thinking mind you...lol...it is Idaho after all!

On Thursday I wore short pants (where's Kent) in Denver. We'll get a couple of days in the 70s next week. February is normally one of our least snowy months (too cold) and March the snowiest. We just had the second snowiest February in history. Due to global warming, February is the new March and April comes in March, now.

Spring has yet to fully bloom in Southern Germany. We saw a brief bit of it in Strasbourg on Tuesday - the sun was shining, it was warm enough that we could sit outside at a cafe without our scarves or coats, and even saw a bee! - but it's still been in the 40s or lower during the day the rest of the time, and gray, gray, gray. It snowed briefly twice in Munich on Thursday and Friday, and still saw old snow on the hillsides in the Black Forest. But the birds are getting loud again and there are tulips and daffodils in the markets so I know it's right around the corner...right? I can't take much more of this!

Nigel, You have apparently been to Texas in the spring as you know about our state flower, the Bluebonnet and the equally beautiful Paint Brush. They will be blooming soon as we have had a very mild winter. One of my favorite things is to drive thru the hill country in the
spring.

Saw a BUNCH of bluebonnets this morning on my way home from church:)

Signs of Spring:
I flew all the way to the Texas to see the bluebonnets.....and discovered they are called lupins here in my own backyard in California! I must admit, the waves of blue in the Hill Country can't be beat. The shamrocks are out in a timely fashion and the primroses provide gay color after the doldrums of winter. Spotted a morning dove in my back yard this morning to my (indoor) cat's delight. The travel brochures have increased my mail threefold. The bum warmer in the car is officially in the off position. Bring it on!

Holy cow! I just looked at the weather forecast. Next Saturday (St Pat's day!) it is supposed to be 20 degrees and Sunny in Vienna! Somewhere out there, there is a cafe' table in the sun with my name on it.

Tulips are everywhere in bloom in the municipal gardens. In the markets, the strawberry season is almost ended, and the aisles will be redolant with fresh garlic in a week or two. Fresh peas and apricots will be along then as well. Spring cleaning has officially started: cleaning supplies are all on sale in the supermarkets. And I have packed away my new Italian leather gloves and and wearing sandals again.