Puget Sound Post

Spring Bursts Out in NW

Posted by: PugetSoundPost, 23. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 03:21 (GMT)

April 26, 10:25 pm

Spring storms have set in now. The last two days have been rather rainy and cooler. Socked in skies and showers, hard rain at times. But some sunshine, as in this afternoon, which gave way to quite moody skies too. Pretty typical "spring storms" type sky. Last night let loose with a few thunder claps, but nothing too dramatic. Since yesterday we have received .81" rain.

April 24, 9:20 pm

Back to normal. Our nice burst of spring we had over the past few days has passed. Clouds and some misty drizzle at times was back, along with much cooler temperatures. After our 75 of yesterday, the jackets were back out today to deal with our mid 50's. More of a rain is expected by tomorrow.

Re-stocked our birds' pantries this afternoon, and put off a trip to the garden store for flowers. I am hoping to get our flowers potted and planted outside before too long. We have a lot of big events looming on our calendar in the next weeks and months, and I am hoping to get the yard work done soon so I can move on to all the other demands.

April 22, 8:15 PM

The house is quiet this lovely evening - everyone who is here is busy at their own computers, so I will join the crowd and do some updates on this blog. Besides, I have an hour or so to fill while waiting to go pick up my son and some friends at the airport as they return from Los Angeles and a conference. It is too bad they were not here yesterday or today! Wonderful weather has graced the Pacific Northwest.

The sun came out and the temperature rose! Yesterday was quite nice - reaching 76 degrees, and today topped it at 78! The warmest in forever, it seems. People love it, we love it, and life just changes all around when this happens for the first time of the season. Shorts come out, yard work gets done, and windows are flung open. Just nice. Blossoms are on the cherry trees, tulips are blooming, our camelia is in full bloom, the rhodies are in the midst of their staggered starts through spring, and it is certainly spring now!

To keep up with everyone in their enthusiasm, I went out today and did my first yard work of the year. Took on a big project to clean out dead and fallen leaves scrunched under bushes with winter's winds, and pull weeds. It was good to get out and do something like that, but it felt too hot while working! Other neighbors were out and we all said the same thing. Can't win. We wait and wait for some really nice weather, then right away it is too hot. Well, we will get used to it and manage; if this would keep up! Tomorrow should be nice too, but then rain creeps back onto the scene by the middle of the week. That will be good for my daughter's garden that she started a week ago. Phase 1 of the garden anyway. First sprouts of radish are up today and it looks like lettuce and carrots may be starting to poke through too.

Since we are nicely in the middle of spring now, I thought I would add a little spring color to this blog and post an old photo of ours, taken two springs ago, of the wonderful tulip fields of Skagit County, north of us an hour or so.

April 22
Sunrise: 6:05 AM --- Sunset: 8:09 PM (PDT)
(gaining 3 minutes, 12 seconds tomorrow)

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1. polarbytes 23. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 12:40 (GMT)
Lucky you!! Enjoy for me as well. We went to Skagit some many years ago to witness a scene very much like the one in your photo. It's a magical place when the flowers are all in bloom. We had hoped to be in the NW this june, but plans change, one of the boys can't get off work so not sure now. Later in the summer runs into soccer and they both play in the summer league. We, too, have had a nice run of weather, some 5-10 degrees above normal and the snow pak is nicely disappearing. Still have 4-6 foot snow berms and about 2 feet on the level, but all-in-all, it seems to be going faster this year than normal. Can't wait to join you in getting my hands dirty. Relish the sun and your week ahead. Member Since: 10.02.2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 73

2. BriarCraft 24. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 00:19 (GMT)
Hey Puget! What's that bright light in the sky? And where'd that strange sky color come from? And, and it was too warm to turn the heat on this morning when I got up. What gives??? I just finished up with my goals for this stretch of nice weather and am having a little sit-down-and-rest before starting dinner. I haven't made it out to see any tulip farms yet this year, but it's not too late. Thanks for the reminder! DeGoede, near Mossyrock, about 30 miles east of here has about 400 acres of tulip fields. Being in the foothills of the Cascades, they tend to blossom a bit later than the Skagit tulips. May have to head up there on of these days. Member Since: 21.06.2004 Posts: 49 Comments: 2431

3. PugetSoundPost 24. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 15:48 (GMT)
Hi Polar! It sounds like you are nicely pulling out of winter, finally! Now kind of a swing in the opposite direction? At least maybe for now... Sure must feel good to warm up and start losing all that white! Colors will be good for you! I know how hard it gets to be able to do anything when the kids are in high school and above. We have four and trying to coordinate everyone together has become pretty much impossible in recent years. So, we have started doing something I used to think I would really never want to do - just doing things with anyone who is available, which means some just miss out. Some have missed some major trips - like our last trip to Alaska in 2009. We took the ferry from Prince Rupert to Haines, then drove clear to Prudhoe Bay, and drove all the way home from there, as the basic route, with some little sideways runs. I hated to leave two at home, but they were super busy and so it went. That was our last "big trip", as it just gets harder and harder, but the last couple of summers we have done little, more local outings or short trips, and each time it is pretty much a different combination of people in the car with us. Now one will be married on Sept. 1, so our group keeps spinning in different directions. A time of big transitions and I think you are getting there quickly too. Good cloudy morning Briar! The clouds have rolled back today, as predicted. It was a glorious run of a few days, wasn't it? Our high out of the several days of nice weather was 78 on Sunday. As I wrote above, it felt quite "hot" outside doing yard work, but it was great to get out! We haven't been to see the tulips since that photo I put up here - never enough time to make it around to even delightful things! I sure hope you can maybe get to the fields close by you. They are good for the soul to just take time with and soak in. Member Since: 8.10.2001 Posts: 155 Comments: 612

4. calpoppy 24. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 23:33 (GMT)
Hi PSP! Glad you had some sunshine even if it was only for a few days. Sometimes it is much more appreciated then when it is continuous! Filling up feeders today, two oriole feeders, one hummer feeder, one thistle (nyjer) sock and a bunch of seed thrown down for the ground birds. The orioles should be starting their nests now. I already hear baby birds (probably sparrows or house finches) that have just hatched as they make such small sounds. The ravens are carrying large sticks around to make their nests and the alpha pair of coyotes haven't been seen for a week or so. She should be about due for her pups to arrive. Spring is certainly here!!! Member Since: 18.02.2008 Posts: 33 Comments: 2435

5. PugetSoundPost 25. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 04:27 (GMT)
Hi Calpoppy! Sounds like we were doing similar things today - at least with our birds! But you have so much more wildlife to keep track of! I am content with our little brood around the yard and neighborhood. Spring is a nice time of "starting over" for everyone, and all the little animal babies are so delightful! Member Since: 8.10.2001 Posts: 155 Comments: 612

6. polarbytes 25. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 12:52 (GMT)
Still sunny and wonderful up here! Sounds like your AK trip was quite an adventure!! PB, wow, many people don't make that drive who have lived here all their lives. My wife has worked up there since 86, but has recently transferred to the Philipps plant just 3 miles from home, quite a change for everyone to have her home every night. She needs three more yrs until retirement. It looks like things may work out for our trip after all, and we are expanding to Colorado to see our two daughters who have recently relocated there. Birds are active here to, but not like the birds you all have Outside. With snow still on the ground you would think they would take advantage of the feeders, but they seem to do just fine, thank you, all on their own. But the squirrels love the feeders, LOH. Went to our first soccer game at one of the schools where they have much less snow, but still, wind coming off the mts, made for a "cool" viewing experience! Only in AK do we play HS soccer in the snow of spring. Member Since: 10.02.2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 73

7. PugetSoundPost 27. huhtikuuta 2012 klo 05:17 (GMT)
I'm glad your trip is back "on", Polarbytes! And to now even expand it is so much better! It will be wonderful getting out to different scenery (which is good for all of us!), and to see family too. I hope your team won the game, as long as you had to sit out in the spring chill! I used to sit out at various "spring" sports. So many times it was pretty miserable. Too cool (30's at times), with rain, wind, hail, etc. I remember one track meet with snow falling, but not sticking. During the crummy conditions of spring, we few fans at any of the sports would wrap ourselves into little cocoons of blankets, gloves, umbrellas and coats, and once in those, a person cannot move an inch, or the cold seeps in and ruins it all for another long while before you can get just a bit warmer. Mostly cold rain, with some wind, is what we would battle. Yes, our trip to AK was quite an adventure, but lots of fun. In the mid 1980's my husband and I drove up the Dalton as far as they let the public go at that time - a ways north of Coldfoot. That trip was a lot more adventurous, but this last one (so glad we can drive all the way through now!) was terrific. Your wife must have a lot of tales to tell about her time in PB! I love it up there, but our visit was far from being there as a worker or for extended times. I'd love to give it a try! For awhile, at least! lol! Member Since: 8.10.2001 Posts: 155 Comments: 612

8. BriarCraft 1. toukokuuta 2012 klo 00:04 (GMT)
Seeing you write about just doing things with whatever family members are available -- that's a wise move. If you wait until all are willing and available, you would miss so much. Far better to enjoy what you can, when you can. Life's too short to spend it waiting. I think you've done quite well this past year with the day trips you've taken, too. There's so much to see and do within day trip range and yet too many people take it granted and don't bother to enjoy what they have. Member Since: 21.06.2004 Posts: 49 Comments: 2431

9. JanesVacation 1. toukokuuta 2012 klo 11:48 (GMT)
I love your tulip field picture. This month is our hometown Tulip Time festival. A yearly celebration of all things "Dutch." It is going to be more of a stem festival this year because of the early, warm (hot) days in March. Planning our daughter's wedding 2 years ago was one of the most pleasant times of my life. It was more fun than my own! Enjoy every moment...now I'm just waiting for the grandchildren to begin! :) Member Since: 21.06.2008 Posts: 258 Comments: 1253

10. polarbytes 1. toukokuuta 2012 klo 13:01 (GMT)
I agree with Briar, you can't wait for every "star" to align to do things! It's just that with the price of tickets to go anywhere almost prohibitive, we try and get everybody on board, if it's at all possible. And, I do enjoy traveling with the boys; plenty of time to go places with just the wife and I and a few years. By then, they will hopefully buy our tickets, hah, hah, hah!! Anyway, unlike all you PNW'ers, our weather is sunny and dry, gloat, gloat, gloat, with only a few feet of snow left to remind us of what was. Still a month away, however, before spring growth, temps still below freezing at night. And our soccer trip to Anchorage this past weekend was a success, both with the weather and the scores, won one and tied another. And nice for the boys, and the spectators, to play on fields not ringed by huge snow berms! Member Since: 10.02.2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 73

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About PugetSoundPost

Weather has been a lifelong passion for me; while my husband and 4 kids all in college and beyond, one now married, have patiently gone along with me!

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