The hillsides are white with blackberry blooms . . . and the temperatures have dropped into the thirties. Sleet fell -- snow in the higher elevations.
This sort of late cold snap happens often enough that there's a name for it -- Blackberry Winter. Kind of like Indian Summer, but in reverse.
This sort of late cold snap happens often enough that there's a name for it -- Blackberry Winter. Kind of like Indian Summer, but in reverse.
But first I bring in the tender potted plants that were on the porch . . .
Hoping that the rhododendrons and other pretty bloomers make it through the low temperatures predicted for tonight . . .
We'll see. . .
19 comments:
Same out here, Vicki, only we call it 'Dogwood Winter.'
How strange to think that you have blackberry blooms now. Ours are a little way off yet. Wet and grey days, here, at the moment, though.
The last time I came up there was in April and it was snowing when we got there, but we had gorgeous days of pleasant temperatures... much better than the heat we left in Texas!
oh odd that the winter was so mild and not our spring has turned bitter cold....at least we did not get the snow they did up north...
Blackberry winter. Nice to know.
Well, today Blogger published the pre-scheduled post -- wonderous are the ways of Blogger.
AND, I can report that , though it's right chilly outside, we seem to have escaped any freeze or frost damage-- hooray!
Victoria -- we have Dogwood Winter too -- it would have been two weeks ago when they were blooming.
We were spared sleet and snow, but wind amplified the cold for our Blackberry Winter, and we did have a freeze over the weekend. Leaves on redbuds and tulip poplars have turned brown and shriveled. But from the blooms, looks like blackberry picking is going to be good this summer! I can taste the cobblers now.
Vicki, thanks for reminding me of blackberry winter. I'm so glad it didn't get as cold here as predicted, but stayed at 32, rather than going down to 25.
As I sit here, I can see out the corner of my eye the phoebe that flies to the babies in the nest built on top of the wasp nest under the peak of the roof. How I love to watch the business of the parents as they fly back and forth to the nest. they also like to perch on the tree, their tails twitching.
Off the subject---I'm about halfway through "Clara and Mr. Tiffany," and loving all the detail that Susan Vreeland puts in, from the work at the studio to the scenes of the turn of the last century in NYC. Before reading, I knew that a woman was in charge of the glass fabrication, but not how fascinating her life was, or that she hung around with the counterculture people of that era.
Deana the queena
Blackberry Winter, I have never heard of that, but it sounds wonderful and the name for a good book too. Ha.
So good of you to post lovely pics of our blackberry winter...my potted plants are waiting to have sheets taken off. I got tired of lugging them up and down porch stairs, so they're just huddled next to the house this time. The blooming potted gardenia came inside with the freshly transplanted basil, however. Dogwood winter they survived, but the top of the huge butterfly bush (not potted) is still stunted from that frost. I didn't know of these two seasons till moving to Appalachia, but they are indeed exactly as described.
We made it through! Yea!! So far...
Vicki, I've been meaning to comment on your iPaint-ing! Beautiful! How incredibly talented you are! An Amazing woman!
Elora
Are the purple flowers climbing your arbor clemitis or something else? They're beautiful!
Lynne in GA
Sounds like we're in for another crazy weather year. It was in the low 40's here in florida last night. At least the wind isn't blowing a gale like it did for the past two days. Maybe I'll venture outside some today.
I love your posts, Vicki-- it's so beatiful there-- here, an early Colorado spring, things surprised into bloom and thankfully not the dreaded late blizzard...yet. Many years a late freeze and snow have killed the blossoms and hence, in my case, the plums and crab apples...xj
Oh yes, definitely a day for Ba's pound cake. We have loved these chilly days.
Oooo...I made the soup but neglected the comforting pound cake! That sounds fabulous. Glad your pretty blooms made it through the cold -mine did too, even though it was snowing on and off yesterday for several hours. I love that pink rhododendron!
We're in a cold spell too, this April has been a strange one, and it's left us all with what we can only hope is our last cold of the season. Spring colds seem the worst. Yesterday I made the soup, today I will make the fire, and as soon as I'm up for some baking, Ba's pound cake is next. The cayenne pepper sounds very interesting! Thanks for sharing your recipes and your warm home with us.
i think we're having one too, only it doesn't look as pretty as yours.
Yes we've had just the same and I've been in and out of my shed with my precious baby plants - determined that they won't succumb to any unexpected frosts.
Fingers here are crossed for your rhododendrons etc.
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