Old man winter has returned to the southern mountains of Appalachia. The spring like days we’ve been having have disappeared leaving a cold wind howling through the holler.
The sudden change in weather reminds me of the following quote from Wilma Dykeman’s book “The Tall Woman.”
“Spring was chancy, but she liked it best of all the seasons. One day would be still and soft with the sun flowing like honey along the hillsides, over the brown winter leaves and the tender green things peeping through, with time slow and the bees buzzing somewhere in the sunshine-forever, forever-and the next day fierce, with the wind tearing through the woods in gusts, shaking the last of dry oak leaves, bending treetops, piercing every crevice of house and clothing with a bitter chill, and time rushing with it down the valley.”
Yesterday as Chatter and I checked on the greenhouse she said it sure was cold outside. I agreed but reminded her we knew well and good winter wasn’t completely gone. She said yes she knew that but the cold seemed colder since we’d had several days of t-shirt weather.
Our forecast for the next week shows several mornings in the 20s. Once the wind lays I’m sure we’ll have a good hard freeze before this cold spell is over.
Since we live on the north side our fruit trees and such are usually about two weeks behind ones farther down the holler and beyond. None of ours are in bloom. I did see one small bloom on our peach tree, but since we only planted it last year we don’t expect it to produce this year.
My hostas are just beginning to poke out of the ground. They will likely freeze and turn to mush, but once warm weather returns they’ll sprout again.
The onions, lettuce, and radishes we have growing should be just fine through the cold and the peppers, cabbages, and tomatoes are still safe indoors.
On these cold spring nights we run a small heater in the greenhouse. The structure doesn’t hold in all the warmth from the sunny day, but at least the heater knocks the chill down a bit during the night.
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Over the ridge, here in northeast Tennessee, we’re having a spell of “Dagwood” winter, as I call it. I say it that way, instead of “dogwood,” just to see how folks respond! We’ll dogwood and redbud are both in bloom, so it could be either or both of those little winters.
By the way, my “brief” article of today referenced, kindly, your article, “The Legend Of The Dogwood,” of 4/23/2010. That’s a very good article.
Y’all stay warm, over the ridge there!
Hi,
Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is REALLY cold.
I am calling this Daffodil Winter.
I read some old minutes left by members of New Hope
Primitive Baptist Church. In 1840s it was recorded that
they had a frost in June and it killed the corn. We never
heard if they were able to replant it or not. Here in the mtns.
their corn crop was vital to their lives.
Let’s hope this year we have 77 F in June!
Kathy Patterson
Since yesterday, we have had 27 inches and still snowing. I had snowdrops blooming and daffodils up about 6 inches. It will snow until tomorrow. The snow is heavy and wet. We lost power for 10 hours today. An almond tree is on the ground and one side of my garden fence is down. The tree fell on blueberry plants. Not sure if they will survive. Strange weather. This should have been our weather in January. We are in Vermont.
Hi,
I want to give you a big hug. Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, we are having a really windy and cold day and night. One of the Lent writers for the church told us to find humor when things don’t go right. I think the Blueberries will make it. They are really hardy. Your poor almond tree. Well, at least it didn’t fall on your neighbor’s house or your house. We are having terrible winds really cold too. The dogs usually sleep in their houses. Tonight they are sleeping under the house (we let them under when it was so cold here -23 F in December).
We have a cool snap here in Volusia County, FL, but nobody is killing hogs. I recently heard about a peach grower in the county. Blooms have now faded. Anxious to see some fruit and curious about the quality. Can’t believe it can match the peaches my home state of SC produces.
Why is winter so often referred to as an “old man”? I am an old man and I’m warm and cuddly!
This got my curiosity up, so I looked up the the long range forecast for my area, after this coming weekend of low nighttime temps of low 30’s it is predicted nighttime lows no lower than the 40’s for the rest of spring. We will see. I guess Daddy will be wrong this year about Easter.
As I read your blog at 10:52 AM, it’s 38 degrees with freeze warnings here in my neck of the woods in NC. Sun is shining, so hopefully it will warm up. My hubby and I watched a bird walking and pecking on the frozen water in one of birdbaths we have for the birds. It’s windy too. Stay warm!
Yes mam Miss Tipper, we knew old man winter wasn’t gone just yet either. It was 35 degrees here in South Carolina this morning and forecasted to get down in the low 30’s the next two nights. We are covering up and trying to protect everything that’s already blooming like our blueberry bushes and our fruit trees.
Looking forward, to full blown spring here real soon.
The young ones not yet learning the temperament of spring can face bitter disappointment. Grandson, fooled by the warm days, made big plans to spend some days at Virginia Beach. One can only imagine how that went south, but we have to learn. I see so many young folks buying tender plants too early to plant, and I must quiet my tongue unless asked. We have learned through trial and error how unpredictable spring can be, and I find myself looking at the ten-day forecast. I don’t recall ever concerning myself with a forecast for the first 40 years of life. I love spring with all its unpredictability, for I know summer will soon follow. Soon kilt lettuce and fresh cucumbers will replace homemade bread and vegetable soup.
We’re having cold weather in Richmond, Va. The next two nights are supposed to be in the 20s. Winter isn’t over yet.
Here in the hill county of Texas it’s in the 40’s this morning. The forecast says Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we will have the 30’s in Am. So ready for spring. Like y’all we have had some really warm almost hot days. On Thursday we will wake up to 30’s and warm up to 80.
Have a blessed day.
I have to agree with Chatter that this cold spell just feels colder, much colder than the actual air temperature. It was hard to get warm yesterday when I had to run errands. I kept turning up the heat in my car until I had it in the high 70s. The fire in the woodstove was a blessing when I got home.
We’ve got bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush beginning to bloom here in Bell County (Temple) which is a sure sign of Spring. I agree with Chatter that it feels colder after all that warm weather that thins the blood before time.
“When March comes in like a lamb, it goes out like a lion.” That is one weather trope I have found to be pretty consistently true.
I know my comment may get me accosted, but I can’t stand a spring TEASE. I’m like Chatter, the break in the cold makes it that much colder. As long as I live I will never forget spending the winter (not my choice, but Uncle Sam’s) in NJ. It was the coldest I ever was and could not get warm literally for weeks on end. Winter gets worse on me every year. I really hate all the wind (50 mph gusts not a problem)ICE, the “s” word (snow) and trying to drive or get around in it. I cannot wait for MAY… I can’t wait to see your garden come alive, Tipper. It’s a highlight of my summer! The reading this morning was indeed beautiful, but shits of winter in spring stink. I’m sticking by it… lol
There’s a light frost on the windshields this morning in southern Greenville County, SC. It is 28 degrees and there’s suppose to be 2 more nights of similar temps and then warm up and rain fo a couple of days and again be in the low 30’s next weekend. I cover up my grandmother’s peony each of these cold nights, it is the only thing I have that belonged to her and I try to take care of it each year in memory of her. I do not know how old it is but know it has been here all of my life – 69 years. Daddy always said there would be a cold snap around Easter, I wonder if that will hold true for this year.
It’s snowing heavy wet white stuff here in the Southern Adirondacks, almost a foot since last night. Pretty to look at but difficult to deal with. The lights are flickering so we’ll likely lose power. Thank you Lord that we have a generator. Spring will be here soon enough and it will melt in time for mud season. We don’t plant until Memorial Day here in these parts.
Yes indeedy, the false Springs are well known around here; well, at least by us. People who have not lived here very long jump through their doors to plant new starts in the garden only to have them frozen the next week. They refused to listen to the locals who said, “Wait”. These newbies thought we were stupid or lazy or …. It turns out that Locals know the science of Spring better than the PhDs. LOL.
You are so right! As a newbie to the northwest Georgia mountains 10 years ago, I had enough sense to mine the wealth of generational knowledge from my wonderful neighbors. Priceless folks, friendship, and old time knowledge.
Snowing and 27 degrees here in East TN as I’m reading your post. Welcomed weather as I was worried about my orchard bluming to early.
I covered my 2 blueberry bushes after putting stakes in the ground to protect the buds and blossoms from the cover. my friend from CT said her mother did that on her blueberry farm. hoping it protects them from the next freezes coming right behind
29° F about 6:30 here but I don’t see any frost. We may have beat the official temp a bit. Freeze watch through tonight.
That’s March. It is a wintry-spring & a spring-wintry month. Dogwoods, some of them anyway, are trying to turn white, so far with not much success.
March showed her true self the last few days here on the Cumberland Plateau. This morning the temperature is in the mid twenties with a 10 MPH wind. A mite airish compared to the weather we had recently. We’ve about wore another winter out though. Spring is on her way.
We’re experiencing the same cold spring weather here in the Midwest. It’s 22° here this morning and it appears to be a clear sunny day so far. But like the old timers say, “If you don’t like the weather in Kansas just wait an hour and it will change.”
49 degrees here in upstate Florida…suppose to get down to 37 or 38 Wednesday and possibly Thursday. Tomatoes are already in the grown so I might have to cover them Stay warm up there, I am praying this is the last of the chilly nights. God Bless.