Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The freeze returns

After a spring- and summer-like week, Vermont winter roared back to remind us of what March is supposed to be like.  Temperatures fell down to freezing, then below.  It was around 20 F at dawn today.

Our little ponds are frozen, and frost covers the forest floor. The cats are resentful, and the chickens huddle for warmth.

I'm glad we didn't plant anything.  Fruit trees are suffering elsewhere.

1 comment:

Charlie Hohn said...

I threw a few seeds in the ground. The resulting seedlings are almost certainly all dead, but they were old seeds, and I needed some time in the garden, even if futile (at least pulling the perennial/biennial weeds that were popping up was not a waste!). Anyway, the gamble made by some introduced plants, but not most natives, has been cast, Winter played its cards, and this time caution was favored. I'll have a followup on how the plants here responded in a few days when it become more clear.

Today was an odd day, as I observed on a long drive around the state. Green plants, already starting to look a bit wilted in some cases, intermixed with re-formed icicles on cliffs and rock faces, mostly unfrozen ponds, icy puddles, and a clear sky. Everything seemed a bit off, as I suppose it was.