Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Say It Ain't So

I "pansified" my gardens, and I am doing OK (today).


After the winter from hell (hell must have also frozen over), I could not wait to color my little world with flowers.  When the temperatures finally went up last week, and buds were seen on trees, I drove to a local nursery and over-purchased many pansy plants, probably too many. I desperately wanted spring to finally arrive and I needed to surround myself with new life.  What a glorious weekend we had with temperatures reaching up to the low 80's.  Friends were seen, dinners were eaten outside, and blossoms on the trees were more appreciated than ever before.  That horrid season was over, done with, gone, ended, finito. Winter was now just a bad memory.  Planning for the better days ahead was the conversation heard most.  Then, Sunday, a new weather report was issued and it included the words, "freezing temperatures and snow".  How could that be?  It is April, for goodness sakes. This morning I saw on the news that this was already happening to areas in the south and the poor, weather-plagued Midwest. Snow, hail, winds, slippery, dangerous roads were all brought up again, and our hearts sank with that prediction.  However, what I saw next gave me encouragement and hope.  This new arctic blast will only last two days and then it is smooth sailing ahead.  The sun will shine again, buds on the trees will continue to open, the colorful birds will nest and my pansies will survive this latest blast.  We all will survive!

You just have to have hope, high hopes.



52 comments:

  1. It is frustrating - when we finally think we can relax and start planting and the weather has other plans. I do hope your pansies make it through the cold blast and that will be winter's final sting.

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    1. The pansies should be fine as they are cool weather plants that can take a frost. I just hate to see them covered with snow as that is just wrong, wrong, wrong.

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  2. We woke up to snow this morning and it's still falling on and off....don't worry your pansies will be fine..they are tough little guys.

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  3. Plants are stubborn, and your pansies will defy the snow. Go Pansies!

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    1. I brought all the pots into the garage. They would probably be OK, but they would take a few days to recover and I want them to look nice for the family dinner on Sunday. Meanwhile, between the pansies and alyssum, my garage smells wonderful.

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    2. After reading your post, I went to our local Green Thumb nursery and asked where the pansies were. "Oh, pansies are a late summer flower, early fall, here in So. California."
      What?!
      No fair.

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    3. Yes, they do best in cooler temps. I plant them in the spring, dispose of them in June, and get new ones in September. If the winter is mild, they will last through the colder months and bloom again in spring. I do love their happy faces and all the beautiful colors they have.

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  4. Hello Arleen:

    And we have such high hopes for you that the corner has, finally, been turned and that, before you know it, you pansies will be basking in the warmth of a continuous spring sun and you will be enjoying everything that the season has to offer. But what a winter, by all accounts, you have had whereas here we have seen little in the way of the normal falls of snow and overall, since Christmas, it has been quite mild.

    For now we both wish you joy and peace this coming Eastertide.

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    1. This is the year that we should have taken a European vacation, Jane and Lance. However, somebody had to be home to clean up the mess.

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  5. Brrr, I think that you've had my share of snow along with everyone else's! Your lovely weekend was a taster for what is to come. Good wishes to you and the pansies! :-) X

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  6. The weather has gone mad I tell ya ~ I don't know if Spring is coming or going from day to day . Today the winds were so high I about blew half way across the field like a kite . I think the only thing that held me down was that I was leading a horse . lol

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  7. Love pansies colourful little faces - and Delores is right. They are survivors.
    I hope Spring comes in, shuts the door and settles down with you soon.

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    1. I also love their beautiful little faces also, EC, and they are all protected now inside.

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  8. We're in that weather forecast, snow starting tonight; anywhere from 3 to 12 inches!! Aaarrrgghhh. We just got back from Virginia, a road trip; it was 81 in Illinois on Saturday! I sure could use some color in my world right now; anything except.....white!! Wishing you sunny, warm temps to be here soon!

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    1. I have great hope that next week will be sunny and warm, and all of us will be enjoying the beautiful spring we deserve. Keep the faith, Linda, keep the faith.

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  9. I didn't do it; I couldn't bear to think of little frozen pansy faces. This weekend! Although the weatherman did remark on a recent year that we had snow on April 24.

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  10. I think a lot of folks are thinking about moving to Florida after this past winter. I know your garden will be fine and I'm looking forward to seeing your flowers in bloom soon.

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  11. Yes, Florida is looking better and better every day. However, it is way too hot in the summer.

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  12. I love pansies! They look like eager little faces, smiling up at you. I hope they survive the freeze and that you get your long-awaited Spring very soon. :)

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    1. We got the freeze and the high winds but no snow. The pansies would have survived outside as they are cold weather plants, but they would have been beaten up.

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  13. We have had very little real 'Winter' this year, and Spring has sprung beautifully. I've even planted out my tomato plants.

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    1. Yes, it seems Europe had it easy this year. Mother Nature gave it all to us. Warm weather is coming back next week.

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  14. Pansies are hardier than their name implies. We've had them survive frosts here in N. California. I believe your pansies will surprise you.

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    1. Yes, Geo, pansies can take on the more difficult elements. The word pansy has gotten a bad wrap.

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  15. Spring is the world wide season of hope. (That is, in the places where they have seasons!) It's definitely my favourite time of the year. The snowdrops and crocuses have been and gone and now even the daffodils are beginning to fade - roll on the tulips!
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s fabulous Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. Everyone loves spring for all the hope it brings. This year, especially, in the US, spring couldn't come fast enough.

      I hope you are enjoying your spring, Bazza, and that your world is painted in bright colors.

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  16. Hi Arleen,

    The almost never ending winter over there. We have been pansified for at least a month in Britain. Unbelievably, we had not snow at all this winter. Then again, probably snow in May.

    Happy spring and the rebirth of the land.

    Penny's fictional human,

    Gary

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  17. It was 80 degrees on Saturday, and I couldn't believe when it started snowing on Monday. Hope it warms up by you soon, and your cool weather pansies are in full bloom.

    Julie

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  18. This endless winter has definitely been a nightmare in nearly every part of the country. If we all keep thinking positive thoughts, perhaps we can finally banish its memory forever!

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    1. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts, positive thoughts...............!

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  19. So true! This winter truly has been brutal. We got hit with those same storms/weather as you know. I think this weekend all will melt though and spring will arrive. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  20. Thanks very much for visiting my blog, Arleen. I really appreciated your personal take on Pennhurst since you live near there. Of all my "haunted" posts, this was the most distressing. (Also odd that Pennsylvania has so many haunted places and stories - more than any other state I found. Hmm...)

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  21. pretty nice blog, following :)

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  22. Pansies are such a happy flower, and hardy too. They are one of my very favorites. I'm glad things are warming up for you a little bit finally.

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  23. We've got pansies planted around our building and they seem to have come through this last cold snap. Hope it's a snap. I am so eager for three warm days in a row.

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  24. Dear Arleen, thanks for sharing that happy song sung by Frank Sinatra and his young friend. I'd totally forgotten the song and it makes my heart happy to hear it again.

    I hope the snow didn't freeze your pansies and that they survived to thrive this spring. Peace.

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  25. I love your picture. Yellow is such a happy color. And I love your pansies - who can't like pansies. I also loved Frankie - no one else like him ever. I'm really dating myself, but back then we had "real" music! Hope you had a wonderful Easter.

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  26. Great song and beautiful flowers! Thanks for the smile!

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  27. that is a great song and i agree, spring needs to be celebrated big time, this was a winter like no other!!!!! The flowers are lovely!

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  28. Arleen, I do hope your spring is back and beautiful. Here in the south we actually plant our pansies in autumn. Even with the long frigid temperatures this year they survived and flourished once the mercury began to rise. It is now time to remove them and plant impatiens. Maybe next weekend. Have a wonderful Sunday. Bonnie

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  29. Nice to see the pansy plants. It is good to grow them at this climate!

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  30. We're finally staying above freezing! The hyacinths are out in a small purple riot and in a couple of weeks it will be planting time! We made it!!

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  31. My goodness, your weather is no joke this year. But you are right, the summer will come in the end and then you will appreciate it more than ever!

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  32. My goodness, I never thought that you would get frost in the lovely isles of Hawaii.

    At least it's not as bad as Scotland.

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  33. We are on the second day of summer like weather. I've dug and weeded for hours. Not looking great for the weekend but I need a rest anyway. Like you I have overdone it a bit on purchases hence the digging. I never learn.

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  34. Weird weather, for sure. Our windows are open, and it's deliciously cool. Usually, by this time of year, our air conditioner has been blasting for weeks.

    I hope your pansies survived. Here, we plant them in late fall, and they bloom all winter long, and last until the heat gets to them.

    Happy weekend!

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