Good signs: Sitting on an old tree trunk in the woods of an afternoon
listening to birds singing their hearts out and the woodpeckers industrially
drumming into the trees.

Bad signs: Lying in bed at a quarter past seven in the morning listening to
the neighbours shouting their heads off over the noise of their motor mower
as they cut their lawn. (Especially when you're retired and don't need to
get up that early.)

Odd signs: When it's warmer at 11pm (+11.3C) than it was eight hours earlier
at 3pm (+9.4C)

jim, Northampton

On 22/02/2012 23:01, jbm wrote:
Good signs: Sitting on an old tree trunk in the woods of an afternoon
listening to birds singing their hearts out and the woodpeckers
industrially drumming into the trees.

Bad signs: Lying in bed at a quarter past seven in the morning listening
to the neighbours shouting their heads off over the noise of their motor
mower as they cut their lawn. (Especially when you're retired and don't
need to get up that early.)

Odd signs: When it's warmer at 11pm (+11.3C) than it was eight hours
earlier at 3pm (+9.4C)

jim, Northampton

And frogs coming out of hibernation.

Primroses are flourishing in the rockery and the first tiny pink
blossoms are already appearing on the cherry tree out front.

Looking at my diary from 2010 I see that I didn't mention cherry
blossom until April that year, but we'd had a cold easterly February
and, of course, a very cold January and December before it. First half
and end of March 2010 were cold as well.

Stephen.

Rochester, Kent
~60m amsl

On Feb 23, 11:50*am, Stephen Davenport wrote:
Primroses are flourishing in the rockery and the first tiny pink
blossoms are already appearing on the cherry tree out front.

Looking at my diary from 2010 I see that I didn't mention cherry
blossom until April that year, but we'd had a cold easterly February
and, of course, a very cold January and December before it. First half
and end of March 2010 were cold as well.

Stephen.

Rochester, Kent
~60m amsl

New Year 2011 was warmer of course. I distinctly remember the first
true spring weekend of March 2011 being the weekend of the 12/13th,
lots of flowers out by then and also warm after a cold start to March.
Wonder how this year will compare?

Despite little in the way of frost/snow to hold up the interest, this
winter seems to have been a short one. It really seems no time ago
since it was autumn.

Nick

On 23/02/12 13:51, Nick wrote:

Despite little in the way of frost/snow to hold up the interest, this
winter seems to have been a short one.

Yes it has lasted all of two weeks :-)

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ill.co.uk...
On Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:10:51 +0000, Adam Lea wrote:

Despite little in the way of frost/snow to hold up the interest,
this
winter seems to have been a short one.

Yes it has lasted all of two weeks :-)

I'm still waiting for it to start. We've only had 6" or so of snow
mid December, a few sharp frosts, a couple of sugar dustings and one
morning of rain, freezing.

As for cherry blossom, er, our snowdrops are just starting to flower.
The daffs are an inch or so above ground.


Yes it has been a poor winter for snow. Almost got going here but never
quite. Walked in snow on 3 different fixed and pre-planned walks which is
about par for the course in a mild winter up here. We had a 7 day spell with
circa 4-6 inches on high dartmoor, and apart from other odd days, nothing
much else really. A bit of ice of course, plenty of frost but no rime which
is a shame. A number of snow falling days at my house but not much lying for
any length of time and only once did we have problems with the cars when
SWMBO swerved off the road covered in 3 inches of snow and needed a push,
LOL, that was funny getting that phone call. Ah well, we still have March
and there is always next winter and my summer holidays which are always
taken in mountains :-)

My garden is about right for the time of year as the soil got pretty cold
and the grass stopped growing as it usually does (even in mild winters).
Daffs are coming into bud a bit early but snowdrops are out, on time and
looking really nice in drifts. Primroses starting to come and also wilder
flowers. Not much else apart from the stupid mahonia which seems to flower
all winter nowadays. Buds are swelling on the trees, azaleas and rhodos and,
given some dry sunny weather; Spring is not far away. Looking forward to it
TBH.

http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm
Will Hand (Haytor, Devon, 1017 feet asl)
---------------------------------------------

On 24/02/2012 08:45, Eskimo Will wrote:
and also wilder flowers. Not much else apart from the stupid mahonia
which seems to flower all winter nowadays. Buds are swelling on the
trees, azaleas and rhodos and, given some dry sunny weather; Spring is
not far away. Looking forward to it TBH.

So am I.

The last time I lay in the hammock and got some hot sun on my ol'
creaking bones was early October. That's been nearly 5 months, no wonder
my skin is all pale and pasty.

The UV & sun strength should start shooting up once we get into March.
Could even get a UV Index of 5 by the end of the next month.

--
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
20 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

"Nick Gardner" wrote in message
...
On 24/02/2012 08:45, Eskimo Will wrote:
and also wilder flowers. Not much else apart from the stupid mahonia
which seems to flower all winter nowadays. Buds are swelling on the
trees, azaleas and rhodos and, given some dry sunny weather; Spring is
not far away. Looking forward to it TBH.

So am I.

The last time I lay in the hammock and got some hot sun on my ol' creaking
bones was early October. That's been nearly 5 months, no wonder my skin is
all pale and pasty.


Well I'm still quite tanned Nick! Then again I don't mind going out in the
wind/rain/snow/frost /fog it all helps to keep the dartmoor glow, or is that
the effects of radon LOL :-)

The UV & sun strength should start shooting up once we get into March.
Could even get a UV Index of 5 by the end of the next month.

Last Sunday was pretty sunny. OK wind chill -5C, but the sun was still
strong up at 1500 feet.

Will
--

On 24/02/2012 21:32, Eskimo Will wrote:

Well I'm still quite tanned Nick! Then again I don't mind going out in
the wind/rain/snow/frost /fog it all helps to keep the dartmoor glow, or
is that the effects of radon LOL :-)

Will
--


or peat staining?

--
Howard Neil

Evershot, WDorset:

Yesterday (Friday) I saw honey bees nuzzling the snowdrops. Frogs
bellowing in the pond (how do they make that noise under water?). All
the woodland plants I've put around the yew tree are in bud or in
flower. Narcissi have been out for a few weeks now. What a wonderful
time of year!

Hugh

--

Hugh Newbury

www.evershot-weather.org