One definite difference is that spring takes so.darn.long to arrive. I've witnessed four provincial springs so far; four springs in Fredericton NB, two in Montreal Qc and two in Vernon BC (and of course the 22 odd growing up in Nova Scotia). I can tell you without a doubt that spring actually *happens* in other provinces whereas here it's cold, it rains and is chilly and damp right up until the 2-4 May weekend. Yay. Buds are barely coming out in the southern part of the province come May.
I really do not look forward to spring.
This type of weather definitely makes it difficult to plan some specific environmental changes. I've been flabbergasted reading some bloggy-friend posts where they're already planning gardens and seeing greenery and buds shooting up and out. Whaaaa?? Sigh. Or taking out the bicycle, or yoga in the park...
I've come up with a few "bright sides" to this otherwise gloomy tendency for spring:
- A long drawn out non-spring means a LOT of time to plan our urban/guerrilla garden. Yep, this is THE year. I've seen our neighbours walk up the fire escape (well our upstairs neighbours actually climb in and out of their window like it's a door) to the flat roof to sunbathe last year. I am SO planting stuff up there... just have to ask neighbour A. if we have to be clandestine about it...
- Every little change in temperature (for the better) is to be celebrated. For example, the past few days have been above zero. Yay us!
- Instead of walking in freezing -30 degree (C) winds to work, I now am walking in rain. Much warmer.
- A longer non-spring means a lot of water for our beautiful lands and earth to grow.
- We can now leave our windows open since it is above freezing and I really love listening to the rain.
- We get a LOT of thunderstorms. I love thunderstorms.
Blessings!
article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com
Spring does take forever here but you can get started on your veggie garden now. Though I found it a pain in the butt with cats because they would knock over all my little seed starters.
ReplyDeleteI am from Fredericton originally!
i will take warm rain when i ride my bike to work any day over icy freezing rain or black-iced streets to worry about on my bike!!! :)
ReplyDeleteplanted my green onions and more garlic, and watching my overwintering onions starting to grow more. peas get planted by st. patty's day and carrot & onion seeds and early potatoes go in soon.
what, us crazy urban farmers? it is march, ya know - spring starts in 2 weeks!
it's march and i've started contemplating this year's garden. except as usual i don't know if i'll get to live in this apartment all the way through the summer. so annoying. so never sure how much energy to put into it. but wondering if i should try seedlings indoors this year, in which case i should start soon. and also planning my first potluck for the first weekend of april when even if it's not warm enough to be outside the whole time, we could at least stand outside for a bit...
ReplyDeleteI move all the time and yet I've never been able to avoid wintery places. Maybe California someday.
ReplyDeleteI feel you on this one!! Up here in AK, our spring doesn't come until late April, May. It has actually been in the 20s and 30s here in the last week or so. Actually warm enough to get outside if it wasn't for the wind. Ah... summer is coming, though. And I can't wait. We will get to see spring buds and warm breezes soon!!
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