I have always attributed the signs of spring to foliage. The foliage depends on what area of the country we are living in. In Colorado I was just just glad to see green. In North Carolina it was all those pretty spring flowers. Growing up in Kansas it was seeing daffodils come peeking through the winter landscape.
I now have a new compass to go by and it is the Bradford Pear trees in the middle of our cul-de-sac. When they start getting those beautiful white blooms I know that Spring in Spring TX is right around the corner.
I must admit I do miss those daffodils but here in Spring TX our land is too warm and the only way you can have daffodils is to plant them every year. (Since that does not happen I rarely get to see daffodils except at the grocery store or in pictures.)
I love Spring TX and have learned to live without the daffodils. We have lived in Spring TX since 1997 and one of the things that I love most is the long growing season. This year I tried my hand at winter gardening and I have had a garden all year long.
We h
ad a bit of rough winter so I had to cover my raised beds up a few times. We reaped the benefits with fresh greens, lettuce, kale, spinach, parsley, dill, oregano and cat nip. I had to put a small fence around the cat nip or otherwise it was squashed; especially by my grand-kitty Elle. There's really only a couple of months that are hard to garden in Spring TX and those happen to be in the heat of the summer. The only thing that I have found I can grow in the heat of the summer is okra and eggplant. Last year I think I burnt everyone out on eggplant as they continued clear up until Christmas.
I know there's some controversy about the change in daylight savings time that happened a few years ago. Personally I love it and have been counting the days until we have the longer evenings. The time change is almost here happening this Sunday morning March 13th. If you have not made plans to change your clocks back on Saturday night now is the time to make yourself a note. Otherwise you are going to find you are late to church.
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If you are buying or relocating to Spring TX, Magnolia TX or Tomball TXand need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.
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Copyright © 2011 Marchel Peterson, All Rights Reserved. *Spring forward in Spring, TX that is!!!!*
Have a wonderful spring and summer. Up here in Bellingham WA - we usually have blossoms on many of the flowering trees but not yet this year. The daffodills are up but not yet blooming. Most things will be a little late this year here.
Hi Marchel, we are lucky here in Charlotte. The daffodils are in full bloom as well as the Bradford pear. My mother mentioned daffodils so often while she was living in Florida. She missed them so much. Everyday I bring in a fresh bouquet and she is loving it. Have a wonderful week-end.
Marchel, I love Spring here in Spring TX too ;-). I did not have many success with gardening, the only things that survived is a rosemary bush for my lamb sauce. We did plant some peaches and they bloom with beautiful blossoms now. We also have an apple tree that surprising me 3 years in a row with couple of apples. Guess what kind of apple tree it is. It's an "Anna" apple tree. maybe that's why it's giving me some apples.
Hi Marchel, I am looking forward to seeing the new flowers at Mercer Arboretum this year. They have made some new hiking paths there.
Marchel: I see some "Square Foot Gardening", or raised gardening beds in that backyard picture...very nice!
Marchel the Redbud trees are in full bloom here in New Braunfels and Canyon Lake. Won't be long the Bluebonnets will be popping up. We are so ready for spring.
Ceil
Great reminder Marchel of the upcoming season, the town, and the time change.
Hello Marchel and VB loves spring also but living in Vegas our trees, etc. start to bloom very fast like over one ago, very nice photos and a wonderful post for spring.
Vegas Bob ;o)
Hi Marchel, I had a Buyer showing late this afternoon and I got there about 12 minutes early and the Buyers were already there when I arrived. I thought it was a good sign that they were exited. But they explained why they were early. They said they already set their watches ahead because they like to practice the time change for a few days ahead of the actual change. It certainly broke the ice and we all had a good laugh.
Marchel,
It is so easy to get excited about spring. Greening up and washing away the winter gray, bringing some color to the landscape. Longer hours of daylight.
Enjoy!
I ♥ ♥ ♥ LOVE ♥ ♥ ♥ Daylight Savings Time. The sun shines longer. I wish it would stay that way ALL YEAR LONG!
Marchel, I love your blog post title! Thanks for posting your pic of your raised planters...I remember you said you grew kale when you commented on my "Grandma's Portuguese Kale Soup" post a couple of months ago. That's so cute that you also grow catnip! :)
I am seeing signs of springs on many blogs in the last few days. Here the flowers are starting to show green through the ground and we had a nice warm week, so things will start to happen.
Marchel, I love Spring and the time change. It feels so good to stay out longer at night and still be able to see. The spring is coming in Arlington, Virginia too. I have noticed daffodils starting to bloom and they look pretty. I used to live in Dallas and Austin many years ago and enjoyed the advantages Texas offers, especially more relaxed lifestyle. Happy gardening, and enjoy your "longer days."
Some of the things I love about Spring: daffodils, trees in bloom, tulips, grass beginning to turn green and Daylight Savings Time!
Have a great weekend Marchel!
Marchel,
I know it's corny, but I've already changed the clocks in the office. It's great to observe how God's creation reacts to change... g
Marchel, even with all that snow that we got the daffodils have started come up, and even the trees are showing some buds.
I concur... foliage and longer light in the evening. I can't wait! The first thing in bloom I've seen this spring is the Japanese Cherry Trees... I love them and they are so wonderfully obvious in the gray and browns of winter... Out they come with a burst of pink to almost purple.
I did not realize there were places it was too warm for daffodils! Ours are coming up but we had snow on Thursday night. Up to 60 degrees today and there are buds on trees but it will be a bit until we have blossoms on trees.
I love having light in the evening.
DAN, I do miss those daffodils. I always loved seeing them peeking through winter but I have found other things to love in Spring TX.
JUDITH, I had not thought of Florida not having daffodils either but that makes sense as Florida has almost identical weather to ours.
ANNA, Rosemary for a lamb sauce; now that sounds intriguing. I think part of the key to a good garden is a raised bed and automatic watering.
LIZ, I have not been to Mercer for a few years. A couple of years ago a made a video for my website from there. I will have to check their new trails out.
JANE, Yes, I have 6 raised beds and WOW has that made gardening easy. I checked square foot gardening out but need to check it out farther.
CARL & CEIL, Our redbuds are blooming also. I don't have any in my immediate area though.
GARY WOLTAL, I do love living in Spring and love the season of Spring so very cool to be able to use the play on words.
ROBERT, I love Spring's long growing season. We don't lose our leaves until December and they are back on my March.
WILLIAM, How funny! I like to change the time early in the evening to get my head wrapped around it but a day before; I don't think so.
MIKE, I love Spring in Spring TX!
JONI, I'm with you! I would be thrilled if they kept daylight savings time all year. The only problem would be Arizona as they don't practice daylight savings time and my parents winter there. When the time changes tomorrow I will be 2 hours difference from my folks and this is always confusing.
LEILANI, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my kale as I need to use it soon. I have your Grandma's recipe but could not find the sausage.
Those are lovely trees, Marchel, and you explain the differences in how Spring manifests itself in different areas so beautifully.
STEVE, I remember being so glad to see green when we lived in Colorado. I sure miss those tulips, daffodils and crocus that we can't grow.
ELIZABETH, It was gorgeous here today and looks to be that way all week. We could sure use some rain though; that would REALLY help my garden.
ANN, I love all those things also but sure miss those daffodils.
CHERISE, We changed our clocks early this evening as it helps to get our mind wrapped around the change. I've already got it in my head that I will be at church at 10:00 but it will feel like 9:00 (lol).
GEORGE, You will have to take some daffodil pictures for me. I always loved seeing them peek through the snow.
RENE, Our redbuds and cherry trees are blooming also. I love their splash of color. I just wish it lasted longer but we do have the crepe myrtle that last all summer long.
MAUREEN, Daffodils coming up through the snow; I LOVE IT; but not enough to move back to the cold north (LOL). We were here for several years before it dawned on me that the daffodils, tulips and crocus were missing. That was when I found the ground stayed too warm for the bulbs.
Hi Marchel,
I'm looking forward to the time change myself, I love the longer days, yet it seems early this year. Your garden looks great, we do a "little" year round gardening here too.
Marchel, sorry you're unable to find Portuguese sausage (linguica)...but I think my next best alternative would be to try Italian sausage. I would definitely NOT try Mexican (i.e. chorizo)! :)
Marchel, I'm so jealous of your garden - you have given me inspiration to try harder!
Hi Marchel, in my previous home I had a beautiful Bradford pear in my front yard. I always looked forward to its blossoms as it looked like one giant snowball and, like you, I knew Spring was at-hand.
Marchel, I also love longer evenings, and when everything is in full bloom. (except my sinus's).
I Trying to get over to Bellingrath Gardens, in Mobile AL. and see the tulips in bloom
Hi Marchel -- Wow, you have quite the growing season there, a huge plus for gardeners. I have two brown thumbs and have always been intimidated by trying to do this so I've never started, but I have a huge appreciation for those that do. My wife and I used to order this beyond delicious "crispy fried eggplant" dish as a really good Chinese restaurant where we lived previously and tried to make it at home to no avail.
Marchel--As dumb as this sounds, I really don't know how the seasons work in the warm climate. Could you grow tomatoes all year if you wanted to? I had no idea it was too warm for daffodils. I would definitely be buying some in pots and try to get them to come back next year? Or mail bulbs to my friends in cooler climates to put out in the fall.
Marchel, I love to see the Bradford Pear trees start to bloom and see the beautiful white blooms. Our trees have not started to bloom yet, but the daffadils are showing there beautiful heads.
Marchel - Love your gardens and it looks beautiful in Texas as things are starting to bloom. It will be a few months before we see anything like this. Right now I have some tulips, blue bells and daffodils just beginning to pop out of the ground - won't be long now!
Marchel: The original show years ago was hosted by Mel Bartholomew. I found this link to be the most descriptive! http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/have-you-tried-square-foot-gardening.html
Marchel, I love the garden! My wife and I have a winter garden in a raised bed, but we haven't gotten around to our spring garden (oops). Great to see others sharing in the agrarian effort.
Marchel I too love the blossoms of the pear trees. I see you nice raised beds and suddenly remember how much work has to be done after the winter to get the beds ready.
Happy growing season.