Slowing spring down

Earlier this month, we were up in the high 70s, not unheard of, but very, very unusual for March, especially to have it last almost a week.  Most of the crocus and daffodils bloomed.  Many of the flowering trees did as well, and the maple trees flowered, turning their crowns a delicate red or yellow.  All the decidious foundation bushes leafed out, and then–as it tends to do in Michigan–it got cold.  Just in time, I think, to save most of the trees from making a big mistake.

If I remember right, I think maples are phototropic, which means they flower and leaf out according to how much light we are getting, not the temperature. But you know temps fit in there somewhere. We're not done yet with the cool temperatures, but I think we might squeak by with no frost.  If we're lucky.

Someone told me that the large quakes we got last year shifted the earth's tilt by 2 degrees.  I'd really like to know if that is true, because if it is, that might be what we're seeing–if it's not just simply rising global temps. Which is what I'm tending toward, actually.  I've also heard from several sources that our zone map has shifted warmer, which I'd believe as fast as a Fraggle falls asleep at the drop of  a hat.  Still . . . trusting that the last frost date has shifted two weeks is hard.  We've never put in our annuals until memorial day, and the chart I found this year puts the last average frost at April 10th for Ann Arbor.

Anyway . . .  I covered a few bushes the other night when it was supposed to drop down to 26, but after a quick look at the long-range weather, I pulled them off and will just keep a close eye on them.  Most plants can take a little cold, but all my plants are new in the ground, and they don't have a lot of reserves.  But I'm glad it cooled off.  As I said, a lot of trees and bushes are flowering, and as long as it stays cool, they will keep their color.  :-)

It makes it very hard to look at my yard, though, and know it's too cold to play.

Robin watch: She checked out the nest platform again this morning, but again, moved on immediately.