Spring forecast

Spring arrives today at 3:45 pm in Seattle.  This is the vernal equinox, that very pleasant time of year when day and night are close to equal. The hours of day and night are almost the same for all creatures living everywhere on the planet, from penguins to rattlesnakes.

 The world sunlight map at the equinox

Oh dear.  I saw on the news this morning you are enjoying "Winter Storm Ultima" on the east coast.  What a winter.  No one deserves spring weather more.

For the west coast, the new 30-90 day weather forecast from NOAA (if you care about such things) shows warmer and drier conditions than normal in April, and for that matter, right on into summer.

We have a rainy weekend ahead, but at least it's relatively warm rain. Temperatures are in the 50's most days approaching 60.  The plum tree is blooming and I hope the bees are awake to pollinate it. The flower beds love rain and this is the only time of year when the lawn looks like emerald green velvet. All that moss blends right in with the grass! I noticed yesterday the first tulips are ready to pop open and they should be beautiful for Easter.

I wasn't going to plant any new fancy lilies this year, but got suckered in once again at Costco and bought a $12 bag of super show-offy ones.

Costco claims they have turned the warehouse shopping experience into an "adventure."  I guess so, if you consider an "adventure" wandering around the acreage trying to find a box of oatmeal.  You can easily find the stuff everyone buys, like toilet paper and rotisserie chicken, because it's always at the back of the store, which gives the shopper lots of opportunity for those impulse purchases.

Besides, the mentality of the place is such that you feel you deserve a treat after trudging across the parking lot and wandering around in there "saving money."  Maybe a jar of miracle face cream, maybe a bag of bulbs, maybe a hot dog on the way out.  In that regard,  I'm the model Costco shopper. 

I'm anxious to get my new lily bulbs in the ground while they are fresh and moist, but I have to wait until the old ones pop their heads out of the ground, or I'll chop them off by accident.  This has been known to happen, and then unladylike words emanate from the beautiful spring garden.