# Early harbingers of spring where you live **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 12, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592 "2014-01-12T17:49:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/1 "2014-01-12T17:49:27Z")
Yayyyy! My snowdrops are peeking out from the ground! Only 2 or 3 months till spring! ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/51bf81/32.png) [@Big\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Blue)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/2 "2014-01-12T18:31:36Z")
So far, I am only getting ads to my email and paper catalogs to purchase rosebushes and flower seeds! But, since a couple days of epic cold we have had two of “warmth”, such that I wanted to be out there cleaning up beds. I didn’t though. Way too early to remove the cover from the tender stuff! I’ll have to check, but I’m sure I will see my winter aconite first, then the crocus that grow all through the grass, then the snow drops. The aconite bloom right through the snow. I just love to see their sunny faces when they do. Sure sign that spring will come again, no matter how hard it is to believe. I’ll keep you up to date for first sightings! I’m fearful I may have lost some roses this winter. I’ve been pushing the zone envelope with a few varieties. Hopefully no total losses, though I do see some winter freeze damage. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/51bf81/32.png) [@Big\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Blue)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/3 "2014-01-12T18:45:14Z")
All three are on the way up and have broken soil! Just a tease for what is in store, but great none the less! Go Spring!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/4 "2014-01-12T18:54:07Z")
There are a variety of flowering cherry trees down the street, and the early ones usually start in February. The later ones start in late March and last seemingly for months. It’s been such a warm, dry winter so far, I don’t know what they’re going to do this year. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/5 "2014-01-12T18:59:28Z")
I saw a robin the other day, but it’s still the middle of winter. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/6 "2014-01-12T19:29:04Z")
Still waiting for something resembling winter to happen here in Sacramento. But the bulbs are sprouting, so maybe we’re just going to skip winter this year. I’m looking out for cactus to start popping up if the weather pattern doesn’t change soon … ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/7 "2014-01-13T02:28:11Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > Still waiting for something resembling winter to happen here in Sacramento. But the bulbs are sprouting, so maybe we’re just going to skip winter this year. I’m looking out for cactus to start popping up if the weather pattern doesn’t change soon … Sacramento forecast calls for warming, for another week or two at least. The temperature is supposed to be near the record for this time of year. Cite: [Sacramento area temperatures to be near record highs this week](http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/01/12/3436766/sacramento-area-temperatures-to.html), Tillie Fong, Sac Bee, January 12, 2014 (as re-printed in Merced Sun-Star). ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/8 "2014-01-13T03:48:36Z")
Honest answer: Traffic gets lighter. We had one day of cold last week…but we get months of northerners that like our “winter” weather. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/9 "2014-01-13T04:43:58Z")
The ski shops are putting out their golf gear. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/10 "2014-01-13T05:04:48Z")
Fireworks go on sale for 4th of July. Actually, that’s not true. It’s road repair. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/11 "2014-01-13T11:31:10Z")
Already received a 2014 seed catalog, and Wally\*World put out their gardening stuff on Dec 26th. For real. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/12 "2014-01-13T12:10:17Z")
I’ll let you know in June when spring comes. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/13 "2014-01-13T13:22:56Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I’ll let you know in June when spring comes. A good year in the UP is when summer falls on a weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/14 "2014-01-13T13:38:35Z")
The lakers (big ships) head out from the shipyards, preceded by the Coast Guard icebreaker. Usually happens about March 15. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/15 "2014-01-13T13:40:06Z")
The thinner twigs on the silver birch trees turn purplish. I haven’t noticed this happening yet this year. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/16 "2014-01-13T13:45:04Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > Already received a 2014 seed catalog I’ve received about a dozen of them, most before January. So they’re really only a harbinger of the dead of winter. During thaws I’ll see flowers on the front yard hellebores. But the first real sign of spring around here is when the vultures migrate through [on their way back to Hinckley, Ohio](http://cleveland.about.com/od/clevelandareaparks/p/buzzards.htm). There’s nothing like that first nice spring day with vultures. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/17 "2014-01-13T15:21:06Z")
Around February 1st we’ll start seeing pine pollen. A little bit at first and then by March it covers everything. That sticky yellow spawn of horny pine trees will be everywhere! ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/18 "2014-01-13T16:02:23Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > Around February 1st we’ll start seeing pine pollen. A little bit at first and then by March it covers everything. That sticky yellow spawn of horny pine trees will be everywhere! That is no lie. I live next to this and yellow spawn covers everything. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piney\_Woods](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piney_Woods) ICK **Capt** ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/19 "2014-01-13T16:11:43Z")
The harbinger if spring here in Central Texas is the end of Fall. Winter is just kind of a quaint concept that we cling to for sentimental reasons. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592/20 "2014-01-13T16:34:34Z")
The ospreys which have nested in front of my work on a lightpole for the last two years should show up again sometime in late February. Can’t wait. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-harbingers-of-spring-where-you-live/678592.md?page=2)