[Magdalen] Spring has sprung?

[Charles Wohlers]

No magnolias here, of course, although they do fine down in Massachusetts. 
There's even a community called Magnolia, on the coast just north of Boston, 
which is called that as it is (was?) the most northerly place native 
magnolias grew.

Up here in Northern Vermont, we're in the middle of mud season - that time 
of the year when the snow has melted, but the ground is still mostly frozen, 
leaving the water no place to go. So anywhere there's bare ground (e. g., 
dirt roads), you get often-impassible mud.

Just heard thunder (unusual this time of year) but, not to worry - even tho 
it's 50F now, the forecast is for a low of 11F tomorrow night. Even so, I 
still expect to be able to star the garden by mid-April - last year it was 
May 4.

Chad Wohlers
Woodbury, VT USA
chadwohl at satucket.com



-----Original Message----- 
From: Cantor03--- via Magdalen
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 11:15 AM
To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
Cc: Cantor03 at aol.com
Subject: [Magdalen] Spring has sprung?



I'm seeing various pictures mostly taken on the While House lawns
in connection with the new candidate for USSC justice, Merrick  Garland.
There appear to be strongly budding trees and shrubs, and just now
the unmistakable blossoms of an Asian Magnolia, probably a  Saucer
Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana).

It always amazes me how much further along the spring (almost) season
is in Washington, DC than it is here in NE Pennsylvania.  Washington  is
about a 4 hour drive, but it is, significantly, all straight south.   Then
there
is the higher PA elevation factor.  In any case, my Asian magnolias  will
not be blooming for another 3-4 weeks, unless there is some freaky
warm weather ahead.  Though snow is predicted over this coming  weekend,
the winter has been remarkable mild here.  Some of the coldest and  snowiest
weather on record for this region has been during the next couple of  weeks.

Spring blooming Asian magnolias are a reason for me to remain in PA
in retirement.  They are, for example, not hardy in the Upper  Midwest
of my youth, and the magnolias as a group are ravishingly beautiful.

Think spring!



David Strang.