magnetic_pole | Spring has sprung for these Five...

1) Has the weather where you are finally started acting like spring is here?

Well, considering we had daytime highs near 80F/27C in February, temps around 30F/-1C in March, and no real snow to speak of between early December and late March, I've given up all expectations for seasonally appropriate weather. The weather's been slightly warmer lately, but I'm not going to count on consistently mild weather anytime soon.

Hm. Now that I write that down, I realize that "the weather's been slightly warmer lately, but I'm not going to count on consistently mild weather anytime soon" is actually probably the very definition of springtime weather here on the US East Coast. It's never the definitive shift to consistently warmer weather that I expect--just more and more not-terrible days until suddenly it's late May and getting hot, and you realize you missed spring.

2) Do you have any special spring activities or outings planned?

I took a lovely long walk through the neighborhood north of us last weekend to see the cherry blossoms.

3) Have you started wearing different clothing appropriate to spring?

As soon as it's even vaguely appropriate, I break out my sandals. In an ideal world, my toes would be free and happy all the time.

4) What signs of spring are manifesting around you?

A marked drop in attendance in my classes. Lots of requests for extensions. Invitations to final reviews and exhibitions.

5) Are there special foods you enjoy preparing and/or eating in the spring?

If I were a more healthy person, I'm sure I'd have a local fruit or vegetable here. Instead, I'm going to say: discounted after-Easter Easter candy! I've already eaten two entire chocolate bunnies and have no regrets.

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While living in Massachusetts, I wrote a poem entitled "There is no Spring in New England." I have no idea where it is, and I can't remember it all, but I do remember calling it "a period of unremitting drear".

Here we kind of don't have winter. Certainly not by Mass. standards.

L

Hee! You're so right--"unremitting drear." I like that. When I was living in northern New England people used to talk about "mud season," and those months always drove me crazy--it was still cold *and* it got really, really dirty, ugh.

We don't have winter by New England standards here, either, really. Remind me when I start complaining, Lash--I didn't even need my boots this year! M.

Hee. Whereas here is the opposite. Despite having 29C maximums last week, on the weekend it's back to grey and cloudy and pouring rain. Winter is definitely coming, but I'll enjoy wearing lighter clothes / less layers for as long as I can.

I always love reading about the seasons on your journal--it's a concrete reminder that whatever weather's annoying me now, it will change soon enough!

It's grey and cloudy and raining here, too. :( I'm gradually coming to the conclusion that I just love sun, regardless of the temperature. May it clear up both here and there very soon! M.

Spring. Spring. What is this "spring" of which you speak?
Like you, we had a few pleasant days and then raw misery descended upon us once again. Redescended. Whatever. Plus I got to the post-Easter chocolate sales way too late and there was nothing left worth eating. Your cherry blossoms are lovely, however.

It is the case that every single year when the weather turns in autumn, I switch out my hot-weather clothes for my cold-weather clothes, upon which the temperature immediately hits 80 degrees for several days. The converse happens in springtime. This year I thought I was being clever by not switching out my clothes IN MID FUCKING APRIL but the weather insists on fucking with me regardless.

Me personally, you understand.

Growing up in southern CA, we learned about "the seasons" in school though we didn't really experience them. I've always attributed my weather-naivete to this abstract, academic understanding of seasonal change...but perhaps spring and fall are confusing to everyone?

I'm so sorry you missed out on the candy! :( A bit of chocolate has taken the edge of the grey skies lately. (And by "bit" I mean I'm on my third chocolate bunny already.) M.

IDK about "everyone," but the NYC region, which is the only place I know well, notoriously has a spring that's exactly as you describe it -- a few weeks of erratic weather followed by high summer, with maybe a week of Platonic-ideal spring in there somewhere. That having been said, climate change is making all our weather, including spring weather, noticeably more extreme.

Wonderful cherry-tree-lane!!
And I had to smile so much about your "discounted after-Easter candy" :-). The real good one by the famous chocolate brands is so expensive before Easter, I only buy it later as well - one week to wait is really no big deal ;-).

one week to wait is really no big deal ;-).

It's true--and in fact it stretches a holiday a bit for me, to know that there's something to look forward to the week afterward.

I'm glad you enjoyed the cherry-tree lane! It's possibly the only thing that's not corrupt and disgraceful in DC right now. :( M.

Ah, reminds me of the joke of a Scottish comedian, who wanted to explain about Easter to his small child and started with, "When do we buy hot cross buns?"

Says the kid, "When there's a discount sticker on them!"

These words have become iconic in Spinner's End. *munches a chocolate easter egg*

The cherry blossom is beyond gorgeous. We saw pictures of what it looks like in various touristy places, and if I ever manage to get back, I hope it's when the cherry blossom is out.

Such fun to read your answers! Especially to 4. I do feel sorry for you, though, you just put it in such a wonderfully-wry way.

Says the kid, "When there's a discount sticker on them!"

Ha! That kid calls it as he sees it. Our motto, too. :)

The cherry blossoms are really gorgeous, though we never managed to schedule visitors at the right time--"peak bloom" (the period when about 70% of the trees are at their best) is notoriously difficult to predict. There's actually a website dedicated to predicting peak and updating folks on the flowers' progress.

Aw, thank you for the "wonderfully wry." Honestly, I know the students are stretched thin right now and can't be too upset with them. It's just that the best material comes in the last weeks of class! M.

Oh my, the trees are beautiful!!!

I think spring is a myth everywhere. Here in NM we have alternately hot and cold days interspersed with 30 mph winds and brown skies from all the blowing dust. -______-

NM sounds beautiful and scary, honestly.

Aren't the trees lovely? And I love that I've found some close to home so I don't have to go all the way to the Tidal Basin, which is always teeming with visitors and a little too crowded for comfort.

Glad to see you're back! M.

It's never the definitive shift to consistently warmer weather that I expect--just more and more not-terrible days until suddenly it's late May and getting hot, and you realize you missed spring.

This is true. And everyone whines about how we never really have spring and we just go right from winter to summer.

Spring definitely seems late this year though. We still don't have leaves on the trees and it's almost May!

Spring has sprung for these Five...

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