Today, the 2nd of February, is Candlemas, Maria Lichtmess, or as many American friends will know, Groundhog Day!
“If Candlemas Day is clear and bright, winter will have another bite. If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, winter is gone and will not come again.“
Ist’s an Lichtmess hell und rein,
wird ein langer Winter sein.
Wenn es aber stürmt und schneit,
ist der Frühling nicht mehr weit.
Well, the weather proverbs always have some truth in them, and I have been convinced all winter that it would not get really cold this year. Today it is cloudy and rain/sleet is forecast for later… So now I am officially declaring the demise of winter! 😀 It may take a while for my snowdrops to open yet, and the Hellebore buds are still tightly shut, but I am sure it won’t be long until I can see pictures like this…
and this…
I just need to be patient…
😉
How is winter progressing in your part of the world? Any signs of it coming to an end?
Today it is clear and bright in this part of the UK! I always feel that February is our worst month, the wind is bitterly cold but even so, the snowdrops are up and open making a lovely show in the woodland along with other tiny winter flowers.
I always think of February as the beginning of the end of winter! I discovered a primula yesterday, so despite sleet and rain I am still optimistic. No snowdrops yet though. Enjoy your woodland plants Pauline!
Well it’s clear and bright here Cathy but we still have not had that first bight let alone a second 🙂
Well, there is no doubt another weather proverb that says exactly the opposite! 😉 We will see!
The first two weeks in January were so warm. I´ve already seen Hazel catkins, Winterjasmin, buds of snowbells and so on. Now we have had an intermezzo with snow, but it seems to become mild again. Spring is in the air – and a Hyacinth in my room. 🙂
Lovely – spring is in the air here too, although it is still only 1°C and icy I have a primula in flower! Have a nice week Uta!
It’s cloudy and misty here this morning – at least I think it is, the sun’s not up yet. In Groundhog Day Lore, that means he won’t see his shadow, and we’ll have an early spring…
We can always hope, right?
Hope it turned out to be misty all day…. but then the groundhogs are only right about 50 percent of the time, I hear… 😉
It is raining steadily and is grey, grey, grey so I hope the proverb is correct!
I’m hopeful too! 😀
Pretty post 🙂
Our Famous Rodent is said to have seen his shadow but our local weatherman said the “Fix was in!”.
Must have been the shadow from all the lights on the Rock Star as it is too overcast in the northeast at 7-7:30 AM 🙂 Spring will be in the end of March as always but I say the nasty weather will peter out 🙂
Have a great Sunday! We have football to watch tonight even though our handsome guy Tom won’t be playing in this one 🙂
It’s always the same in effect… winter lasts longer than we hope and spring is always too late… I’d like spring from February to April! 😀
Let’s put that up for a vote! I know many who would LOVE THAT I know this crazy heating season can’t end quick enough 🙂 We are up to over $1,000.00 US for heating home and it really is not that big or warm 🙂 we keep it at 65F and dress warm lol I did put my portable greenhouse together up in the bedroom with the southern exposure to start my seeds in 🙂 Can’t wait! I will not grow anything but flowers in my food garden this year as I load it with compost for next two years I will grow in containers while I recover from upcoming surgeries it will be easier 🙂 Do you have anything new going into your gardens this spring?
Containers are a good idea, but I’m also reducing my veg this year… more herbs and flowers!
Yes I will have a kitchen garden and tons of flowers for the visiting Hummingbirds and Bees a tower for cucumbers lots of tomatoes and peppers Sunflowers for Birds and Photographing 🙂
Here in Portland, the weather is clear and cold–the rest if the week is supposed to bring us lows in the low twenties Fahrenheit. However our rain year is well below normal…these drought conditions have everybody worried. The snow drops are up! We had a winner in my shade design contest and I’ve just started planning. Go Seahawks! http://Www.life-change-compost.com/calling all gardeners
Have fun with the planning Susan. Can’t wait to see the results! Another month and spring will be well on the way, wherever we are I think!
Cute Anemone, it reminds me I have the same plant in white. 🙂
The first picture is actually a Hepatica (liverwort) in the unusual shade of deep pink. (Normally they are blue) I’ll post more pictures as soon as this year’s are showing!
Thanks! I wonder if the soil pH made flower colour changed..
Hi there. The pink one is a hybrid “Red Forest”, but the blue ones are native and grow wild in the woods here. It’s a lovely sight, but still a bit early! 😀
They are quite beautiful! Some native plants have very unique beauty in them! I hope more city gardeners also like them and grow them. Thank you for sharing and reply my comments! 🙂
You’re welcome! Thanks for visiting!
My pleasure!
You’ve got me worried now! We have had the best day in ages, only showers in the morning. We had a lovely walk and it is still warm with blue sky and sunshine.
With the weather being so topsy turvy this year who knows what will happen in February! I don’t think we’ll have really bitter cold now though. We just need to hope there won’t be any nasty late frosts with all the shrubs budding so early.
Cathy, I am not sure winter is gone just yet. 🙂 Our snow is nearly gone and today it is suppose to be in the upper 50’s. Woke up to a foggy morning on the mountain today, couldn’t see 10 feet in front of me.
We have a lot of fog and low cloud here too… It’s still wintery out there, but I think it will soon warm up. I’m thinking positive! 😀
Lovely! Both photos are beautiful!
Thanks Amy. These were from last spring – Hope to see these plants again soon!
We have had a very cold winter for our area of Texas and it shows no sign of leaving. I hate it, this is why we suffer through the heat of our summers- to have mild winters. So, when these years come along we fuss. As I write, it is thunder-storming and threatening to turn to freezing rain by lunch time. I am glad to hear some folks are having a decent winter. Enjoy it for me.
Well, we didn’t have the usual big freeze this winter and the German alps didn’t get much snow so far… I’m hoping winter is on the way out!
Your hepatica looks stunning, Cathy! Certainly to early for winter to come to an end as we still have to survive the longest month of th year 😉
I hope the pink one flowers again this year – I love seeing the hepaticas as it symbolises the end of winter. 😀
Yippee! It’s raining here! So, hopefully, our winter is over! 🙂 Actually, I think plants are the best predictor. I’ve been thinking about buying a forsythia – supposedly they will not bloom until the coast is clear!
I love to see the Forsythia flowering in spring.They are pretty predictable shrubs. 😀
Oh, I hope that rhyme is right! I am so ready for spring now, it would be cruel to follow the wettest January in 250years with a really cold period of “proper” winter.
I’m hoping so too Janet! Last winter was far too cold and long, I want an early spring!
Beautiful clear blue sky and sunshine today. We went for a long walk with friends and three kids loved climbing, exploring and getting absolutely caked in mud. On our wanders we spotted lots of bluebell shoots coming through already. Now, I’m hoping the saying doesn’t apply to the UK! Surely, bluebell greens are a very clear sign that winter is nearly over!
Wow, bluebell shoots so early! Sounds like it was a beautiful (“spring”?) day. I have spotted my first primula, but not even my snowdrops are out yet!
Oh please don’t tell me that because we’ve finally had a dry and bright day, after a week of grey dampness, we’re due a spell of winter weather!
Some frosts would be good here too, as our ground is also very wet and muddy. But I hope the bitter cold and snow gives us a miss now. 😀
No signs of winter ending here….6 more weeks!
Oh dear. I hope at least it’s clear and sunny, even if it stays cold. 😀
Well, I hardly need to tell you what the weather’s doing in Britain … everyone else has got there before me 😉
I love the ickle flower! It’s SO pretty.
It’s a pink Hepatica – my favourite spring treasure! The photo is from last March, but I’m hoping to spot this flower again pretty soon!
I saw a daffodil last week here in the Pacific Northwest, a good sign!
Yes! Daffodils really DO signal spring! 😀
We saw catkins in the woods yesterday and green bluebell shoots pushing through – so lovely after all the grey, rainy days. Love your uplifting pics Cathy.
Sounds like spring is on the way near you as well! I miss seeing bluebell woods here, but we do have lots of wild hepatica and anemones as compensation.
Well, that will be the friends then who we went walking with 😉
Winter has been a nasty beast here. We’ve had the coldest January in 100 years. Even the snowdrops are still hiding. I am longing for spring!
I am longing too – even though we haven’t had such cold weather as you! Hope it warms up soon…. 😀
No signs here of sprint, but there’s something about the light…… Lovely photos by the way Cathy!
Thanks Dor. I’ve noticed it getting lighter in the mornings now, and if the sun ever came out I’m sure it must be a little higher in the sky too! 😉
Maybe you won’t need to be patient too, too long! For a moment I thought the photos were current, but I see they stand as reminders of what you have in store. I think this spring is going to be truly celebrated by everyone. No matter where we live, or whether the winter has been harsh or mild, we are all starved for color! 🙂
Oh definitely Debra! Once spring gets a foothold I’m having a party! LOL!
The saying was right last year and it was a beautiful clear day here. A good cold snap would be better than all this wretched rain and wind.
Hi Anne! We have been forecast all that stormy weather you’re having, but sometimes we’re lucky and it doesn’t quite reach us this far inland. We would actually like a bit of wind to dry up the muddy garden! (But no rain please!) Hope your weather improves soon, and thanks for visiting!
Great post! So pretty. No winter is not over, snow falling and supposed to keep up the next 2 days. It is great, simply because we are in a drought and I want to do a lot of gardening this year! 🙂
Glad you are getting plenty of moisture – snow is prettier than rain, but it does seem strange here not having a real cold spell. Maybe it’ll freeze at Easter!
I’m enjoying catching up on your posts after returning from a holiday. I hope you are right about winter…right now we have three feet of snow on the ground.
I bet the sunshine has given you renewed energy for shovelling though! 😉 Hope that snow melts quickly and spring reaches you soon Karen!