Happy Spring Equinox! (Or Autumnal Equinox to those in the southern hemisphere!)
The other day the sun was shining and despite a few flurrries of snow on and off we decided to brave the chill wind and go for a walk in the woods. The black clouds ahead of us did not bode well, and no sooner had we arrived at our parking spot it started to sleet, snow, hail and blow from the north-east. Brrr! But we had our picnic with us, so we persevered!
Now this looks a nice spot for a Spring picnic… and the sun is trying to come out.
Spring Picnic
And a little walk afterwards.
Dreaming of paddling here in summer.
Maybe bring the hammocks?
Summer will come again soon enough, and I shall then be lamenting the heat and lack of rain. 😉 So I will patiently wait for warmer days forecast for the end of the month. March came in like a lion, so I am hopeful!
Have you had picnic weather yet? 😉
Words and Herbs 
A chilly picnic, but it is always good to be out in the fresh air. We still have lots of crusty snow and ice on the paths, but a warming trend this week is going to melt that quickly. Snowdrops are up where the ground is bare (designed with that in mind) and a few sprigs of narcissus are poking through. I have a feeling it is all going to come on in a rush and I’ll be in a panic of activity! 😉
And isn’t that rush of activity wonderful?! It WILL all happen at once, like every year, and I can’t wait! 😃 🌷🐝
🙂
Oh my goodness! You’re braver than I but this does look like fun! Your hellebores and irises are beautiful.
Well, once we were walking it seemed a shame to turn around and go back to the car! It stopped completely once we had drunk our coffee and the sprinkling of snow made everything rather pretty. 😉
Looks a bit chilly, hope you had some hot soup with you! It must have been nice to get out in the fresh air though, I hope your snow didn’t last long.
Hi Pauline. We had a cup of hot coffee and I was glad of it to warm my fingers! We woke up to snow again yesterday, but most of it has melted again. Still only just above freezing though!
Love the shot of the Hellebore – so many blooms!
This is my best one. If you ever see Hellebores from the HGC Collection you must try them. They are really sturdy and flower extremely well in my climate. This one is Ice ‘n’ Roses ‘Red’, (sold to me as Rose, but clearly red!) Here is a link in English: https://www.skagithort.com/liners/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/07/2019_20GrowerReadyHelleboreProgram.pdf
😃
Your picnic looks grand for the day. Yes, we have had some most pleasant days. Next week we will be fooled into a spring lull. All daytime highs in the 60’sF.
We should finally get some temperatures like that by the end of the week too. I think the few mild days we had in February have made us more senitive to this renewed cold spell!
No picnic weather yet here Cathy. Yesterday saw a touch of spring like weather but today has reverted back to winter mode despite the equinox – it has been overcast with a cool north westerly wind. I think that all snow is behind us but you never know 😂 A most happy spring to you and here’s to picnicking in warmer weather soon.
Yes, next time we picnic we my feel like lingering a bit longer. 😉 We have had snow at Easter before now, but I am hoping this will be the last of it!
It looked like you had a fun day despite the weather.
Our thoughts were ‘you have to make the best of things’ and we were glad we persevered in the end and the sun came out. 😉
Your spring picnic made me shiver… but I suppose that’s what gloves and scarves are made for.
Actually only my fingers and chin were cold, as we had plenty of layers of clothing on! 😉 The coffee helped warm both. 😃
It is beautiful and a warm drink makes up for the lower temperature. Amelia
I think that is what stopped us from turning round… the thought of the hot drink as a reward! 😉
That looks like a lovely spot for a paddle – when it gets a bit warmer. Meanwhile, good idea to take the thermos flask!
I think we will be there often later in the year! 😃
Picnic weather? Most weather is good ‘enough’ for a picnic. I know it can get unpleasantly cold, or unpleasantly warm to be out where there is no shade; but where the weather can be boring, we sometimes picnic when it gets interesting. Those big shade umbrellas work as well for keeping the rain off over a small table. The first rain of the season is such a major event that some people picnic under such an umbrella or out on a porch.
You are right Tony. I have picnicked in the car when the wind was too strong, and in the living room once when the weather was just too wet but the food had already been made. And you can always find a way to enjoy it whatever the weather! I can imagine a picnic is quite a celebration in your part of the world when the first rain of the season arrives!
Yes, it is silly, but fun.
Beautiful woods, and it looks like a warming picnic. Happy Spring!
The coffee did warm us up and the sun did come out, albeit a rather watery one!
Any sun is good sun!
pretty Cathy and so well said! 💖
Thanks Cindy. Happy Spring!
You’re so welcome and you too Cathy!
What a nice woods to go for a walk through, and will the stream have enough water in summer for a paddle? I’m sure you’ll fid a way!
I think the problem is your Christmas tablecloth, you should have brought the Easter one 😉 Enjoy your first week of spring!
Oh yes, the tablecloth was actually a dishcloth I grabbed as we were leaving home to wrap round our cups! The stream should have enough water all year, as even the brook near our garden has enough for paddling in summer, but we will see. 😉 I’ll report back!
Intrepid is the first word that springs to my mind after reading your post.
😉 Well, only a little adventure. 😃
Cathy, your picnic is wonderful and brave, in a privileged place: that magnificent forest, I love it. I love that you had hot coffee ☕ to warm up and that the sun came out 🌞 and that it stopped snowing. The river is beautiful and you will have time to row. Your eléboros are divine and have a lovely color, I love them. I hope it stops snowing or just a slight snowfall falls that disappears in a short time: I wish you have good weather. Have many more picnics. Have a nice week. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita 😀😘🤗🌷
Thank you Margarita! The last day or so it has warmed up a little and the forecast is definitely looking more like Spring. 😃🐝🌷
Oh, a picnic in the snow! I’ve never tried that, but it looks fun…ish. The woods are beautiful. I’m also dreaming of summer hikes and boat rides. Happy spring!
Well, when we left home it was still sunny although we could see the black clouds ahead, so it was not really our intention to picnic in the snow! LOL!
What a lovely idea to bring us along on your picnic, Cathy! Like you I know that I’ll long for rain before too long so shan’t complain now. Those hellebores look stunning. We’ve had picnic weather already but are having a pretty chilly spell at present. From tomorrow on it’ll pick up and most of all: the wind will ease which will make all the difference.
It has finally turned milder here Annette, and we are getting geared up for some long days in the garden at last… wood is ordered for the new compost bins and vegetable beds, so we will have plenty to do. 😃 Yes, let’s hope that wind stays at bay. 😃🐝🌷
sounds great, Cathy, being busy stops us from thinking too much of our fate, have a lovely day xx
I always admire the resilience of people who live in icy-cold climates! It must be a magical time of year though, watching the earth “spring” alive with greenery and colour. What’s a touch of cold weather compared to an adventure anyway. 😉
It has warmed up Joanne, and there is indeed magic going on with shoots appearing out the ground by the day (hour/minute?!). I wasn’t feeling resilient the last couple of weeks and am really ready for some warmer temperatures now! 😃
I love your optimism, with your picnic and for summer! We’ve seen some sunshine here, but never when they say it will happen.
The optimism has paid off andit is warmer and there are more signs of life in the garden at last. No more snow now please! 😉
I can’t decide if it is an appealing idea or not… 😁 Certainly lovely to have the walk – and what a glorious hellebore clump!
We were a week too early with our picnic as it is really sunny and warm today… there will be less time for walks in the woods now the gardening season has opened though. 😉
All the more reason for you to have had your picnic when you did! Some HOT days forecast here next week, but chilly nights with them…
I bought a pot full of these early bloomers I left out one night they looked so cold in the morning I brought them back in I need to find a spot to plant them. Thank you.
They will bounce back once planted. 😉 Hope Spring is making an appearance for you soon Eunice!
It has had glorious moments Cathy and it went and got us all excited 🙂
The photos do tell me it was pretty cold for a picnic, but I love the idea! I can understand the desire to get outdoors and begin to celebrate the changes. It’s still a little chilly here in California, but of course, that sounds silly when compared with snow on the ground. My birthday was the first day of Spring, Cathy, so I always think for me, a gardening enthusiast, that is just a special coincidence! 🙂
Many happy returns Debra! We had a few really warm days this week and it was so good to be outdoors without layers and layers of clothes on! LOL!
Thank you, Cathy! We are going to be almost summer hot today, which is enjoyable to me, but really confuses my garden! I almost don’t know what to do with it. LOL!
What a lovely day! We’re quite spoiled with our weather, so I won’t bore you with the number of mild, warm days in California. We’re spoiled, I know. Like you, I’ll be missing the cooler temps soon enough. We’ve had another dry winter, with little chance of catching up this late in the season.
It has been lovely and warm for a few days, but the wind was cold today again! The Germans say April, April, does what it will!