No End in Sight For This Cold Snap!!

Saw the first celandines in bloom today, 5 weeks later than last year!

From 22nd Feb 2012:

 

I've not seen any down here yet

 

its all a bit of a joke really. Summer flowering bulbs pack your suitcase!

 

But when did they bloom last year?

I drove to Kent for a Uni visit yesterday and noticed loads of Blackthorn blossom, some probably about 2 weeks old, but there's none whatsoever showing around here yet, so different regions need to be compared independently.

From what I can make out from medium rage forecasts, it's going to be much colder than normal for about 2 weeks, then 'perhaps' slightly colder (than average), but probably also much wetter and greyer. I'm not impressed.

 

Celandines have always flowered every year in February to march without fail... Its there sign that spring is here... This is the first year they haven't flowered... That's enough to put the wind up me

 

Is that an easterly wind Stephen?
Heard it said today that its the coldest March since 1962.

 

That was posted on 4th March last year.
Still not a single one open in my garden yet.

 

You're not wrong Pete... Here is the coldest so far since 1888 I think, and could surpass that if we get very cold minimas in the final few days

 

I'm a bit concerned about the frogs in my pond, late Feb, during a mild spell, they were massing all ready in spawning mode, lots of croaking, and moving around.

Then it turned cold, no spawn was laid and the frogs have not been visible for weeks.

Usually they spawn in my pond in late Feb/early Mar, but nothing yet.
The water has turned very murky, I'm just hoping they have not all gone to the bottom and died.

Since 1989, when the pond was built, they have never missed out on spawning and never this late.

 

Ive not heard a frog yet,i did see 3 hugging each other in the fish pond 2 week back and i found 2 huddled together under some turf,their knees were knocking! but no activity in the wildlife pond yet we still have snow on the ground so i doubt they will be in a rush here... i fished out about 10 dead ones last yr