Planting patience

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" – Lao Tzo

An April warm spell had me panicking that I was desperately behind in yard work.

Observations from my commute included folks lawn mowing and unloading various yard work supplies like garden soil and fertilizer. After arriving home, I glanced out the window at my yard that is still populated by many sticks from the various and sundry windstorms.

​ I felt woefully lax in the attention to my landscaping. However, Kennedy, the goat has been a beneficiary of several of the downed branches. 
 
However, a little research on local weather statistics eased my anxiety just a bit. 

​A chart on the National Weather Service’s page of first and last dates spelled out the first and last time temperatures were less than 32 degrees.

The list of basically the latest frost in the spring ran from 2016 to 2022. Those dates were listed as May 16, 2016; May 9, 2017; April 30, 2018; April 29, 2019; May 14, 2020; May 10, 2021; and April, 30, 2022.

So while the mercury was rising, the threat of frost remained possible at least until mid-May. 
However, the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh posted on its Facebook page on April 20, stating, "The growing season is now active in the entire NWS Pittsburgh forecast area, with the addition of the remaining forecast zones as of today. Frost/Freeze alerts will be issued as needed."

Henceforth the service will be issuing alerts until the threat of frost has subsided.

​A quick look at the upcoming forecast led me to believe that a weather statement may indeed be issued for next Monday night.
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On a side note, Franklin may have set a new high temperature for April 15. A look at National Weather Service records for that date, revealed that while the normal temperature should have been around 60 degrees, that day a temperature of 86 degrees was recorded and marked as the new high for that date. 

While a temperature of 81 degrees was documented on April 16, 2023; it fell short of the record of 87 degrees recorded in 2003.

​However, the National Weather Services' Climate Prediction Center's eight to 14-day outlook for April 25 to May 1, forecasted below normal temperatures for the region and near normal precipitation for that date range. 

Nonetheless, the warmer mid-April temps seemed to have blooms bursting forth everywhere.

In the woodlands, the serviceberry shrubs were gracing the landscapes with their white blossoms. ​

A variety of violets seemed to materialize overnight.

I felt that some of their blooms could have been inhibited by the drier weather. I had kept my eye on a halberd-leaved violet that sports a yellow bloom.

​However, before it opened, the plant disappeared. I had bad feeling that Kennedy may have had something to do with the 

missing violet. Nonetheless, I was able to locate a few uneaten violets that were blooming. ​

May apple plants emerged from the ground just in time to open their umbrellas for a few April showers.

 A quick check of the weather statistics through April 20 for Franklin showed that the region was lacking in precipitation accumulation. The normal accumulation for this time period is 2.77 inches. To date Franklin has received 1.79 inches which is almost an inch below normal.

​The region was nowhere near the total for 2011 which was 6.78 inches. However, this year is shaping up to be better than the year without April showers, 2012, where a .36 inches of precipitation was recorded. 

"Meanwhile back in the backyard, the spring flowers were displaying their colors.

​Narcissus, daffodils and more were staging brilliant appearances. However, I noticed that some of their performances appeared to be short-lived. 

A post by Jeff Cooper at shuncy.com, offered insight on daffodils and the heat. 

"In hot climates, daffodils prefer temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. ... If the temperature rises above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the flowers may wilt or be damaged by the heat," Cooper posted. 

​So a few of the region's 80-degree-days may have in fact decreased the lifespan of some of the spring flowers. 
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With the onset of a couple more 80-degree days, more wilted nasturtiums and daffodils were seen. 

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Nonetheless, the white daffodils I planted last fall have bloomed. They were, as feared, about two feet away from the other spring posies' location. That just meant that they stood out even more. They stood out enough for Kennedy to eat at least one blossom off of a flower. 

One of my first tulips of the season opened up during the warmer weather, only to close up later when the cold air arrived. Nonetheless, warmer days prompted many more to show off their colors. 

​There were a few flowers whose early arrival triggered some worry.

Crabapple tree blossoms, peach tree blooms and bleeding hearts could all be susceptible to a hard frost. 

I held out hope that the plants would have a little patience and hold off until the danger of freezing temperatures had passed.

However, the crabapple tree was coaxed into blooming by a couple of warmer days this week.

​Sadly its blooms may succumb to colder temperatures forecasted for the beginning of next week. 

Nonetheless, flowers weren't the only ones showing off their colors.

​I managed to find a cooperative red admiral butterfly who would sit still for a photo. 

There were still several mourning cloaks flitting around in the woods. However, they were much too busy with mating rituals and territory skirmishes to pause for a picture. 

The first hummingbird of the season arrived April 16 at the feeder. I shuddered when I watched him return to the feeder on a very cold April 17. I first thought this was just a migrant passing through, but he had continued to show up to feed in the evenings. 

A few purple finches also visited the feeders in the yard. I was still waiting on the orioles to show up when a Facebook post on the Pennsylvania Birding page stated that one had been sighted in southern Butler County on April 20.

​ I surmised that I had better break out the grape jelly and get ready for their arrival. 

Yard work procrastination or planting patience was an issue that plagued me as the weather had its ups and downs. I turned to the internet for some inspiring quotes on patience. 

One of my favorites was attributed to British horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll. 
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​"A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust," Jekyll was quoted with. 

A quote by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu also hit home. 
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"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished," Lao Tzo said. 

Another preferred quote on patience was attributed to American poet. Ralph Waldo Emerson.  
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​“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience," said Emerson. 

As I dealt with the rising and falling temperatures and pending yardwork, a quote from Saint Francis de Sales provided me with inspiration. 
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“Have patience with all things, but, first of all with yourself," was attributed to the Roman Catholic Saint. 

While I felt as patient as a chipmunk gorging itself on birdseed, I will try to slow down and enjoy the spring season.

​That' s just the nature of things 'round here.