Spring habits

[PlannerGirl]

Ok guys spill the beans-at long last its spring here in DC and i have noticed im doing some serious nesting sorta things-yard work (flowers etc) repotting all my indoor plants, fixing up the house, getting my hair cut etc.

what do you do to mark the start of spring and does that strange urge strike you to get out and get your hands dirty and talk to other folks?

 

[Tranplanner]

Ok guys spill the beans-at long last its spring here in DC and i have noticed im doing some serious nesting sorta things-yard work (flowers etc) repotting all my indoor plants, fixing up the house, getting my hair cut etc.

what do you do to mark the start of spring and does that strange urge strike you to get out and get your hands dirty and talk to other folks?

Spring...you mean that time of year when a young man's fancy turns to...

Okay folks, let's try to keep it clean!

 

[mike gurnee]

I cleaned carpets and painted a bedroom yesterday. Yard will wait until after Denver.

 

[Downtown]

We've been so happy to get out of our house, we talk to almost everyone while we're walking the dogs. I took Friday as a personal spring day - got my annual physical, hair cut, manicure, just "Thank God it is finally warm enough to NOT freeze your nosehairs together!"

However, our lawn is DEAD, and we've still got snow in some of our flower beds, so in about a week we'll be able to get out and really work.

 

[nerudite]

I spend as much time outside as possible. I would do many of the things you talked about (planting flowers, etc), but I live in an apartment with next to no garden space. I have a planter box. Whoopee!

It's not quite spring yet here... I'll start planting in a few months when I'm sure the poor plants won't freeze. It's snowing here today.

 

[PlannerGirl]

I wanted to work on the yard sooner but Arlington Co wont pick up yard waste for free until April so---I waited

now i need to find some strong kid on the block looking to do some harder work

 

[NHPlanner]

Repainted the kitchen, started to re-upholster and repaint the table and chairs....actually...my wife did most of it, I just reached the spots she couldn't reach. I'm horrible with painting and working on stuff....which I'm sure she'd agree with.

 

[Tom R]

Re: Re: Spring habits

Spring...you mean that time of year when a young man's fancy turns to...

Okay folks, let's try to keep it clean!

....what the girl has been thinking about all winter.

As for me, starting my veggie garden seeds. Broccoli, tomatoes, hot peppers.

 

[PlannerGirl]

Tran my dear your the only one thinking "that" way

hehe it was ment to be a clean post

no birds, no bees, no bikes made for 2

 

[Queen B]

Spring, Spring, I hosed the dirt/dust off my porch, and painted and painted. The yard work will have to wait just a bit longer.

 

[SW MI Planner]

Been out walking, biking, and driving more. Site visits are so much better when it's nice out!

At home, doing some spring cleaning and checking to see if my crocuses (crocii?) are coming up yet (they are)

 

[SGB]

In the rural northeastern U.S., spring really means two things:

1) Maple sugaring, and
2) Mud Season!

While I've never done any maple sugaring, I do like to celebrate mud season by driving on seasonal roads once the snow gets low enough to test the limits of my car and my driving skills.

 

[donk]

I will be taking the plastic off of my windows shortly and hopefully not having to do the dog s**t derby to much around my yard.

As for the bicycle built for two, tandems are fun, if you trust the captain. Only problem is if he /she has gas you can't escape.

 

[Habanero]

Planted rose bushes, bought a sister for Hatcher, preliminary weeding of the back yard rocks. Hopefully I'll have time to stain the back deck again before the sun eats it up.

 

[PlannerGirl]

lol thanks Donk i needed my daily laugh!

Im sure they are fun but i have zero ability to ride a bike due to a blance problem-thanks to busted ear drums

 

[donk]

If you are the stoker your balance does not have to be that good, you only have to be trusting of your captain and do what they say with your feet.

 

[jmf]

Well, despite the foot or so of snow we got yesterday, we have to plan our veggie garden, finish off a few indoor projects (redo the bathroom and some painting) before we spend most of the summer on the outside. the seed cataolgues have been arriving but we will probably buy most things locally. My husband wanted start plants at home this year but it is so easy to go to local garden centres, why bother???

The big projects which need to be planned, and financed, this year should be:

- repointing the brickwork
- tearing up the front lawn to replace our water line
- trying to pull out/grind down the elm stumps the town left last year
- redoing the frontyard landscaping
- finishing the backyard fencing so Maggie can go out to play in the yard

 

[Downtown]

In the rural northeastern U.S., spring really means two things:

1) Maple sugaring,

There was a big article in the paper this morning about how the maple syrup crop isn't going to be so hot this year - they had all initially expected a bumper crop - with all the cold and snow, but it warmed up too much too quick and now we're screwed. but i didn't eat that much maple syrup anyway.

 

[Cardinal]

Spring means getting outside. I can usually spend a few days on raking alone. That is one of the few drawbacks to a large yard with many mature trees. Pruning is the next thing to come to mind. Of course, I do not need to wait for the trash pick-up. It simply gets burned.

As the birds are returning, it is also time to clean out the birdhouses and set out a few new ones. Unfortunately, the "designer" homes will not be going out, as I hope to move before the nesting season is over. This is also a problem for the gardens. There is no point in planting anything new when I am going to have to spend a couple days digging up what I already have. If the timing is bad, I may not get a vegetable garden this year.

In the mean time, the sun is shining, it is again in the sixties, the "pokers" are up, and I'm leaving work early (gotta be back here at six, though).

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Of course, we don't usually have much in the way of weather to mark spring here in Florida, although it was a much colder winter than usual, so the current weather feels great. My azaleas have just finished blooming, so it's time to cut them back, and put out the weed & feed in the yard. Spring means the young 'un is back playing soccer, and daylight savings is almost here (yay!). Then we have about a month before it gets too hot to do much.

 

[Downtown]

daylight savings is almost here (yay!).

Is daylight savings time in the winter or summer? i can never remember. but i LOVE when the sun comes up early. I hate waking to an alarm, and now that it is nice and warm in the mornings (in the 40s!) i can take the dogs out for a quick walk to wake up.

at my parents, spring means Peepers - the little frogs in the swamps and ponds that are around their house that make such a ruckus, my cityboy boyfriends hated the peepers because they were so loud. it freaked them out, but it is one of my favorite noises that you just don't get in the 'burbs.

 

[Planderella]

**Repotted my plants and flowers for the porch.
**In the process of my cleaning out my closet.
**Do some personal grooming.
**Training for the Crescent City Classic 10k Run/Walk.

 

[BKM]

Spring usually means two things to me:

1. Asthma and allergies

2. The only time of the year when it is really "green" here.

I went for a bicycle ride last Friday, and the countryside near my house was just lush. We've had a pretty dry year, overall, but there was a pretty big rainfall a weekend ago, and the grass, wildflowers, and trees are just exploding. No wheezing, yet, so I'll enjoy it while I can

 

[biscuit]

I can't stand staying indoors so after such a tough winter this spring weather has found me spending as much time outside as I possibly can. I live in a converted rowhouse apt. so I don't have a yard to work in but there is a large park only a block away from my place that I can run and rollerblade in. I've also been walking the 1.75 miles to and from work instead of taking the bus and subway.

Another thiing spring means for me is the big thing all men fear...An engagement. I bought my girlfriend a ring last weekend and (if I can gather the gumption) will give it to her in a couple of weeks. Scary stuff.

 

[Cardinal]

Another thiing spring means for me is the big thing all men fear...An engagement. I bought my girlfriend a ring last weekend and (if I can gather the gumption) will give it to her in a couple of weeks. Scary stuff.

Good luck, Biscuit!

BKM - Heading east, where does it begin to stay green through the summer?

 

[BKM]

Well, it is pretty green in the Sierras-in a dry mountain conifer tree way. And, we certainly have redwoods and oak trees. Just the overall feeling is much "browner" than the midwest where I grew up (northern Indiana) What I like about California is that there is always SOMETHING green year round-even if that something is artifically irrigated. I still remember driving from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne-and there was not a single hinto of green anything visible.

The Texans on the board could confirm this, but I noticed a big difference between far western Texas and the east. Tulsa is definitely green. I think the line runs somewhere through the middle of the Plains states.

 

[Mud Princess]

Is daylight savings time in the winter or summer?

"Spring forward, fall back," is the only way I can remember how to set my clocks to begin or end daylight savings time. So we have the longer days in summer - more daylight.

at my parents, spring means Peepers - the little frogs in the swamps and ponds that are around their house that make such a ruckus, my cityboy boyfriends hated the peepers because they were so loud. it freaked them out, but it is one of my favorite noises that you just don't get in the 'burbs.

Actually, you'd be surprised. If you live near a wetland or a pond, the peepers can be really loud! It's a little too early for that now, I think. Maybe in a month or two... if it doesn't snow AGAIN.

 

[The Irish One]

I hike a lot and I found a native plant nursery that I'm in love with -couple of cute girls working there, but the plants are great too!

Now I knew it was spring when I found myself making a total fool of myself for a girl at work, ahhhhhhhhh spring is definately here.

 

[donk]

Useless Canadiana warning

Is daylight savings time in the winter or summer?

Neither if you live in Saskatchewan, they never adopted daylight savings time.

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/SpecialFeatures/Dst/dst.htm

 

[donk]

Just got back from a site visit.

Even though it does not look it, it truly is spring here, the road side takeouts are getting opened up and cleaned. Only one month until greasy fish and chips.

 

[biscuit]

As for the US, I think that either Arizona or Indiana, or both, never adopted daylight savings time. Odd. Does anyone know of other places that don't "spring forward." I for one love DST. It's great to have the extra daylight hours to enjoy the outdoors. Doen't get dark until 9:00pm. that's fine in my book.

Donk: I take it you're a Dead Kennedys fan.

 

[donk]

Biscuit asked

Donk: I take it you're a Dead Kennedys fan.

Yup, and jello's spoken word and especially his team up with DOA the greatest 15 minute long punk ballad ever.

By choosing jello as my avatar it is my comment on politics today.....


As for daylight savings time it appears that hawaii does not use it either.

 

[The Irish One]

hey donk shouldn't you be growing more pot. LOL

 

[Queen B]

Hey Biscuit, does she know yet? Or is it a total surprise?
Good Luck. It is an institution I highly recommend.

 

[SW MI Planner]

Another thiing spring means for me is the big thing all men fear...An engagement. I bought my girlfriend a ring last weekend and (if I can gather the gumption) will give it to her in a couple of weeks. Scary stuff.

Yeah! Good luck and keep us posted

And, btw, I think the the south part of Indiana does have daylight savings time, but the north part doesn't. I am 10 miles north of the MI / IN border and and it was hard getting used to the time difference in the summertime.

 

[NHPlanner]

Yeah! Good luck and keep us posted

And, btw, I think the the south part of Indiana does have daylight savings time, but the north part doesn't. I am 10 miles north of the MI / IN border and and it was hard getting used to the time difference in the summertime.

From my 5 years living in Indiana: the southern part of the state has DST, as well as the northwest portion of the state located in the central time zone. The remainder of the state does not recognize DST and is on Eastern Standard time all year.

 

[biscuit]

Hey Biscuit, does she know yet? Or is it a total surprise?
Good Luck. It is an institution I highly recommend.

Since I've hust been at my new job for a little over a month, she has no idea that I intend to ask her now. We went looking at rings a couple of months ago and I poormouthed the whole time. Hopefully to make her think it would be several months before I could get the cash and even then I wouldn't be able to afford anything but a little diamond. She fell for it (I think). All part of my evil-genius deception.

 

[BKM]

As an ex-Hoosier, NHPlanner is correct. Northwest Indina is tied to the Chicago metropolitan economy, and the southeast is tied to Louisville, thus no change.

Hey Donk-Dead Kennedies rule!

My former tagline..."the companies will be pleased"... came from the song "Kinky sex makes the world go 'round."

 

[Queen B]

Wonderful, you will have to keep us posted on all the details!

 

[Downtown]

Yay! Biscuit - congratulations! very very exciting news.

 

[donk]

So much for any spring habits, we are in the midst of a spring snow storm with a heavy snowfall advisory in effect, about 3 inches on the ground and expecting 3-5 more inches today.


Schools cancelled, roads are crap I see it being a really slow day.

 

[Maister]

Junior just got back from the Nature Center where his preschool class went to the sugar shack, watched them make maple syrup and sampled a little bit too. This was an annual spring ritual for me growing up.

I have a maple tree in my yard but right now I'm trying to figure out ways to surreptitiously tap all those dozens of maple trees on the school's property across the street....:6:

 

[Maister]

Took Junior on the annual maple sugaring trek this past weekend at the Nature Center. I always felt bad for kids (and I suppose adults too) growing up in places like Texas, California, Georgia, Florida, etc. that don't get to participate in this cool spring activity.

Did you know it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup? That's right, they have to boil off 97% of the water before it reaches a thin syrup consistency.

 

[wahday]

As for the US, I think that either Arizona or Indiana, or both, never adopted daylight savings time. Odd.

Arizona does not observe DST. However, the Navajo Nation in the northeastern part of the state (Four Corners area) does. So confusing!

Before we moved to New Mexico, we came out and explored the area, driving from NM to CA and back. On the return trip, we passed through Navajo Country. If I wasn't confused by Arizona's lack of DST observance, it was even more baffling to drive through this section of the state that does. Between the car clock, my watch, my wife's watch and the radio, I think we had three or four options at any given time. It really makes you realize how arbitrary organized time is.

Spring for us is so many things:

Camping time! We love to camp as a family, especially now that we have 20 acres and tens of thousands of forest land to explore. We get out as early as we can in the spring to get our fill. First time we went this year, we woke up to snow, but that just adds a little excitement.

Allergies. Someone mentioned this. I am deathly allergic to Mulberry, which Albuquerque has in large, terrifying numbers. I also get some ash and juniper symptoms, but (knock on wood) the juniper has not given me problems yet this year. I'm just SO thankful that Allegra is now over-the-counter - its m y lifeline to survival for all of April and some of May.

Yard work and vegetable gardening. We have a small yard, so this isn't a lot of work and is quite enjoyable. But this year, I have a lot of work to deal with as the irrigation system ruptured during a cold snap in February.

Lastly, Spring is the brief window to build things out in the yard. Too much later and its just too darn hot to work except in the AM and evening. Currently, I am building an outhouse for our property out of shipping pallets. Its a modular setup and the pieces will be transported and assembled on site.

 

[SW MI Planner]

Holy moly, this thread (and some posters) are a blast from the past..............

I for one, am enjoying the still frigid temperatures outside, because I want to paint my kitchen and get some stuff organized inside before it gets to nice out.

 

[Dan]

Spring in Upstate New York arrives in fits and starts. A weekend of 60+ temperatures, followed by a week of snow, followed by a couple of days in the 50s, more snow, a few crisp sunny days, three weeks of rain and overcast skies, a perfect day when it's 68 and sunny, and then ... one last snow day. Not pretty flakes, but ice crystals and freezing rain that coat your car in diamond-hard ice, forcing you to scrape away for 15 minutes to carve a few portholes you can see from. Then it's rain, drizzles, mud and overcast skies all the way into May.

 

[btrage]

Spring in Upstate New York arrives in fits and starts. A weekend of 60+ temperatures, followed by a week of snow, followed by a couple of days in the 50s, more snow, a few crisp sunny days, three weeks of rain and overcast skies, a perfect day when it's 68 and sunny, and then ... one last snow day. Not pretty flakes, but ice crystals and freezing rain that coat your car in diamond-hard ice, forcing you to scrape away for 15 minutes to carve a few portholes you can see from. Then it's rain, drizzles, mud and overcast skies all the way into May.

Thank you for telling me why I will never move to Upstate New York.

(not that I have it that much better in Michigan)

 

[Tranplanner]

Thank you for telling me why I will never move to Upstate New York.

(not that I have it that much better in Michigan)

Try living in the Great White North sometime!

 

[Mastiff]

I have a maple tree in my yard but right now I'm trying to figure out ways to surreptitiously tap all those dozens of maple trees on the school's property across the street....:6:

Don't get caught or you'll be the sap!

 

[Bear Up North]

This Bear loves the change of the seasons. Looking forward to spring and spending some time outside. Woo-hoo!

Bear