Is this Indian Summer or an early Spring?

Yesterday morning when I woke, I pulled my curtains open like always. The full moon showed the outline of a raccoon right outside my bedroom window. It was all stretched out with its head in one of my bird feeders. This particular feeder is only a couple foot off of the ground. I have never had any issues with critters until now. I tapped on the window and nothing. I opened the window and it continued to eat. I finally had to yell at it and it finally took off. So I raised the feeder yesterday to 6 foot off of the ground and refilled it.

This morning when I pulled my curtains open, I did not see a racoon, but instead there was a skunk! It was only a couple feet away from my window, just sitting under the eaves, perhaps trying to stay out of the rain. This creature waddles away when I opened the window (trepidly, in case it decided to spray!) and ran once my husband shined a flashlight on it.

We do not usually see skunks around here (I mean, smell skunks around here) until mid-March. These animals hibernate, so I was quite surprised to see it.

It is not unusual to see animals out the bedroom window. One morning last spring I opened the curtains and stared right into the eyes of a deer! It was quite a shock to both of us!



WOW!! The things that are going on around here is just incredible! Thank you El Nino, once again! I know this is going to wreak havoc on the summer, probably will make the mosquitoes unbearable, but I would rather deal with those nasty buggers than the cold and snow.


It is 9:30 am EST here, and it is 58 degrees!! I took a little walk around the yard and here is what I have found:

Sedums greening up. This plant normally goes so dormant that you wouldn't even know it exists!

Tall garden Phlox budding up and ready to bloom!


Purple Mist Shrub trying to leaf out.

Sweet Autumn Clematis leafing out!

Geraniums all greened up too.


Buds on a Flowering Quince.

Tulips pushing up through the ground.

I know that many of these things are going to be hurt when we finally do get a cold snap, but you know what? It is rare around here to have flowers in January, and I will take them regardless of the outcome! This warm weather isn't going to kill everything, I will still have flowers come the real Spring. And Summer will still be spectacular!

Those of us who despise winter and get depressed during the long gray dreary months are getting a rare reprieve. Thank you Mother Nature....