Perhaps you heard that yesterday was one of those early spring days that make us forget about winter, at least for the moment.
High temperatures were in the upper 60’s, with an official high temperature of 67 F.
I wore sunscreen. I worked in the garden. I broke out in a sweat. In other words, I had a great time.
I also spent some time just looking around and visiting the nooks and crannies of the garden, making a mental list of what I want to do this spring.
I found several more crocuses in bloom. I now have more crocus in bloom than I can count on two hands. Dozens more should be blooming in the next few weeks.
The sky was beautiful. 
And I think I saw just a hint of yellow on this ”Gold Tide’ Forsythia shrub. 
Do you see the yellow?
I also found this unusual “trail” in the lawn.
What is it? The migratory path of some snakes? I hope not. I have never encountered a snake in the garden in all the years I’ve been gardening. I don’t know what I would do if I did see a snake. Scream? Recoil? Run? Strike it down with a hoe? What would you do?
Maybe it is a new tiny fault line? I hope not. In Indiana, we don’t experience too much measurable seismic activity, though we did feel a tremor in the spring of 1987.
Or maybe it is just a path created by some water running off from somewhere to someplace?
Now I hope you don’t have the impression that I spent the whole day just wandering around all wide-eyed like a tourist in my own garden.
Not me! I gardened. I cleaned up a lot of the perennials in the back garden area, carting several wheelbarrow loads of trimmings back to the compost bins. And I started to tear out a bed of ribbon grass that has got to go. I got a good start on it but I am far from done, so if anyone wants to help, just holler over the fence or come on over.
Tomorrow, in fact late tonight, we will be back to winter again. The good news is the winter days are now numbered and soon we will have more days like these. In the meantime, this ‘teaser day’ was just what we needed to give us hope for spring.
Carol,
I remember the tremor of ’87. I was bailing hay and riding on the back of a hay truck taking a load to the barn. I never felt a thing!
– Jen 🙂
We had one of those yesterday, too, Carol, although it definitely didn’t get up to 67 degrees — I would have applauded that! Of course, then last night the weather pounded us again and I’m working from home today due to icy roads…go figure. But I’m glad you were able to get that gardening time in — that’s exciting!
So glad you had that spring day, we did too and today also, but strong storms are coming tonight with the call for snow here in TN. That trail in the lawn is a mystery, hope for your sake it is not a snake!
Frances at Faire Garden
I’m too chicken to hit a snake with a hoe. Instead I run, scream, and scoop up all small children between me and the nearest porch. Once there I deposit the small children and do a weird little dance which includes a lot of squirming. Now the poor small children who were rudely interrupted from their play are pointing, laughing hysterically and usually screaming, “Mom Saw A Snake!” Traitors–After I saved them and everything.
Today is our Teaser Day. 47 degrees! Garden still covered in snow but we can hope that soon…
I’m glad you got to enjoy such a beautiful day. It was nice here too yesterday, now back to cold and snow the rest of the week. Spring IS coming, spring IS coming, spring is COMING. . .
Migratory snakes–LOL. With all those hoes, I’m sure you could use one in self-defense, Carol. But I’d be inclined to let a snake in the grass go its merry way unless it had a rattle on its tail.
Aside from wild speculations about snake trails and fault lines, I’m not sure what that could be either. Keep us updated, OK? 😉
And your day in the sun amid the crocuses and yellowing forsythia sounds like fun. Hooray for spring!
Ha! I just updated my blog with a photo that is a “copy” of yours! How delightful to see those warm little yellow heads peeking out. I’m glad you enjoyed your day, it certainly felt good, didn’t it? Made the next day feel worth it.
Leave that snake be – they are a gardener’s friend. They eat nasty bugs, besides, they’re so cute! If I found a snake in my garden, I’d probably cheer & run to get my camera. (Can you tell I like snakes?)
Your mystery indention in the lawn is interesting. From here it looks to be where something was lying on the lawn and made an indention. Upon closer inspection it looks like it could be where a crack devleoped in your lawn when it dried out during the mini drought this past summer. Just don’t know.
I would welcome any and all snakes that would be in our gardens. They eat bugs, voles, mice, snails, slugs and keep nosy neighbors at bay. tee hee….
Seriously, snakes in the garden are good.
Don’t you just love those little crocus!! My purple ones aren’t up yet. Are yours?
As to that ribbon grass. I plopped a pot of it into the ground as a filler last year not knowing it was a perrennial. It seems to be growing where not much else will grow. It sounds like you think it is a weed. Hmmmmm I migth not be too happy if it takes over this spot. I will watch it.
I apologize if this goes through twice. I think Blogger at it the first time.
I think your tunnel was made by a mole or vole, most likely mole. I find a lot of them in the spring when the snow melts.
Same weather here in Texas. Wore shorts and a t-shirt and sweated my ass off outside all day Sunday. Today it’s raining and cold. And it’s March! And this is East Texas!
Brenda
I most definitely see yellow! A day like that can help you get through until all the days are nice. I’m so glad you got a good gardening fix!
As Frances said we in Tennessee are having warm days with hints of storm coming our way…but spring is just around the corner.
I thoroughly enjoyed your post today….Remember, some of those snakes are a gardener’s friend!
Gail
It’s a vole tunnel. Moles have covered tunnels. Let’s hope that cat keeps you company and goes hunting. And since we don’t have poisonous snakes around here, snakes are our friends–they eat voles, too!
I could definitely see the yellow in that forsythia. No crocus or forsythia here, but I did hear geese flying back north today.
Oh, Carol, that is a teaser of a day. It was warm here in northern NY 55 degrees, but we still have a good snow cover, so no gardening here. Soon, very soon, I hope.
We have snakes in our yard/garden…no cause for alarm. They like the garden pond and the concrete around the pool for warmer on those cool mornings.
Just think Carol, if only it were a snake, maybe you could bribe it to eat your rabbit!
2 years ago we found a snake in our garden (and no, it wasn’t one of the missing pets). I think they are fascinating to watch. I’ll take a snake anyday over those huge yucky spiders we had.
67 degrees? Well you are 4 hours SOUTH of us. I thought it was warm at 50.
I think that fault line in your lawn is due to the freeze and thaw we’ve had all winter .
If by any stretch of the imagination you were to see a snake don’t panic. He or she will be more afraid of you. Plus, they are a gardener’s friend ( i.e. as long as they eat the rodents, etc.) . I can’t tell you how many times when I was young that I’ve stepped on a snake with my bare feet and never got bitten .
Listen, if you run out of stuff to do I’ve got some of that ribbon grass that needs pulled as well.
Carol- the kind of day you describe is my favorite kind here in Florida only they are rare- more like it is always too hot. Lately we have had a couple of high 60’s- I cherish them. I’ve seen many snakes in my gardening days- they are quite common around here… rat snakes, black racers, some I don’t the names of but I let them go as I figure they will eat the rodents. I don’t think any of them make squigglies in the ground like your photo though. Here’s to more beautiful days for all of us!
Meems @ hoe&shovel
It was nice, Carol. I actually walked the dog yesterday and this morning. How I’ve missed those walks. I enjoyed seeing neighbors out for the first time in months too.
Crazy Indiana weather!
Still no crocuses here.
Thank you, everyone, for the nice comments. I suppose if I actually did find a snake, I’d let it be. I don’t “think” there are poisonous snakes around here.
And I’ll keep watching and investigating that trail in the grass… I think Kathy is right, it is a vole run. I’ve had them before. Ugh. I hate them!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Way to enjoy the day Carol!
Who says you can’t enjoy a beautiful garden just because the seasons are short. The mood in beautiful Indiana garden’s are tranquility.
We call them teaser days here, too. We only got up to 56, but even that felt good.
I think maybe your winding thing might be from a vole. We’ve seen them here and then the kitties get them.
We had a very warm day here, too… although we missed it because we were out of town visiting family. (We enjoyed a beautiful day there, though.) What it did was melt about 6″ of snow. When we returned home last night, after dark, we didn’t see it. Last night it rained and rained and we ended with about an inch of snow. So… even though most of the snow is gone, we still have some. (And it was a Very Cold Day today!)
I’ll be so glad when I have a day to be outdoors like you did! 🙂
ps Snakes, as disconcerting as it is to be surprised by one, are your friends. (Most of them!)
We had a few teaser days like that here this past week, only to awake this morn to falling snow. Spring can’t be that far off.
I love those kind of days…have had several so far. This morning there’s some snow on the mountain top…but thankfully not in the valley where I am. 🙂
We perhaps made it to 55º or so. Wasn’t it wonderful? Sunshine just has a way of brightening the spirit. Snow here again today, but bright red cardinals are adding color, and we have red-winged black birds..a sure sign of spring!
I’d guess a vole or mole made your little winding track.
If I saw a snake (which I have done) I’d run and get the camera (which I have done!) 🙂
Yep. Echoing others.
The snake is a good guy, the track is a vole.
The vole burrows and eats bulbs and roots of plants. The snake eats voles.
Nature can be a pest and helpful both.
Definitely a rodent track. They burrow under the snow like a mole in the dirt and end up with those little runs in the snow and lawn. I wish I didn’t know what it was… but we have lots of them.. unfortunately.
Which is also why, I too would love seeing a snake in the garden. They eat rodents.
Days like that are precious this time of year. We have those teaser days too and I make good use of them, like you do. How nice that you have more and more crocuses in flower and that forsythia looks very promising too.