The Trauma is Still Fresh and What's That You Say? Butterflies in Vermont on April 17???????

Mr. Jefferies has still not recovered from the trauma of being abandoned outside. The cuteness is breaking my heart. If we go outside, and I make one footstep in the direction of the house, he takes off on a gallop to the door. It's so pathetically adorable and adorably pathetic, I can hardly stand it. 

We both thank you for all your messages of love and concern and commiseration. 

It's ridiculously warm here, and the day before yesterday the plum trees suddenly burst into bloom. I think they are more or less on schedule, but really it would be more normal for us to have a crippling, icy, sleety, tree-limb-breaking, car-sliding-off-the-driveway-and-stuck, swearing-like-a-mofo snowstorm just about now.

Instead, it's been 80 degrees for several days, then cooled down to 60 yesterday -- both temps well above normal for this time of year. It was very windy, so I was worried that the trees would not be pollinated. What few bees there are left in this poor sick world wouldn't be out in that heavy wind. But after work yesterday I went out and found both trees alive with activity. There were a (very) few bees, and a lot of those strange bee-impersonating flies, and about a dozen beautiful butterflies on each tree.

Butterflies! In Vermont on April 17th? That's just not riiiiiight. 

And in other bizarre garden news, get a load of my spinach (underneath the critter-discouraging pop-up net from Gardener's Supply, which sadly no longer seems to be available, but they have these instead):

And the beet and Swiss chard seeds I planted on Sunday have already germinated. If we don't have a horrible drought or another blizzard on July 4th or something, I'll be surprised. Things are freakish, but I will be a very bad Vermonter and admit that I can't say I mind the warmth and good gardening weather right at the moment. 

I did appreciate the visit to my blog and comment by a Gardener's Supply personage the other day. After about 7 or 8 years of blogging about their products and probably sending them thousands of dollars of business (well, hell, spending thousands of dollars there myself, even), someone finally noticed. But I'm not bitter. KIDDING! (Does that mean I'm kidding that I'm not bitter, or kidding that.... oh, never mind.)

I'll just do the Pioneer Woman thing and say, "They didn't pay me to say this or give me anything. Not ONE THING. Not even a coupon or anything! In fact, they don't even know I exist," and in my case I'd be telling the absolute troofth. <---------Read that in Edith Ann's voice. 

 

 

 

Comments

[Natalie]

Your garden is already making me look like a slacker, but I'm determined to actually grow some stuff with the kids this year. I'm in the process of assembling supplies.

Oh, and the poor dear thing. Hopefully he doesn't hold it against you for too long.

[Seanna Lea]

Poor Mr. Jeffries.

It is supposed to be in the upper 40s on Sunday and raining, but the rest of the week is the 50s or better. Makes me wish I could bottle these summer days for when I actually need them.

[Mary Lou]

I harvested ASPARAGUS 2 weeks ago. In minnesota. It is freaky. But it was sure delicious. My chard and spinach look like yours. I may go crazy and plant some green beans this weekend.

[gayle]

Isn't this weather crazy? We usually spend April whining for warmth...

[julie]

It must be the year for those butterflies, as we have had swarms of them! They were especially fond of our lilacs, which bloomed beautifully this year, but lost most of their blooms in this week's high winds. My husband thinks they might be Red Admirals, but I'm terrible at identifying butterflies and moths.

[Mercuria]

Mr. Jefferies is one smart cookie. I always feel like I'm a horrible person when I find something like that cute (even if my heart is breaking at the same time), but I suppose crippling guilt wouldn't help him either. I hope he gets back to normal soon!

Also, completely off topic here, but I think your camera may be set for "Tungsten" white balance (or "Indoor," depending on what your camera calls it). Just a heads up, since your pictures look blue today.

[Robin V]

Today Bonnie & I ran into a swarm of those butterflies as well - I've never seen so many at one time. Another dog walker stopped to chat about it - but the dogs, frankly, couldn't have cared less.

I was curious to know what to call a group of butterflies... came across these names: a swarm, a rabble, a kaleidoscope, a flight, a flutter, a rainbow.

[sinful bikini]

I usually like wind.
This idiom refers to something that floats lightly in the wind like the smell of freshly baked bread.
By yzi11

[Gardening Birmingham]

Im really jealous of the weather your getting. Its been pouring with rain over here in the UK. My garden is looking really lush though but would love some 80 degree weather.

[elizabeth a airhart]

poor baby li'l darling does he not have
a wee door of his own

no matter the camera setting the butterfly
photo looks like a very fine japanese
painting quite lovely

[Marianne]

Beautiful photos of the butterflies and blossoms, but now it's Sunday and you have snow on the ground and hummingbirds twittering around?
caRAzy.

[Marianne]

ps love Edith Ann. and fresh out of the garden spinach. one of my very favourites. mmm.

[pest control]

It's definitely flea dirt and your pet has fleas!