In 2016 I’m doing a 365 Nature project. Each day of the year I will post something here about nature. It may be any format, a photo, video, audio, sketch or entry from my nature journal. It could be a written piece. Each day I will connect to nature in some way and share it here by the end of that day. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to the RSS feed or be notified by email. See all the 365 Nature posts.
Over the last few days the crocus which grow around our yard have started poking up through the grass and moss. Since we moved in over three years ago they’ve steadily spread across our front yard and I’m glad to see them because they provide an early food source for some of the first emerging bees. I love they find places to grow in all the nooks and crannies, they grow in our walkway, against the house and throughout the lawn and beds. Nothing seems to deter them. This past week has been very warm in the mid to upper 50’s but we’re expecting it to start cooling down again starting tomorrow. When I left this morning the flowers were shut up tight, covered in rain drops, but later this afternoon with the little bit of sun and the warmer weather, they opened up. Not fully, as they will on a really sunny day, but just halfway, as if acknowledging the attempt the sun made.
It seems early for the crocus to be blooming, but then I think the same thing every year about a great many plants blooming so I’m not sure my memory is a great judge. Instead I referenced my photos and while I’m not sure I took photos at the very first sign of blooming flowers, I do have photos from 2012 when the crocus bloomed in the middle of February. In 2013 I have a photo of them blooming at the very beginning of February and in 2015 I have photos of them blooming at the very end of January. This anecdotal information shows this is the earliest I’ve documented them blooming, but not by much. I guess spring is right around the corner already. And we haven’t even had snow yet.
