Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Perfect Weather for Sleeping - Not Good in May!

We can safely say the forest fire danger of the past several weeks is gone.  We've been having successive days of gray, gloomy skies and plenty of rain.  Large puddles are standing everywhere outside.  This morning the temperature was 37 degrees . . . with snowflakes falling.  Good gardening weather does not come early to the north woods.

Checking the forecast for the rest of this week, we see nothing but storm clouds with rain and low temps day and night, but then next week (please, please, pretty please), it should warm up.

This spring weather (ha!) is very reminiscent of the cooler climate (even well into summer) we experienced when we first moved up here forty years ago.  (It's a wonder we toughed it out and survived.)  Weather does go in cycles and I'm beginning to wonder if this is the start of another cycle of cooler summers.  Certainly good if you don't like hot, humid weather, but more of a challenge if you depend on gardening to supply a good amount of your food for the year.

Speaking of delicious food, I got notification my 200 new strawberry plants were shipped yesterday.  Funny, back in March when I ordered them, mid-May didn't sound like it would be too early for planting.  Now I fear they may have to cool their heels roots in the bottom of the refrigerator for a week or so before going out into the garden.  Not only is it cold out there now, but also very muddy.

But don't you worry about us wandering around aimlessly with nothing to do.  Seems we're never at a loss for keeping ourselves occupied.


We've started demolition on our deck which we need to replace this year.  (Yes, it truly does need replacement.)  I've taken lots of pictures which I'll get up in a post soon.

Well, anyway, this weather is good for something.  Sleeping!  It's so exceptionally hard to pull oneself out of bed on these gray, cold mornings.  If we were wise (Yeah, yeah, IF!) we'd find a way to stock up on the rejuvenating hours of shut-eye because we'll need them if when summer does arrive.

19 comments:

Michelle said...

We live in California so cloudy and rainy days are rare unfortunately. When we are lucky enough to have then I love curling up with a good book. This is the week we start putting in our summer garden. I have harvested the last of the winter stuff. ( lettuce,beets, and onions ). Hope your weather warms up soon.

Laurie said...

We've had our fair share of rain, too, courtesy of Tropical Storm Ana. She's gone and today, so is the rain, but we are left with some hellacious humidity. It's an indoor chore day today! Hope it warms up for you next week.

Sue said...

We have had 5 days in a row of rain. I'm so grateful. My soil had been DUST just a week ago. I'm very behind on edging the veg garden--a big no no as the quack grass is invading in droves, but still too early and cold to plant so aside from the grass, all is good here. The only bad part is running the seedlings in and out of the house every night and morning. That's getting really old, really fast!

Jennifer at coffeeontheporchwithme said...

We too are experiencing a cold snap in Ontario after some nice warm weather. I haven't bought a single annual or even put a seed in the ground yet. Hope it warms up for you soon.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I can't imagine where I'd put 200 strawberry plants, but it sounds wonderful. I bet your freeze will be exploding. We have had 60°F days here and it's wonderful camping weather, and awesome sleeping weather. Snow flakes? Yikes.

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - I just have to laugh at how different our climates are! I finally put a cold frame over my raised bed of salad fixings right before this cold snap hit us. Still don't know if I'll get anything out of it.

Mama Pea said...

Laurie - When you think of how cold it's been here, it seems strange you folks in "the south" have already been having such heat and humidity. Doesn't seem to be "right" anywhere!

Mama Pea said...

Sue - I got to the edging of the gardens on the flat a couple of weeks ago during our warmish weather . . . and it's a good thing I did because this rain is going to make that quack grass grow like lightning! And, yes, hauling seed flats in and out each day causes a real love/hate relationship!

Mama Pea said...

Jennifer - It's just no sense starting the gardening earlier than the weather says you can. Stunts everything whether it's seed or transplants. Having patience this time of year is really hard, isn't it?

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - Truth to tell, I'm having a little trouble fitting them in, too! I have to pop the blossoms off all of them planted this year so the strength will go to the plant, but next year watch out! We should be back in the strawberries again.

Snowflakes yesterday, frost covering everything outdoors this morning. Sigh. As they say, this isn't the North Pole . . . but you can see it from here! ;o]

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

Could you plant the strawberry plants and place heavy duty plastic over them to protect the plants?
37 degrees, wet, and dreary.......sounds like us without the cold temperatures. We've been in the 60's and constant rain. Expecting more storms the rest of this week. I say it's perfect weather to sleep in, and work on your quilting. I've actually picked up yarn, hubby want's me to make him a crocheted blanket. I'm giving it a good attempt, and learning as I go.

Susan said...

Holey cow! What is up with this weather? We have been seesawing like crazy - over 90 on Sunday and a frost advisory for tonight. Geez. But it is rather nice to snoogle in bed when it's 40 degrees outside with a stiff breeze.

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - I'm worried about the ground being too wet and cold. I don't want the strawberry plants to rot, that's for sure. Covering them with plastic would create a mini greenhouse effect. I may have to consider that. We had a heavy frost this morning. Ugh. Well, it goes with the territory up here and we'll make it work.

Great that you're learning to knit! Looking forward to seeing pictures of your progress.

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Well, at least we've just been COLD. No seesawing as you've had. Sometimes I think that's worse for the plants than just the cold. (Ain't healthy for da humans either!)

Lisa said...

Would love to share our 'no rain' and 90 degree temps with you! *sigh* Hot, humid, miserable in May? So unusual as that's usually our July-August weather. So begins the dog-days-of-summer in Spring this year. From the moment I planted our garden, the rains stopped, brutal heat and sun began with a highly unusual hail storm that built up so much hail on the ground it looked like it snowed that afternoon. Luckily, nothing had begun to grow at that time.... but if it happened now.... I would so cry.

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - I do wonder if your hot, humid weather will continue all summer? Not good news for your garden (and other plantings!) if it does.

In your pictures on your sewing blog, you always look so cool and calm! No one would believe you're standing in 90 degree humidity!

Erin said...

Hope it warms up for you soon! We have been back and forth here too, mostly 70's but then it was 90 on Tuesday then down to 42 last night. Crazy stuff.

Mama Pea said...

Erin - We're still in the middle of the sunless rain forest. Cold, too. I have doubts warm weather will ever come at this point. :o(

Mark said...

Hi Mama Pea! Finally able to catch up on some posts. We've had an odd string of hot, cold, wet, and muggy - sometimes all in the same day. I've got a start on my garden, and may get more done this week. Hopefully I'll get a post out tomorrow and get all my goings on caught up.