Teal, you mentioned that the weather patterns have changed in a comment on a blog of mine, and I've been thinking about writing about that because it's definitely different this year.

It was odd this year to see the azaleas and the roses blooming at the same time--that has never happened before. Every year the flowers bloom in sequence: First the Japanese Magnolia, then the iris, the redbud, the dogwood, the Bradford pear, the violets, the azaleas and the roses last. And despite of--or maybe because of--the harshest winter in 30-40 years, everything has bloomed luxuriantly this spring. Maybe the trauma of the extreme cold and wet induced them not only to stay alive, but to spring forth like I've never seen before, as if exultant to say "I'm Alive!"

A guy wrote an article for the paper saying five years ago he and his wife planted some pampas grass in their backyard. The years have passed and the grass wouldn't grow--this winter it was nothing but sad little frozen clumps so they planned to get rid of it. Then Voila! This spring to their surprise it burst into life and is growing like gangbusters, and he's saying what's up with that?
It sure would be interesting to know.

susil