Based on the weather, it seems we’ve skipped spring completely and gone straight from winter to summer. Yesterday the observed high for Richmond was a record-breaking 91 degrees! Even the squirrels are struggling with the heat:
We have a bunch of white squirrels in our neighborhood (which we find awesome, in case you were wondering. :)) When I arrived home yesterday I found this one resting in the shade under our wheelbarrow planter. He stayed there for a solid 30 minutes!
The plus side of the heat is that it is finally warm enough to start planting the vegetables outside. This week we planted broccoli, Swiss chard, carrot, and beet seeds–all of which can handle a bit of cold, and we have a few 40-something-degree nights on the horizon.
We also transplanted the plants we started inside in February from the seed starting kit to individual plastic cups (with holes cut in the bottoms for drainage.) We were way late doing this, and now we are having to do some popsicle stick scoliosis treatment for the tomato plants. I think they are beginning to straighten…
This is only half of the plants, and the two giants in the top photo are tomatillos that our friend Matt gave us this week (thanks, Matt!) We’ve been putting them on the back deck for a few hours each day to let them adjust to the outdoors before it becomes their permanent home. (If that sounds crazy, you should know that when Andrew comes home from work he says, “How are the babies doing?” in reference to the plants. 😉 )
The downside to the heat is that my tulips–which I’ve been eagerly anticipating since I planted them in the fall–are blooming overnight, opening completely by the afternoon, and losing their petals by the evening.
Pretty, nonetheless 🙂
By the mailbox:
You can check out the “before” pictures from a month ago here. It’s crazy to see the difference!
Even if each tulip only blooms for a day, I plan to enjoy them while they last. 🙂
A Two Storey Home 
90 degrees?! No way! We’ve skipped spring as well, and gone back to winter 😛 It may snow today so I am soaking up your tulips as well!!
Oh man! The weather has been crazy around here too; it started to warm up at a normal time, then got really cold again (we had snow at the end of March,) and now all of a sudden it’s super hot. Good luck with the snow today! Glad you can enjoy the tulips 🙂
We are the opposite with our spring in New Hampshire. The weather has been very cool with sleet or snow tomorrow. Good luck with your garden…my plants can’t go into the ground until the end of May.
Oh gosh! The weather can’t seem to make up its mind these last few weeks. Good luck with the snow!
Thank you. If it snows, it won’t last as the ground is warm now.
Lovely pics. Hadn`t ever heard of white squirrels before. Can imagine they`re thrilling to see on the move.
Thank you! Yes, we think the white squirrels are so funny! I had never seen one until we moved to this neighborhood!