wacky wednesday - spring has sprung

As a nearly-native Arizonan, I learned a long time ago that "our" seasons don't correlate in any way to most of the rest of the country's seasons. Winter coats and wool sweaters come out in August while we are still floating in the pool hoping for a breeze, cool or otherwise.

Just a little over a week ago Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. And for much of the country that has been the case thus far. New England has received record-breaking amounts of snow in the past couple of weeks as one winter storm arrives on the heels of the previous one with little time to recover. And more storms are predicted. Even balmy southern California had a rare snowstorm this year.

Richard took this photo during a recent business trip to the Boston area where daytime temperatures were still below freezing. You can see snow drifts nearly reaching the top of the picnic table in the lower left corner.

But here in Arizona, and particularly the Valley of the Sun, the temperatures are warming up and spring has sprung. 

Deciduous trees like this evergreen (what a misnomer!) pear tree lost all their leaves just a month ago and are now leafing out and budding.

Weeds are popping out everywhere - some pretty and some not so much!

The only signs of winter are the birds. The "snowbirds" (aka winter visitors) typically arrive sometime in October and stay through March enjoying our mild winter while their home state is buried under snow. 

American Coots also join us for the winter enjoying our many lake communities through late March or April.

It occurred to me this year that perhaps Arizona needs their own "spring forecaster" rather than relying on Punxsutawney Phil. Maybe a prairie dog named Arizona Annie... or a gila monster named Desert Dan...