Tag Archives: Chionodoxa

Alberta Snapshot: Rochfort Railway Bridge.

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From the archives (if you follow my blog There is a Light, you might recognize this one.  I’m hoping to get all of the images from TIAL moved over within the next few weeks, which means some of the upcoming content on Flowery Prose will not be entirely new to everyone).  This photograph was taken on 24 April of last year.

 

105 kilometres (65 miles) northwest of Edmonton, Alberta lies the hamlet of Rochfort Bridge. This railway bridge nearby is cited as the longest wooden trestle in North America. It measures 736 metres (2, 414 feet) long and 33.5 metres (110 feet) tall, and was built in 1914.  The Paddle River and Highway 43 pass beneath it.

 

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Finally got out last night and cleaned up all the garbage that had blown into the flowerbeds over the winter and earlier this spring.  Found about a million cigarette butts (I’ve since written a letter to the property manager so she can hopefully put up a notice – with all the dry grass, dead leaves and wood chips, it’s just irresponsible and obnoxious) and part of a broken window.  I’ll be picking glass out of that one area forever….

I haven’t lifted the leaf litter yet because I want the ladybugs hiding in it to feel safe and warm for a few more days yet – there is more snow in the forecast for the end of this week. (Grrrrr…).  It’s a bit early to do a full on clean up just yet, although if I have time tonight I may cut back the dried stalks from some of the perennials (I don’t do that task in the fall so things are looking a bit weird right now).  Lots of little bits of green in the garden now, popping up everywhere, and there are scilla and anemones blooming alongside the crocuses and chionodoxa.  I’m so happy to see them!

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Wanted: Warm blanket and soft pillow.

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(Photo credit: R. Normandeau)

A grouping of Chionodoxa and Puschkinia poked out of my flowerbeds in a rare sunny moment last week.  Unfortunately, further blooms in my garden have been arrested by the cold and freezing drizzle that has been falling on and off for the past three days.  I can completely relate – the weather makes me want to go back to bed, too.  😉

I hope you have a relaxing Saturday!  Do you have any plans to get out into your garden this weekend?

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Spring stirrings…finally!

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Two clippers blast the Prairies with heavy snow, strong winds

That’s the current weather warning from the Weather Network for the province of Alberta. While here in Calgary we are not being bombarded with the extreme precipitation and wind chills that our neighbours to the north and west are receiving, a glance at the forecast for later this weekend signals we may be in for a doozy.

But I don’t mind so much now, because this is the lovely sight that greeted me when I went outside to check my flowerbeds this morning:

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GREEN!  Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day!

(I know, I know, I shouldn’t get so excited…but this never gets old for me.  Especially after six months of winter).

I randomly planted a mixture of Chionodoxa, Siberian squill, crocuses and grape hyacinths in October, adding to a small collection I’ve been (very) slowly building over the years. I’m hoping for a bit more of an early colour display this year!

Now, if we can just do something about this snow…. 😉

Wherever you live, what signs of spring do you find most inspirational and fun?

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