Wedding Weather: Lovely with a chance of Bubbles, Toasts and Friends?

P'ville, February 25 (Sac Bee photo)

Spring in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada is a wondrous time. The hills go chlorophyll green, dappled with magenta redbuds, blue ceanothus and improbably orange poppies. And the weather? As they say in New England, if you don't like it, just wait 5 minutes... So here you are at the cusp of the vernal equinox, wondering what to pack for a trip to Northern California. All I can say is bring layers...and maybe an umbrella. Expect blue skies with fluffy cumulus clouds drifting lazily by but don't be surprised if a spring shower or a brief hail storm of biblical proportions wanders through. Please note the picture of our village at right published by the Sacramento Bee just 2 weeks ago. And yes, the name of this blog is ironic, but you already knew that...

weather.com widget 03.07.2011 AM

There are many signs that Spring weather has arrived. Quince, plums and mustard are in bloom. Redbuds, crabapples, cherries and pears are budding. Buckeyes were leafing out a month ago. Pacific Tree Frogs are singing up a storm (love and amplexus to you, my dear). And the weather man is mostly positive for the end of the week--days in the low-mid sixties and evenings in the high thirties/low forties. Sounds like blue skies, green lights, short sleeves and zories to me. But don't place all your trust in an optimist...semper paratus are still words to live by.

Shorter days

After the coolest Summer in forever, wet weather has arrived a bit early this year. Great for the garden and even better for reading by the fire with a cup of cocoa or, better yet, mocha with a splash of bourbon.

Must transplant 50 tiny Digitalis (purpurea v. apricot and mertonensis) seedlings into larger 2" soil blocks today. Mertonensis germination was quite low (10/40) which probably explains their rare availability in nurseries. Apricot germinated at 100% so we're hoping for a wall of pink verticality outside the office window (behind a mass of medium blue Ceanothus) come Spring.

3 new garden areas established this year including:

• A woodland garden started last Summer when Charlie moved 8 yds of soil to add relief and bury the most miserable piece of lawn in the yard (dogwoods, Woodwardia, Huchera, a sprinkling of Alstromeria and 2 Brunnera macrophylla one (v Jack Frost?) with fantastic variegated leaves.
• Our fantastic, curvaceous rock-walled raised bed vegetable garden. Pulled up the last of the melons and cucumbers yesterday to make room for a lettuce patch. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants hanging in there but not for much longer.
• Irish moss, Navajo sandstone fountain conversion of another over-shaded and struggling lawn.