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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Getting A Little Excited For Spring

Getting A Little Excited For Spring

by John Cole|  February 26, 202110:51 pm| 66 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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It’s still a long way away, and I love the snow and cold, but I am getting excited for spring. I think the thing I missed the most was taking road trips with my partner in crime, Gerald’s daughter, Breonna. I missed going to the orchards and taking her out to eat at new places and showing her things and taking her places she had never been. Plus, it’s just nice to spend some times with kids and remember how they look at things and se the world through their eyes.

Then after a couple hours, dropping them off and not having to put up with their bullshit.

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66Comments

  1. 1.

    Mary G

    February 26, 2021 at 10:55 pm

    I enjoyed doing that with my teen housemate, dragging to different places. He is too busy these days

    Firstly I was first. Now can we go back to not caring about it?

    Housemate came home early as her fever is up over 102, but she’s cleaning instead of resting.

  2. 2.

    smike

    February 26, 2021 at 10:56 pm

    1,​
     
    Ummm, not so much. But look what I found! a shiny, brand new 2!!1!

  3. 3.

    Chetan Murthy

    February 26, 2021 at 11:00 pm

    @Mary G: IIRC, you got the jab, right?

  4. 4.

    geg6

    February 26, 2021 at 11:05 pm

    That is exactly my feeling about kids.  It’s why I was such a great aunt.  Many adventures with my nieces and then I’d hand them back to mom and dad before I got overloaded and turned into cranky, mean aunt.

  5. 5.

    JanieM

    February 26, 2021 at 11:06 pm

    As to the coming of spring, realistically it’s still a good way off here in the north country. But I’m just loving the longer daylight.

  6. 6.

    MMM

    February 26, 2021 at 11:14 pm

    I think they already made this movie. The Professional.

  7. 7.

    NotMax

    February 26, 2021 at 11:22 pm

    it’s just nice to spend some times with kids

    I’ll cordially waive my time and willingly hand it over to Mr. Cole.

    ;)

  8. 8.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 26, 2021 at 11:29 pm

    This is for you, John.

    https://youtu.be/mCNaDLb4K9k

  9. 9.

    HumboldtBlue

    February 26, 2021 at 11:30 pm

    I’m an uncle 11 times over and a grand uncle six times over.

    Uncling is the best job in the world.

    Got a birthday celebration coming up Sunday with one of the grands whose birth I attended, albeit as the weeping uncle in the hallway trying to text the family the baby had arrived.

  10. 10.

    namekarB

    February 26, 2021 at 11:37 pm

    Yep. It’s always a pleasure to be around my grandkids and another guilty pleasure when they go home. But it has been a long dry spell without those in person gatherings.

  11. 11.

    NotMax

    February 26, 2021 at 11:38 pm

    Not my cuppa eye of newt but may score a hit with the younger set.

  12. 12.

    smike

    February 26, 2021 at 11:43 pm

    Don’t know what I think about the spring, yet. Near Austin here, so we came out of the deep freeze, had about a week of winterish weather, then jumped to spring weather. A couple of lemon trees are goners (unless the root survived), fig tree gone, large rosemary bush frozen, but hopefully that is about it. Saved what herbs I could, Oregano in the ground seems to have done well, and same with some thyme that got buried in pine needles during the storm/s.

  13. 13.

    Kent

    February 26, 2021 at 11:56 pm

    Here in Camas (Portland metro) I noticed the first ornamental flowering pear trees starting to flower while out walking the dog today.  So spring is just around the corner in this part of the world, even though it was only about 40 degrees out today.

  14. 14.

    BruceFromOhio

    February 27, 2021 at 12:04 am

    Uncles are the best. I was blessed with a plethora of smart, talented uncles who know clever witty shit, and smart, talented cousins who know clever witty shit. And aunts that keep everyone in line and don’t take that shit from anybody.

  15. 15.

    bertintx

    February 27, 2021 at 12:07 am

    The potatoes in the school garden look (feel) okay. Onions and kale are still good. We had several beds of red clover as a green manure and it came through last week just fine. I don’t understand.  Next week we will plant more after tilling in the plants that froze to death. The peach and plum trees are still waiting to bloom, excepting the two early ones that have now been reset until next year.  While driving around Austin today I saw lots of dead prickly pear cactus flopped over dead, damaged Sago palm and yuccas.

  16. 16.

    Jay

    February 27, 2021 at 12:12 am

    Might this weekend, ( finally have a weekend), get some bags of soil, some Casablanca Lillies, some Lilly of the Valley, ( bulbs), a pot, tray, tomato cage and add a pot to the 22nd story balcony garden.

  17. 17.

    Richard

    February 27, 2021 at 12:13 am

    A large flock of robins, too many to count. 500 + or more. A sure sign. It was amazing. Turdus migratorius for all you bird people.

  18. 18.

    TomatoQueen

    February 27, 2021 at 12:14 am

    It’s light out at quittin’ time, gonna rain all weekend, the first notice of tree pollen (elm, juniper, both mofos) arrived in email from pollen.com, and local TV news reports a beaver munched a Yoshino cherry tree at the Tidal Basin. Also, Lady Gaga’s Frenchies are returned safely by “a woman not involved in the theft”. BBC Nooz tonight had a view of the Snow Moon at full, an island with a gold-domed building on top, and a murmuration of starlings just in front of the building, over the water. Must be spring.

  19. 19.

    trollhattan

    February 27, 2021 at 12:16 am

    It was 76 Wednesday and I had to turn the irrigation on because the yard is already dry. Guess that counts as spring. Am happy to get out in the sun but will bitch like hell once fire season returns. Easter?

  20. 20.

    Kelly

    February 27, 2021 at 12:16 am

    I saw tiny leaves breaking buds on a bush next to the river here in the Oregon Cascade foothills. After a very late start the snowpack has caught up to the long term average. We had really good ski day Wednesday. Pondering replacing my decrepit old dry suit so I could get my kayak out on the water. March used to be the beginning of prime whitewater. I get cold easier nowadays.

  21. 21.

    Wapiti

    February 27, 2021 at 12:17 am

    @smike: A couple of years ago I had a rosemary with snow sitting atop it for about a week and it had a lot of dead branches by spring, but I aggressively cut the dead stuff out and the plant recovered very nicely.

  22. 22.

    trollhattan

    February 27, 2021 at 12:19 am

    Lest I sound ungrateful, the county reports 271k Covid vaccines administered. > 1/4 million is GREAT progress.

  23. 23.

    trollhattan

    February 27, 2021 at 12:21 am

    @Wapiti:

    IDK what it takes to kill rosemary but we have never managed it. They are tough, tough, tough. Do not turn your back on one.

  24. 24.

    debbie

    February 27, 2021 at 12:23 am

    @geg6:

    My nieces and nephews were absolute joys for me too. Wish there had been some way to keep them little, like kiddie bonsai or something.

  25. 25.

    Jay

    February 27, 2021 at 12:25 am

    @trollhattan:

    yeah, they will stab you.

  26. 26.

    Jay

    February 27, 2021 at 12:27 am

    Facebook finally bans the Myanmar military. All it took to convince them was a 5 year long campaign of ethnic cleansing followed by a military coup. https://t.co/TVyqJsnJZ2— Christopher Wylie ?️‍? (@chrisinsilico) February 25, 2021

  27. 27.

    Chetan Murthy

    February 27, 2021 at 12:28 am

    @Jay: I have no yard, but have a [decrepit, about-to-fall-apart] deck where I could have some pots.  Summer-before-last I tried a basil plant (bought it with roots-and-all) and …. it didn’t survive so well.  I watered it daily, but somehow ….. no dice.  This year I put one in a jar, and it was pretty good summer/fall, but since then, it seems to be failing.  I put it in the window to get sun, and make sure there’s enough water, but … sometimes I think about putting it out of its misery.  Not enough leaves to be worth harvesting for making a caprese sandwich, sigh.

    I wonder what I’m doing wrong.

  28. 28.

    Martin

    February 27, 2021 at 12:28 am

    Oh, turns out there’s an America First white nationalist/insurrectionist conference nearby CPAC and Gosar is (appropriately) a speaker.

  29. 29.

    Jay

    February 27, 2021 at 12:31 am

    Clark County Republicans meet last night to censure U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler for voting to impeach Trump.

    Tusitala “Tiny” Toese was at the GOP meeting acting as Sergeants-at-arms, helping to count votes and escort a man from the microphone.https://t.co/KSxVzVTK9U
    — Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) February 25, 2021

    https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2020/12/16/tusitala-tiny-toese-will-be-released-early-from-jail-next-week-after-violating-probation-for-assault-charges/

  30. 30.

    smike

    February 27, 2021 at 12:36 am

    @Wapiti: I like that idea.

  31. 31.

    Mary G

    February 27, 2021 at 12:36 am

    Never mind.

  32. 32.

    Jay

    February 27, 2021 at 12:39 am

    @Chetan Murthy:

    #1 rule of gardening, good healthy soil.

    Basil likes heat, and “bottom watering), ( waterspots on the leaves, cause mold).

    Up here, basil season is late March to September, sometimes October.

    We moved here in August, potted up some plants, ( some herbs and colour).

    Looking forward this year to have more greens, veggies, and extravagant plantings.

    It’s not like I sit out there, ( vertigo).

    Many, many years ago, lived on Commercial Drive, ( first time). Had a big south facing balcony. Filled it almost completely up. All the Nonna’s loved it, ( Little Italy).

  33. 33.

    Achrachno

    February 27, 2021 at 12:42 am

    @trollhattan:  You can’t kill rosemary, everyone knows that! Crabgrass you have a chance with, maybe Bermuda grass too, but not rosemary. On the other hand you can season things with rosemary, which crabgrass is pretty useless for.

  34. 34.

    Chetan Murthy

    February 27, 2021 at 12:42 am

    @Mary G: I guess it’s for people who don’t actually need to -learn- anything in college.

  35. 35.

    smike

    February 27, 2021 at 12:45 am

    @Chetan Murthy: Don’t know where you are, but basil wants to bolt early in the year here (centex). I pinch the buds and flowers as soon as they become evident, and it is something that must be done often. I let the pots dry a bit and then hit them with a good drenching. Also, throwing a good bit of compost on top of the soil doesn’t hurt.

  36. 36.

    Jay

    February 27, 2021 at 12:46 am

    @Achrachno:

    depends where you are. -40c kills Rosemary.

  37. 37.

    Jay

    February 27, 2021 at 12:49 am

    @smike:

    I use a mix of good composted manure, Sea Soil, ( kelp compost), worm casings and planter potting soil.

  38. 38.

    cain

    February 27, 2021 at 12:50 am

    It seems I’m going to have a minority opinion, but it comes from a place of love.

    Goddam it Cole, I’m sick of this friendship bullshit in your relationship. I want to see you deep in love, man or woman, whatever, and living your best life. I feel like you’re holding yourself back. You are such a good person, that I feel like some woman is missing her chance to find the man of her dreams. Can we fucking find Cole a woman who can match the kind of deep empathy that our man exhibits. It really concerns me that he lives in an island.

    You and I are the same age by a few months – and I know that you are still a young man, and I really want you to start dating and putting yourself out there. There is a woman out there that will long for all the goodness that you bring. Don’t do it for yourself, do it for your future partner.

  39. 39.

    cain

    February 27, 2021 at 12:52 am

    @cain: ​
     
    Just want to add that I spent nearly 20 years on this blog. I feel like I can speak my piece.

  40. 40.

    smike

    February 27, 2021 at 12:54 am

    @Jay: Sounds yummy.

  41. 41.

    NotMax

    February 27, 2021 at 12:56 am

    @Chetan Murthy

    It could be…

    .

    …a faulty basil.

    :)

  42. 42.

    Chetan Murthy

    February 27, 2021 at 12:57 am

    @NotMax: Just don’t mention the *war

  43. 43.

    bertintx

    February 27, 2021 at 12:58 am

    @Chetan Murthy: I’ve never had basil make it through from fall to spring, so I plant again each year from transplants from my  local garden centers. It likes heat but not too much afternoon sun ( a problem in central TX) . It does not need daily watering.  The people who grow basil year round are using fancy greenhouses with all the necessary climate controls.

  44. 44.

    Richard

    February 27, 2021 at 1:00 am

    @Chetan Murthy: they don’t live long. Annual plant. Year or a little more at most for me. I love them but they are on an annual schedule. They smell so nice. For me it is best to buy the young plants from local nursery and keep them in pots.

    One year i planted them in the garden from seed and they did great. But they are an annual plant.

  45. 45.

    CaseyL

    February 27, 2021 at 1:02 am

    Seasons in Seattle are hard to discern as they slowly slide into one another. I, at least, figure that Spring Is In The Air once I see birds returning and crocuses coming up (I used to have a brave little crocus near a tree in front of my house. Landscapers took out the tree and the crocus.)

    I have uncovered the deck strawberries, and hope they’re ready – the weather really is unreliable. But if we get another freeze, I can cover them up again.

    Tonight my neighbor and I, both fully vaccinated, went out to a restaurant (Thai Siam) for dinner. Only a few tables in use, all widely spaced, and everyone masked. It was a grand evening. The food was quite good, too, and the portions so enormous I have enough leftovers for two meals.

  46. 46.

    cain

    February 27, 2021 at 1:17 am

    @CaseyL: 
    Huh.. I feel like the birds never left – -plenty of birds here.

  47. 47.

    Mai Naem mobile

    February 27, 2021 at 1:31 am

    I saw a breathless report on one of our local news stations on the number of wasted vaccine doses(200!!!) in AZ. I am assuming its for the month possibly the week. The bigger picture is 1.1 million individual doses have been given. Varied reasons at different sites – improper storage during transport, expired, vials left out too long etc. Nothing nefarious but,hey, let’s talk about 200 wasted doses!

  48. 48.

    Richard

    February 27, 2021 at 1:37 am

    @cain: yes you can. Oof! Maybe that guy likes his island. Maybe he is still working on things. Maybe he doesn’t like girls. Maybe he doesn’t like boys. Maybe he’s just that way. Maybe he doesn’t like people at all! It is not your job.

    Give yourself a break. It is not your fault.

  49. 49.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    February 27, 2021 at 2:30 am

    ? ? ? ?​

    BREAKING: The House just passed the #AmericanRescuePlan Act (H.R. 1319) – President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan. Includes a $15 minimum wage. pic.twitter.com/8Oqk2OVDXx ​— The Leadership Conference (@civilrightsorg) February 27, 2021​

  50. 50.

    Baud

    February 27, 2021 at 2:35 am

    @David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch:

    ???

  51. 51.

    Baud

    February 27, 2021 at 2:41 am

    @David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch:

    Pelosi does it again.

  52. 52.

    BQUIMBY

    February 27, 2021 at 2:41 am

    @cain: Living one’s best life does not always require a lover… or kids.      What’s w/the pressure and need for people to assume or insinuate single people are not as happy? or are somehow isolated?  or not living their best life? lesser than?

  53. 53.

    A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)

    February 27, 2021 at 2:55 am

    @Chetan Murthy: I live in N California and always have a basil plant in the summer (in a pot), and it is an annual, so I don’t think you are doing anything wrong. One and done.  If you want perennials which will live through most anything, in my experience daylilies, canna lilies, all kinds of sages, and all kinds of chrysanthemums fit the bill.  They will die back at the end of fall and then regrow in the next spring.

    It is daffodil time at our house, plus we have some cute little miniature iris (like Doug Iris) I had planted bulbs of last fall and had forgotten all about.  A nice surprise

    ETA: we have a huge rosemary bush that I cut off branches from for cooking (herbs) and the bees love it.  No downside I can see.  Of course I have a large “yard” near the house (we have 20 acres).

  54. 54.

    Brachiator

    February 27, 2021 at 3:51 am

    @David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch:

    The minimum wage provision will have to be removed from the Senate version of the bill. Maybe this will provide some negotiating room for other items.

    I am hoping that they don’t accept the faulty recommendations to lower the income threshold for the $1,400 stimulus payments.

  55. 55.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    February 27, 2021 at 4:28 am

    @Baud: Master of the House

    will go down in history with LBJ (blessed by thy name) and Joe Cannon

  56. 56.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    February 27, 2021 at 4:28 am

    Are you ready for the sunshine?
    Are you ready for the birds and bees,
    the apple trees,
    and a whole lot of fooling around

    Are you ready for the summer?
    Are you ready for the hot nights?
    Are you ready for the fireflies,
    the moonlit skies,
    and a whole lot of fooling around

    No more pencils, no more books
    No more teachers dirty looks
    No more math and history,
    Summer time has set us free

    Are you ready for the summer?
    Are you ready for the good times?…”

  57. 57.

    AlaskaReader

    February 27, 2021 at 5:15 am

    @Richard: The collective noun would be a ’round’ of robins.

  58. 58.

    mrmoshpotato

    February 27, 2021 at 5:21 am

    This job Taking the kids to see things would be great if it wasn’t for the fucking customers their eventual bullshit.​​

  59. 59.

    satby

    February 27, 2021 at 5:41 am

    Today is predicted to get close to 50° here in the rapidly thawing north, and the deeper snowdrifts in my yard have melted down to only a couple of inches high. Still a lot of ice on the pavement in shady areas, but today will eliminate most of it. Soon as I see some dirt and grass, I’ll be looking for little signs of crocus and daffodils, though they’re both probably a month away from blooming.

  60. 60.

    Geminid

    February 27, 2021 at 5:44 am

    @Richard: Basil are neat to grow from seed. The seedlings  stand out from other sprouts because of their dark green color. Poppy seedlings stand out too, only they are a sea green.

    This makes me want to plant the 100 sq. ft. patch I’ve dug, but it’s been raining and snowing on and off in central Virginia for six weeks, and the soil is too wet to work. Smells like spring, though.

    I’ve heard of people using  large rosemary branches as shiskabob skewers for grilling meats. They are said to impart flavor.

  61. 61.

    mikefromArlington

    February 27, 2021 at 6:06 am

    With spring for me comes itching and sneezing…at least it used to.

    Last fall I got a sinus infection from severe allergies. I went and ordered a neti pot with the little salt saline packets.

    LIFE CHANGER!

    And I’m not kidding. Any time I’ve got a bit of itchiness I use em. Instant relief. They’re cheap, quick and reliable. The one I bought was a CROING kit with Sinus Rinse Bottle with 80 packets from Amazon.

    If you haven’t tried them yet John, do it now.

    It’s not just allergies. Even my kids and wife has seen results if they’re starting to feel some sneezing or possible cold, it cleans the sinuses out and prevents it from getting worse.

    Anyways, cheers. Happy spring.

  62. 62.

    Lavocat

    February 27, 2021 at 6:40 am

    We’ll just call you Uncle Buck, or Youbee for short.

    Hey, here’s a quarter! You know what to do with it.

  63. 63.

    wvng

    February 27, 2021 at 7:39 am

    Here’s a song for John.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HtSxPf9iO8Q

  64. 64.

    Skepticat

    February 27, 2021 at 8:15 am

    Then after a couple hours, dropping them off and not having to put up with their bullshit.

    I never wanted to have children, but being an aunt is all right, especially now that my niece and my nephew are adults who treat me like peers.

  65. 65.

    BellyCat

    February 27, 2021 at 9:38 am

    Plus, it’s just nice to spend some times with kids and remember how they look at things and see the world through their eyes.

    Then after a couple hours, dropping them off and not having to put up with their bullshit.

    I am dead. ?  (Father of 5 year old)

  66. 66.

    DougInDowneyCA

    February 27, 2021 at 9:54 am

    That was funny

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