Early Spring in NJ?

2-13-22 SHORT HILLS: We left cold, frosty Vermont yesterday morning and came back to a warm and sunny NJ afternoon. While we were on the GSP we passed a convertible with the top down.

Here almost all the snow was gone, and it was in the sixties. I refilled the feeders, looked around the yard and took a picture of a snowdrop up and open. I would guess that’s the earliest snowdrops have ever opened here, but winter is not done with us just yet.

This morning we have 2-3 inches of new, wet snow. The temperature is hovering around the low thirties. The driveway and walkways are wet, but if we get the expected freeze, they will be icy.

New blooms: snowdrops. 

Open snowdrop yesterday.

Closed up today. The flower will wait for better weather before re-opening and making the pollen and nectar accessible to pollinators.

Here's why the snowdrop closed.

It's supposed to be warm later in the week. I hope so.

Purple finch paid us a visit in VT.