On February 2, Punxsutawney Phil, the official groundhog weather forecaster, dashed back into his burrow because he saw his shadow, and thus predicted six more weeks of winter.
“Ugh! You’ve got to be kidding me,” says the Steller’s jay. “Six more WEEEEEEKS!”
I felt the same way, and have been waiting (im)patiently for spring to come, and today I realized that six weeks must soon be up.
March 16 should be the last groundhog-predicted day of winter. So I expect spring to happen the next day.
One more week!
I’ll be looking for signs of spring for my next post. Are you finding any where you are?
wordsfromanneli 
March 9, 2021 at 8:59 pm
Butch prairie dog didn’t see his shadow and predicted an early spring 🙂
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March 9, 2021 at 9:01 pm
Hmm…. I think Butch might get fired. I seem to remember some very cold blizzard conditions in the prairies a few weeks ago.
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March 9, 2021 at 9:53 pm
The Stellar’s Jay is a very beautiful boy! I’m hoping that spring gets going for you soon, Anneli. I’ll be waiting another six weeks …
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March 9, 2021 at 10:34 pm
Oh … I’d forgotten. I do remember how in Dawson Creek, it was winter for a long time. I remember there used to be a kind of a betting game (on the radio in those days) about when the break up would happen on the Peace River. Maybe they had a marker on the ice and when it went under the bridge, that would be the official break up time. It seems to me it was often in late April (but I could be wrong – it was a long time ago).
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March 10, 2021 at 6:17 pm
Mid-to-late April is about right. Your memory hasn’t failed you. 🙂 This is my penultimate winter in NWT; one more and then I will be retiring. Looking forward to it. 🙂
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March 10, 2021 at 6:21 pm
I will be very happy for you when that day comes and you don’t have to freeze your toes anymore.
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March 10, 2021 at 7:41 pm
Thanks. 🙂
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March 9, 2021 at 11:54 pm
Not much signs of spring here. I have enough of winter, like the rest of us.
That is a beautiful Steller´s jay!
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March 10, 2021 at 8:21 am
I think it’s winter’s last gasp. Then we will be moving into spring. The Steller’s jay has pretty colours, I think.
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March 10, 2021 at 2:07 am
Such a beautiful blue bird. Stunning. Spring is coming your way soon and hopefully in the next week you get warmer weather and more blooms. Here in Australia we are in the southern hemisphere, and we are right now in fall, or autumn as we call it. Already missing the warm weather but we still have quiet a few sunny days 🙂
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March 10, 2021 at 8:23 am
I often forget that your seasons are the opposite to ours. We are just at the point of wanting spring desperately – so tired of the winter. Thanks for your comment, Mabel.
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March 10, 2021 at 4:05 am
Signs of spring have definitely appeared. The cherry trees are in full bloom and the pollen is already sky high. I’m patiently waiting for our hummingbirds to return. Last year, we saw our first on April 4th, so we’re getting anxious. Sadly, the Stellar’s Jay likes to eat hummies…eek!
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March 10, 2021 at 8:25 am
Oh no! I didn’t know that about the jays. I know that they’re nest robbers like any of the crow family (NOT my favourite bird) but I didn’t know that they go for the hummingbirds – oh! my poor babies!!!
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March 12, 2021 at 3:03 am
Shoot I didn’t know that about the Stellar Jays either. Is that just a stellar jay or Blue Jays also? Jill gets to see her Hummers in early April. We don’t get them here until early May. 😕
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March 12, 2021 at 9:26 am
The hummingbirds used to arrive here at the end of March, but in recent years a few have been staying all winter. I feel so sorry for them, but they must be tough to survive it.
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March 10, 2021 at 5:14 am
It’s supposed to warm up here for a few days, no signs of crocus yet. Lovely Stellar’s Jay shot.
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March 10, 2021 at 8:26 am
Tnx, Belinda. We can sure use a warming trend!
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March 10, 2021 at 5:37 am
Like Jill, pollen count is gearing up for the weeks of what I call ‘Green Gunk’ Season!
😦
But for all of that, the dafs, hiacynths and early crabs and magnolias and etc etc are more than evident here in SC.
Happy days are here again! Hang on!
🙂
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March 10, 2021 at 8:27 am
I sure hope you’re right about the happy days, Laura. You’re right to call it the gunk season. We are surrounded by fir trees and the pollen coats everything. I’m always glad when that time is over.
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March 10, 2021 at 6:40 am
It’s pretty much spring here all year, the Stellar’s Jay is beautiful! 😍
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March 10, 2021 at 8:29 am
I love the colour of blue on the jay, but I wish he were better behaved.
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March 10, 2021 at 6:45 am
We have pussy willows now, but they are cold ones this morning.
That’s a beautiful Jay!
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March 10, 2021 at 8:32 am
Nice! Pussy willows are always a sign that spring is coming. Chilly here today too, but the snow level is higher in the hills, so I’m hopeful for a warming trend. That saucy jay had better not go after any baby birds around here. There is so much else for it to eat.
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March 10, 2021 at 7:45 am
It has been frigid through the center of the country. I know they are frantic for spring to arrive.
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March 10, 2021 at 8:36 am
I’m surprised at that. I thought California was warm everywhere (except maybe in the high country). When we’ve driven down there in late December, we always felt like we’d arrived in paradise. We could feel the warmer breezes even just north of Redding.
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March 10, 2021 at 9:12 am
SoCal is pretty decent, especially compared to everywhere else. The country was freezing though seems to be coming out of it!
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March 10, 2021 at 9:37 am
I have very pleasant memories of it.
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March 10, 2021 at 8:32 am
We do! Yesterday we noticed the very first signs of buds on our Mexican plums.
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March 10, 2021 at 8:37 am
Oh, how nice!! That’s so wonderful. Gives me hope.
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March 10, 2021 at 8:38 am
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
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March 10, 2021 at 8:39 am
Thank you!
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March 10, 2021 at 9:02 am
Anneli, it’s actually been warm here all week! Well, warm enough for only a light jacket. Yesterday I took a short walk (still dragging from covid) with jeans, a t-shirt, and a cardigan. Rain is coming tonight and colder weather is moving back in tomorrow night. But at least it’s not cold enough for snow. Crossing fingers for no more snow. We’ve been known to get it in April.
Hang in there. Spring is on the way.
P.S. Gorgeous photo of that bird.
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March 10, 2021 at 9:39 am
Thanks, Lori. Only a light jacket! That sounds hopeful.
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March 10, 2021 at 1:00 pm
I can live with 6 more days, Anneli. But not a day longer!! It seems like winter has lasted a year!
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March 10, 2021 at 1:11 pm
If it isn’t here in six days, I’m going to pretend it’s here anyway. It really has been a long winter. (But do I say that every year?)
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March 11, 2021 at 1:16 pm
My crocuses are blooming and my tulips and other perennials have greened up. The ducks migrated and have made a pitstop on our pond.
We are going to get FEET of SNOW this weekend! No spring in sight here in Colorado.
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March 11, 2021 at 1:53 pm
Wow! Crocuses blooming! I have some daffodils with green leaves and a promise of a few buds, but no colour showing yet. No crocuses at my house. Sorry about your snow, but it can’t stay long. It just can’t!
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March 11, 2021 at 7:23 pm
The sun is intense here, but you never know in Colorado!
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March 11, 2021 at 6:15 pm
We are heading into warmer weather.
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March 11, 2021 at 7:27 pm
No problem with the Covid restrictions?
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March 12, 2021 at 4:47 pm
Maybe
.
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March 12, 2021 at 4:58 pm
I guess time will tell.
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March 12, 2021 at 3:01 am
What a gorgeous Jay! I have never seen one of those here in New England. Yesterday was the first day it reached 60°. An anomaly here but my guy and I went for a long drive and saw so many convertibles with the top down. Everyone is excited! And we went for a long walk in the woods. By this weekend temps will be back down to winter. So as much as I am pleading for spring I know it will be a while still. But keep us updated with photos of your beautiful spring soon to come. 😍
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March 12, 2021 at 9:25 am
How nice for you to have a warmish day at last. This has got to be the last blast of winter. I can feel the air warming up ever so slightly. I’ll be so happy when spring comes. No wonder the birds sing about it.
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March 12, 2021 at 12:28 pm
Until those spring days arrive, the stunning Steller’s Jay has brought you color and beauty. Here’s hoping spring arrives soon for you, Anneli.
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March 12, 2021 at 2:46 pm
That’s a nice way of looking at it, Jet. The Steller’s jay certainly has the bright colours we’ve been missing in the winter.
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March 12, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Two days of unseasonably warm weather this week, and back into the 20’s on Monday. We should hopefully begin to see some signs of spring after Monday.
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March 12, 2021 at 7:41 pm
It can’t be much longer now!
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March 13, 2021 at 6:58 am
😀
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March 13, 2021 at 8:28 am
Hold on. That Jay is in your back yard?
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March 13, 2021 at 9:26 am
Oh yes, Eating all the birdseed I put out for the little birds, and stealing Lincoln’s walnuts I crack for him.
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