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Spring forward in Spring, TX that is!!

By
Real Estate Agent with Results Realty

Bradford Pear trees blooming in Spring TXI have always attributed the signs of spring to foliage.  The foliage depends on what area of the country we are living in.  In Colorado I was just just glad to see green. In North Carolina it was all those pretty spring flowers. Growing up in Kansas it was seeing daffodils come peeking through the winter landscape.

I now have a new compass to go by and it is the Bradford Pear trees in the middle of our cul-de-sac. When they start getting those beautiful white blooms I know that Spring in Spring TX is right around the corner.

I must admit I do miss those daffodils but here in Spring TX our land is too warm and the only way you can have daffodils is to plant them every year. (Since that does not happen I rarely get to see daffodils except at the grocery store or in pictures.)

I love Spring TX and have learned to live without the daffodils. We have lived in Spring TX since 1997 and one of the things that I love most is the long growing season. This year I tried my hand at winter gardening and I have had a garden all year long.

We hWinter gardening in Spring TXad a bit of rough winter so I had to cover my raised beds up a few times. We reaped the benefits with fresh greens, lettuce, kale, spinach, parsley, dill, oregano and cat nip. I had to put a small fence around the cat nip or otherwise it was squashed; especially by my grand-kitty Elle. There's really only a couple of months that are hard to garden in Spring TX and those happen to be in the heat of the summer. The only thing that I have found I can grow in the heat of the summer is okra and eggplant. Last year I think I burnt everyone out on eggplant as they continued clear up until Christmas.

I know there's some controversy about the change in daylight savings time that happened a few years ago. Personally I love it and have been counting the days until we have the longer evenings. The time change is almost here happening this Sunday morning March 13th. If you have not made plans to change your clocks back on Saturday night now is the time to make yourself a note. Otherwise you are going to find you are late to church.

 

Copyright © 2011 Marchel Peterson, All Rights Reserved. *Spring forward in Spring, TX that is!!!!*

Comments (35)

Cherise Selley
Selley Group Real Estate, LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Realtor

Marchel,

I know it's corny, but I've already changed the clocks in the office.  It's great to observe how God's creation reacts to change... g

Mar 12, 2011 05:34 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Marchel, even with all that snow that we got the daffodils have started come up, and even the trees are showing some buds.

Mar 12, 2011 11:20 AM
Rene Fabre
ARFCO Media - Renton, WA
Practicing Philosophical Eclectic of the Arts

I concur... foliage and longer light in the evening. I can't wait! The first thing in bloom I've seen this spring is the Japanese Cherry Trees... I love them and they are so wonderfully obvious in the gray and browns of winter... Out they come with a burst of pink to almost purple.

Mar 12, 2011 11:25 AM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

I did not realize there were places it was too warm for daffodils!  Ours are coming up but we had snow on Thursday night.  Up to 60 degrees today and there are buds on trees but it will be a bit until we have blossoms on trees. 

I love having light in the evening.  

Mar 12, 2011 12:46 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

DAN, I do miss those daffodils.  I always loved seeing them peeking through winter but I have found other things to love in Spring TX.

JUDITH, I had not thought of Florida not having daffodils either but that makes sense as Florida has almost identical weather to ours.

ANNA, Rosemary for a lamb sauce; now that sounds intriguing. I think part of the key to a good garden is a raised bed and automatic watering.

LIZ, I have not been to Mercer for a few years.  A couple of years ago a made a video for my website from there.  I will have to check their new trails out.

JANE, Yes, I have 6 raised beds and WOW has that made gardening easy.  I checked square foot gardening out but need to check it out farther. 

CARL & CEIL, Our redbuds are blooming also.  I don't have any in my immediate area though.

 

Mar 12, 2011 01:02 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

GARY WOLTAL, I do love living in Spring and love the season of Spring so very cool to be able to use the play on words.

ROBERT, I love Spring's long growing season.  We don't lose our leaves until December and they are back on my March.

WILLIAM, How funny!  I like to change the time early in the evening to get my head wrapped around it but a day before; I don't think so.

MIKE, I love Spring in Spring TX! 

JONI, I'm with you!  I would be thrilled if they kept daylight savings time all year.  The only problem would be Arizona as they don't practice daylight savings time and my parents winter there.  When the time changes tomorrow I will be 2 hours difference from my folks and this is always confusing.

LEILANI, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my kale as I need to use it soon.  I have your Grandma's recipe but could not find the sausage.

 

Mar 12, 2011 01:10 PM
Jane Peters
Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles real estate concierge services

Those are lovely trees, Marchel, and you explain the differences in how Spring manifests itself in different areas so beautifully.

Mar 12, 2011 01:21 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

STEVE, I remember being so glad to see green when we lived in Colorado.  I sure miss those tulips, daffodils and crocus that we can't grow.

ELIZABETH, It was gorgeous here today and looks to be that way all week.  We could sure use some rain though; that would REALLY help my garden.

ANN, I love all those things also but sure miss those daffodils.

CHERISE, We changed our clocks early this evening as it helps to get our mind wrapped around the change. I've already got it in my head that I will be at church at 10:00 but it will feel like 9:00 (lol).

GEORGE, You will have to take some daffodil pictures for me.  I always loved seeing them peek through the snow.

RENE, Our redbuds and cherry trees are blooming also.  I love their splash of color.  I just wish it lasted longer but we do have the crepe myrtle that last all summer long.

MAUREEN, Daffodils coming up through the snow; I LOVE IT; but not enough to move back to the cold north (LOL).  We were here for several years before it dawned on me that the daffodils, tulips and crocus were missing.  That was when I found the ground stayed too warm for the bulbs.

 

Mar 12, 2011 01:23 PM
Lynda Eisenmann
Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA
Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Hi Marchel,

I'm looking forward to the time change myself, I love the longer days, yet it seems early this year. Your garden looks great, we do a "little" year round gardening here too.

Mar 12, 2011 02:39 PM
Bob & Leilani Souza
Souza Realty 916.408.5500 - Roseville, CA
Greater Sacramento Area Homes, Land & Investments

Marchel, sorry you're unable to find Portuguese sausage (linguica)...but I think my next best alternative would be to try Italian sausage. I would definitely NOT try Mexican (i.e. chorizo)! :)

Leilani

Mar 13, 2011 03:05 PM
Dana Lim
Allstate Insurance - Tucson, AZ

Marchel, I'm so jealous of your garden - you have given me inspiration to try harder!

Mar 14, 2011 07:30 AM
Teral McDowell
Referral Patners LLC - Murphy, TX

Hi Marchel, in my previous home I had a beautiful Bradford pear in my front yard. I always looked forward to its blossoms as it looked like one giant snowball and, like you, I knew Spring was at-hand.

Mar 14, 2011 07:32 AM
Alice Broadway
IXL Real Estate - Mobile, AL
Real Estate Broker

Marchel, I also love longer evenings, and when everything is in full bloom. (except my sinus's).

I Trying to get over to Bellingrath Gardens, in Mobile AL. and see the tulips in bloom

Mar 15, 2011 05:10 AM
Chris Olsen
Olsen Ziegler Realty - Cleveland, OH
Broker Owner Cleveland Ohio Real Estate

Hi Marchel -- Wow, you have quite the growing season there, a huge plus for gardeners.  I have two brown thumbs and have always been intimidated by trying to do this so I've never started, but I have a huge appreciation for those that do. My wife and I used to order this beyond delicious "crispy fried eggplant" dish as a really good Chinese restaurant where we lived previously and tried to make it at home to no avail.

Mar 15, 2011 05:19 AM
Pat Haddad, ABR, CRS, ePRO, GRI
Keller Williams Indianapolis Metro NE - Carmel, IN
Carmel, Fishers, Westfield IN Real Estate Expert

Marchel--As dumb as this sounds, I really don't know how the seasons work in the warm climate.  Could you grow tomatoes all year if you wanted to?  I had no idea it was too warm for daffodils.  I would definitely be buying some in pots and try to get them to come back next year?  Or mail bulbs to my friends in cooler climates to put out in the fall.

Mar 15, 2011 04:25 PM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Marchel, I love to see the Bradford Pear trees start to bloom and see the beautiful white blooms. Our trees have not started to bloom yet, but the daffadils are showing there beautiful heads.

Mar 15, 2011 05:11 PM
Kristine Ginsberg
Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC - Short Hills, NJ
NJ Home Stager

Marchel - Love your gardens and it looks beautiful in Texas as things are starting to bloom. It will be a few months before we see anything like this. Right now I have some tulips, blue bells and daffodils just beginning to pop out of the ground - won't be long now!

Mar 15, 2011 05:17 PM
Sidney Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula
Realty Works Temecula - Temecula, CA
Realty Works Temecula

Marchel:  The original show years ago was hosted by Mel Bartholomew.  I found this link to be the most descriptive!     http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/have-you-tried-square-foot-gardening.html

Mar 15, 2011 05:31 PM
David Companik
Keller Williams Realty - The Woodlands - The Woodlands, TX
Realtor ▪ The WoodlandsTX ▪ davidcompanik.com

Marchel, I love the garden! My wife and I have a winter garden in a raised bed, but we haven't gotten around to our spring garden (oops). Great to see others sharing in the agrarian effort.

Mar 21, 2011 06:14 AM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Marchel I too love the blossoms of the pear trees.  I see you nice raised beds and suddenly remember how much work has to be done after the winter to get the beds ready.

Happy growing season.

 

Mar 28, 2011 02:10 PM