Cobbler Anyone?

The blackberry is currently in bloom; which explains this sudden cold snap here in middle Tennessee.  Our overnight temperatures have taken a downward spiral over the past few evenings dipping as low as 38 degrees.  Our average temperatures in this area for early May are 74 Hi/53 Low; however, most of this week we’ve hovered around 60 Hi/40 Low.  I can’t speak for everyone in the area, but our yard dodged any danger of frost.  By now I’d say that we’ve surely had: Dogwood Winter, Redbud Winter, Locust Winter and now Blackberry Winter so that means that it’s time to look forward to the good old “dog days of summer”.  It seems like we go from fearing the frost to fearing the heat overnight in Tennessee.  The local weather forecast is calling for 90 degree highs by Tuesday of next week (that’s just three days away).  I, for one, am ready to tuck winter away and get on with spring and summer!  Of course, all it takes is one pretty snowfall and I’m done with winter.

The honeysuckle is in bloom and filling the air with that familiar scent that always reminds us of our youth.  While it can be troublesome because of its invasive nature; it’s difficult to find anyone who doesn’t feel a certain kinship to this climbing vine.   

For now, the only other thing that catches my attention in the yard is the blooms of the Tulip Poplar.  Is it just me, or are there some years when the blooms are barely noticeable?  Fortunately, this appears to be another showy year for this tree.  If it didn’t get our attention through the blooms, it surely got it when the gutters overflowed in the recent rains, thanks to the seed pods from the Tulip Poplars, which had collected in such large numbers that they completely clogged the downspouts on the front of the house.  I kid you not when I say that there were enough seeds in the gutters to fill a 5 gallon bucket.  Amazing! 

So, if you haven’t done so already, check those downspouts and break out those t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops… cause summer will be here next week!