Frost Or Frozen Dew

2011 has been a year of unusual weather.  October is nearly gone and we are still waiting for our first frost.  Today found a bluebird giving a nest box a solid look.  Neither of these events are what we would normally expect this late.

We awoke to find white grass and valley fog.  Our immediate question was did it frost?  Fog would seem to indicate no frost.  We definitely had a freeze.

That we had an overnight freeze was obvious.  The granular deposits on this Gloriosa daisy are ice crystals not frost.  Ice formed when the dew on the flower froze.  Frost forms when water vapor moves directly from a gas to a solid.  Here the vapor condensed to a liquid then froze.

Patterns on the catnip leaf immediately grab the attention of the eye but look to the blades of grass to see frozen water droplets.

Beads of ice coat the web.  Finding a spider web coated with water droplets is a common summer experience.  Seeing those droplets frozen is not so common. Just click on the picture to get a better look. Most of the day that followed was sunny and clear.  Cleaning some the planting beds of all vegetation was a pleasant task.  While we were doing this a mature female marsh hawk flew two lazy low circles overhead.  This is what October days are supposed to look like.  Then the rain came.

The Birds, and the Bees, and the Flowers...

The tree swallows returned today. There was a lot of swooping and diving to celebrate their arrival. Add to that the flash of bluebirds and much squabbling over the prime bird house locations. It seems that tree swallows are dominant and get first choice of a nest box. Bluebirds try to claim a box but they are no match for strong flying swallows. Even the little black capped chickadees got in on the ruckus. When it all sorts out each house will have a nest.

By afternoon the birds had settled down, but now there was a lot of buzzing in the garden. In the warm sunshine the crocus flowers were wide open to welcome visitors. The bees were delighted with this early pollen source.

What a tight squeeze this miniature iris was for this fat bee. He disappeared inside the flower, but then had to back his way out beehind first. Ed spent the entire day outside. I joined him at every opportunity. It was exactly the kind of gorgeous spring day we have been waiting for.

We've Got the Blues

Finally we got a blue sky day without it's being so cold. Ed spent most of the day outside. This morning the bluebirds were back and checking out the newly moved nest boxes. Last year they came back on March 23. In 2009 it was March 9. Better late than never. They are worth the wait.

The Siberian Squills are beginning to open adding to the blues in the garden.

Miniature iris glow in blue and gold. We've got the blues and it's just the beginning!