Spring Has Sprung!!!!!

flakyjakey · Mar 12, 2014

At least it has here in the western highlands of Scotland!! After some of the worst storms in living memory the sun is OUT and has some warmth in it. Snow is still deep on the hilltops, but across the loch from the cottage sheep are being herded down for the lambing. The birds are singing and insects are buzzing.
Snowdrops have been out for a week, and now the daffodils are beginning to bloom. Sitting outside the cottage with a pipe in one hand, a mug of tea in the other and the dog at my feet I am a happy man.
I can feel my sap rising.

fadingdaylight · Mar 12, 2014

Glad to hear it. Any chance we could get a pic of that beautiful view? Where I am its still cold in the mornings, and today we had so much fog you can barely see 30 ft. I'd love to see the Scottish Highlands.

rmbittner · Mar 12, 2014

I had to check in here to see where spring has sprung. Because here in Michigan, we got four inches of snow last night and temps tonight are expected to be -20 (F).
My wife and I had to go Florida a couple of weeks ago just to see grass for the first time since mid-November. No kidding.
Bob

flakyjakey · Mar 12, 2014

@Fadinglight, I don't have my camera with me, but I'll ask Milady to bring it when she comes to retrieve me. Then I'll try and post them, but it's taken me six months to work out how to get an avatar inserted!!
Bob - I feel for you! I've been in Toronto and Ann Arbor in mid-winter. On the other hand Scotland never has a summer, or not one you would recognise as such!!!

brdavidson · Mar 12, 2014

40cm of snowfall here today and -8 Celcius. Yesterday it hit 12 degrees celcius and was sunny. Only in Canada can you get all 4 seasons in one 24 hour period of time!

lucky695 · Mar 12, 2014

Columbia, Missouri. It was 83F yesterday and when I woke up this morning it was snowing...NOT KIDDING!!!

flakyjakey · Mar 12, 2014

Brian, we aspire to 12 degrees Celsius IN SUMMER. Why do you think kilted Scotsmen have such high sperm counts?? (True!!)

wolfe · Mar 12, 2014

Flaky I'm not too far away here in Ireland and like you, we have had a tumultuous winter. However the last 2 days have been

absolutely beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky! Sat outside today with a cup of tea and a book for the first time in months.

Roll on the summer!!

rockymtnsmoker · Mar 12, 2014

@Flaky. One day in May a few years back it was 0 C in the morning and 25 C by mid-afternoon here in Calgary. We were sitting enjoying a beverage on a patio and were chatting with a group of guys at an adjacent table visiting from Aberdeen. They said they don't typically see that kind of temperature variation in a year, much less a single day :D Glad the sun is shining on you in your corner of the highlands.

flakyjakey · Mar 12, 2014

@rockymtn, I lived in Denver Co for 3 years and have friends in Calgary - I know exactly what you mean.
But what used to amaze me in Co is that as long as there was no wind and the sun was shining it didn't FEEL cold. I distinctly remember one day in Denver walking in to the the hospital in shirt sleeves when it was 7 degrees F!!!
If that had been Scotland (with 50 knot winds and no sun) we would have been calling the emergency services!!!!!

pipetraveler · Mar 12, 2014

9 inches in Gibraltar Mi. Just got done with my drive and walk plus two elderly neighbors, time for a bowl of Macbaren seven seas royal black. Looked beautiful out all day.

rebornbriar · Mar 12, 2014

A little birdie told me you were back on Flakey. I just have a minute to poke my nose in. We have been having bright days here too. That is the best I can describe it. A little annoying when the radio starts to play "sunny" songs just because the sun has poked out for a day or two. Though I imagine one of their choices today of Terry Jacks "Seasons In The Sun" about someone dying was not the most uplifting

I still need 3 layers with the top one being a thick chenille pullover. I swear that if this weather lasts until Saturday there will be eejits here out in shorts.
Big day on Saturday. England need to put about 120 points on Italy to secure the championship, whilst a 1 point win in Paris will do us just fine

rebornbriar · Mar 12, 2014

Also, I seem to remember the weather being similar at the start of March last year. By the end of March we had 14 feet snow drifts! But I will take those 2 weeks in July again - unspoilt sunshine is a rare occurrence.

flakyjakey · Mar 13, 2014

@rsuinv, it's ALWAYS 75 degrees F (or hotter!!) in Las Vegas. Don't you ever get tired of it? Come to Bonnie Scotland for a few days, or Ireland for that matter, then when you get back to Vegas you will appreciate it more !! lol

condorlover1 · Mar 13, 2014

Here in New York it was very pleasant yesterday. I got to sit on my roof deck and smoke my pipe and then it rained. Since yesterday evening it has been one mass of a howling gale. So spring has in no way sprung it has simply hopped around for a day or so and gone back inside! knowing my luck we will get 4 inches of snow next!

brdavidson · Mar 13, 2014

Flakey, my Father is from Aberdeen and he and my Grandmother (who's still full of piss and vinegar at 98) tell of the awful weather in Scotland. It was the main reason they decided to come to Canada in the 1950's. This is one of my favourite bits about Scottish weather (and general merriment at the Scot's expense!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlw9zmS-6Gw

flakyjakey · Mar 13, 2014

@brdavidson, Great clip, very funny! I might have guessed your origins from your name, but for the last few days the joke has been on you Scottish Canadians !!LOL
PS my get-out is that while I have lived in Scotland most of my life my origins are in Ireland where the weather is worse, and there were no potatoes!!

pruss · Mar 13, 2014

but for the last few days the joke has been on you Scottish Canadians !!LOL

Oh sure, kick us while we're down eh?
-- Pat

flakyjakey · Mar 13, 2014

@Pat, I've never seen a Canook down on the canvas for long enough to kick!!

pruss · Mar 13, 2014

You should have seen me after shoveling the drive and walk yesterday... I'd have let you get in one or two free ones.
-- Pat

Spring Has Sprung!!!!!

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

Lifer

Lurker

Can't Leave

Lifer

Might Stick Around

Starting to Get Obsessed

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer