Saw 74 briefly on my thermometer in Napa this afternoon. Pulled a few weeds from beds this afternoon and the soil was like a brick - may as well have been June. Frighteningly amazing.

Pray for a February Surprise or March Miracle...

Was 88 here today and only down to 59. Its usually 30 degrees less than both. Records set all over down here also.
Its not the temps bothering me so much its the lack of rain.
I actually watered some natives this past weekend. My garden only tells me its winter by the sticks of Lantana from a cold early December when it lost all leaves. That is usually late January before that happens.
Take a look at the Yosemite webcams. The High Sierra cam looks like it late May at best.
I just saw on news some farmers could lose orchards next year if this continues.

90 in Anaheim with a strong wind. Poor pansies and Camellias

72 in the city; all my potted tropicals are enjoying it.

It's too beautiful here in Fresno, but we need rain... AND SNOW! There's no snow in the mountains, and that means no summer water.

I'm painting,I'm weeding..I'm doing all my May and June things since Christmas eve this year. Wild and worrisome.

I'm fighting the spring fever urge to prune everything I can... I fear a swing in the opposite direction. Painting is a good idea, paint won't make new growth for frost to kill in February!
And I would consider rain barrels because there will be no water this summer, but they would only be good for growing black widows without any rain.

Pea

Still windy and mid80s. I'm ready for this wind to leave. Overnight, everything has dried out again. Also there is a wild fire near Pasadena.

Maybe it is now Summer.

Spring was the first two weeks of January.

Winter was most of December. It did rain two days!

Glad I don't work in the Ski industry anymore..............

2 months of winter left...
I gotta think this high pressure system is going to crumble at some point & let let the storm track come south.

Its hard for me to imagine many water needy plants being good sellers this spring. I had to change some plans I had because I can see that I don't want to be out front watering new things 3-4 times a week. What I have established can take 2x a week easy. Aloes and Euphorbia's mostly.
We finally got there..the end of the Jungle type gardens..and back to xeric and native. I wouldn't mind now,mixing natives. Manzanita and their red bark,clump grasses.
Besides,they are also low maintenance. No yearly set backs also from cold in winter or dry in summer..