We have crocii and dogwoods already blooming next to our rose plants that are still green in our suburn Detroit community. I might even need to cut our lawn in early January. Only remember one other Winter where the lawn needed mowing in late December.

It's great to see our ability to expand plant types with this weather, but a bit unnerving as well. Most weeds are still green and our petunias near our house are still green with new buds forming!

Actually, I have iris foilage that is 2"inches above ground already, and buds on my lilac bushes. I spent this afternoon clearing the area around some of my raspberries and mulching. I'm wondering just when the "michigan Winter" might hit and how it is going to impact the growing season overall.

I have some bulbs coming up also. I'm worried that the bulbs I'm really looking forward to are going to come up next.

I'm going to have a talk with my bulbs and let them know they should below the soil surface and see if that does anything.

Here is hoping the cold settles in long enough to freeze the ground down into the dirt. I saw a couple crocus leaves peeking out on Monday. I may be a bit colder, being out in the country. When the wind blows, everything gets cold, no micro-climates like in town.

Nothing leafing out, though the local farmers are worried about the fruit trees. I am afraid all the wet may have rotted some bulbs in my clay dirt. We are just saturated, no place for water to settle into. My ditches were running about 4" of water constantly this last week or so. Just running off the dirt and fields.

I don't like the piercing cold, but am GLAD to see some winter weather finally!

It's 35 degrees right now and 43 predicted for tomorrow. The whole rest of the week is predicted to be above freezing.

My sedum is coming up. I have dandilions blooming. Irises are starting up. Everything is wacky. I am very afraid that all my bulbs are rotting in the wet soil.

These last few years my rhodendrum have started to bud and then we get a freeze and the buds freeze off. My rhodies have not bloomed in years because of this.