Laurie, I'm 12 miles SW of Birmingham city center. It has been a dreary, bleak day. I took the cat to the vet at 9am and it wasn't bad. I went out at 5 pm to check the greenhouse heater and it was so cold that raindrops on the greenhouse had turned to ice. The wind is brutal. I'm so happy that frozen stuff hasn't found the road to Bham.

Great idea Laurie!

Here in Baton Rouge we're having another mini cold spell after a few days of almost spring-like temps. I've started some garden clean-up, but trying to hold off on some things until at least later in February. It's hard when those warm, sunny days beckon!

Plan to start tomato and pepper seeds tomorrow. Dh put the cold frame together last week, so it's ready for them once they germinate.

It was much nicer today. The past two days of rain and cold made want to move to zone 10! I saw some buds on a potted Blackberry. The Kumquats are all frozen. Daffodils are up about 2". I am searching for a tiller to replace my 1972 Troybuilt that I had to sell. I do not know how i would garden with out one.

I am about 30 miles southeast of Baton Rouge, bleak here today also. I have tons of daylilies breaking the soil and new growth on all of the evergreen daylilies. My Carolina Jasmine is loaded with buds and the Snowdrops are up, but no buds yet. The Wisteria and Bridal Wreath are starting to bud up, as is the fig tree. I lost one big Loquat tree, but is was a bit down in the dumps before the big freeze. All of the rose bushes have new growth, except for 2, which I think also were victims of the big freeze. I am hoping the Crinums and Amaryllis come back, the bulbs feel firm, but I see not new growth since the freeze.

Sharon

Hello all!
Great idea, Laurie, for all to post something.
So much rain lately....ugh!!! only one good thing about it, we had a pond dug back in the summer & it is just about full....

So ready for spring!! and that darn ground hog saw his shadow....we need a ground hog for the south...LOL

We live south of Jackson and supposed to be nice today. I wish I did not have to work so I could stay home to enjoy.

Marie

Noticed yesterday that a few trees are budding out ... the swamp red maples, the silverbell, and the river birch. Even seeing some buds on the hydrangeas.

Today was gorgeous and I had to work, yuck. Tomorrow will be 1 minute and 29 seconds longer than today, hurry up spring.

Thursday the rain will return, my poor yard is a swamp, I may as well plant Louisiana irises in the whole yard, lol.

Sharon

Hey ya'll great idea to keep in touch. The garden/yard is bleak and I lost a lot to the freezing weather. It will be interesting to see what comes back and what is lost. Lots of dead plants to remove and prune back. I am seeing signs of new life, but just a little. I've been pouring through garden magazines and seed catalogs. Not much else to do with all the rain a cold weather. Well I look forward to hearing more of what ya'll are doing to pass the time during our "down time".

Keeping my hands dirty
Brenda

Sharon, I'm so sick of El Nino! I planted a satsuma in early December, but the spot where I wanted to put the Meyer lemon was too wet. The tree is still in a pot.

Hey natal, I saw on Craig's list someone in Sherwood Forest has 2 bags of African Iris bulbs to give away, it's listed under free. I'd go get them, but I am working through Saturday.

Still wet and rainy here in Livingston Parish.

Sharon