As close as we'll get to "blackberry winter" this year

Downright chilly weather, once you get used to the high 80s in early April

A few minutes ago, I walked around the house closing all the windows that I've had open for going on three weeks. High temperatures have already climbed into the high 80s here in LaGrange in early April—53 degrees feels kind of cold. And 43 tonight? Brrrr! Looks like a three-cat night. On the other hand, though, this is normal April weather for the Deep South. You know things are off kilter when normal feels like weird.


Spring is here freakishly early this year. How early? There will be no azaleas at the Masters this weekend. That's how early warm weather has arrived. The dogwoods are at the very end of their bloom time, but a few still dot the woods and neighborhoods. Even the native azaleas in my yard shed their blooms early this week. The kurume and formosa azaleas called it quits four or five days ago.

Doesn't look like we'll have our usual blackberry winter this year. There will be no surprise cold snap to freeze blackberry and blueberry flowers off the shrubs. Good for the berries, no doubt, and good for farmers. But I just hope the summer doesn't turn out to be as long, hot, and nasty as I suspect it may.