We have had cold days and warm days all winter. The snow cover just is not staying in southern Maine, so on the warm days like today, it is exactly like Spring mud season over and over. My oak wood floors glistened beautifully two days ago and today it looks as if a football teams has trampled through here straight off the field.
I am not sure how I feel about our climate warming up. Whether it is caused by atmospheric pollution or is a natural occurrence of the universe, I do know it seems strange. Nature is taking a jolt in this area and flora and fauna are confused with this "new normal". Many of our trees and flowers need a cold blanket of snow to sleep deeply. Without that cover, the stress is taking its toll.
Will the plants and animals that are indigenous to our area be able to hang on or will our native plants and animals change with the climate? For example, lilacs are very happy in our zone, but in the last years, I have noticed they are blooming earlier and earlier. Some of my forsythias have gotten so confused that a few years ago, some buds actually opened in the fall (odd to see) and again in early spring which is their normal blooming time. Our dogs get winter coats but when we have days in the 40F-50F range in the winter in Maine, the winter coat doesn't really know whether it should stay or shed.
I have to truthfully say, I enjoy having less snow and ice to deal with but, being a gardener, also can see the negative aspects of it, too. It will be an interesting future seeing what the world holds for us as the ice caps grow smaller and smaller and our area gets warmer and warmer. I know that Europe has been having some terrible times dealing with too much snow, too much ice, and too much cold. Then there are also pockets in Alaska just buried in snow. Is this all "normal" or are we changing our world ourselves with careless emissions of manmade gasses? I don't know but do know it is worth watching and pondering about. Just thinking....
We have had cold days and warm days all winter. The snow cover just is not staying in southern Maine, so on the warm days like today, it is exactly like Spring mud season over and over. My oak wood floors glistened beautifully two days ago and today it looks as if a football teams has trampled through here straight off the field.
I am not sure how I feel about our climate warming up. Whether it is caused by atmospheric pollution or is a natural occurrence of the universe, I do know it seems strange. Nature is taking a jolt in this area and flora and fauna are confused with this "new normal". Many of our trees and flowers need a cold blanket of snow to sleep deeply. Without that cover, the stress is taking its toll. 
Will the plants and animals that are indigenous to our area be able to hang on or will our native plants and animals change with the climate? For example, lilacs are very happy in our zone, but in the last years, I have noticed they are blooming earlier and earlier. Some of my forsythias have gotten so confused that a few years ago, some buds actually opened in the fall (odd to see) and again in early spring which is their normal blooming time. Our dogs get winter coats but when we have days in the 40F-50F range in the winter in Maine, the winter coat doesn't really know whether it should stay or shed.
I have to truthfully say, I enjoy having less snow and ice to deal with but, being a gardener, also can see the negative aspects of it, too. It will be an interesting future seeing what the world holds for us as the ice caps grow smaller and smaller and our area gets warmer and warmer. I know that Europe has been having some terrible times dealing with too much snow, too much ice, and too much cold. Then there are also pockets in Alaska just buried in snow. Is this all "normal" or are we changing our world ourselves with careless emissions of manmade gasses? I don't know but do know it is worth watching and pondering about. Just thinking....
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