Many robins still in all the lawns, a flock of grackles cackling, cardinals and doves calling as I walked Bella in the alley this morning. Monarda leaves are showing now in the north gardens. At Jacoby, skunk cabbage was blooming throughout the lowlands. Buttercup and ragwort foliage was common, and touch-me-not sprouts were up but quite small, only having emerged in the past few days.

Dove and robins heard when I walked outside at 5:50 (EST) this morning. When I went out to walk Bella at 9:30, I found the first few forsythia flowers open on the south side of the yard. Grape hyacinths are turning blue in the north garden. In the Dakotas, a tremendous blizzard has shut down roads and services. At Fargo, sandbaggers are attempting to stop the Red River from flooding the town.

Robins and a cardinal were singing when I went outside this morning at 5:53 (EST). The afternoon was warm and sunny; we cleaned up the pond, at least 50 fingerlings counted, then we planted a pair of bittersweet vines, three larkspur plants, three salvias, three veronica and a catmint. Noticed that our Virginia bluebells have buds.

Robins at 6:00 (EST) this morning, cardinals at 6:08. Grackles cluck all day in the back trees. Bluebell foliage in the south garden is up three inches; above it, the first mock orange leaves are coming out. In the north garden, the first mint is pushing out, deadnettle blooming beside it. Even with temperatures in the 40s, honeybees come to the pond to drink.

Aconite season has ended in the alley, and some of our snowdrops have wilted in the east garden. The grass in the north yard is clearly greener, glowing in the morning sun. Two more daffodils have opened in the back yard. When I walked Bella, grackles, blue jays, doves and cardinals were calling, robins in considerable numbers flying and chirping and hunting worms.

Cardinal heard at 7:11 (EDT) this morning; robins were up by 7:00. Another day near 70 degrees, sun and high clouds. In the alley at about 9:30, a cardinal was singing on the top of a budding red maple, the bird facing east and standing out in the sun against the bright sky. One more daffodil opened overnight, and I’m noticing more and more progress in the foliage.

Robins singing at 6:00 (EST) this morning, a cardinal heard as I sat by the fire at 6:15. Four grackles at the bird feeder at 8:00, the first I’ve seen since we’ve been back. When I walked Bella, I saw that aconites have been blooming behind the Danielson’s house in the alley. Achillea leaves about two inches long in front of Moya’s.

Robin chorus this morning began between 6:50 and 7:00 (EDT), very strong, temperature mild in the 40s. Around the yard: the pale green Lenten roses are in full bloom, ramps up three inches, hyacinths three inches, Resurrection lilies pacing the daffodils at seven to nine inches, peonies one inch, squills three inches, stonecrop one inch.

Bowling Green, Kentucky, loud robinsong by 5:30 (CDT) this morning at the campground. Robins were all over the place, mating and chasing each other when I walked Bella, and doves were calling. On the way to the interstate, we saw a star magnolia in full bloom. More daffodils and some forsythia noticed on the way through Kentucky, and Cincinnati had hundreds of daffodils open along the river.

Little Rock, Arkansas to Bowling Green, Kentucky – light rain and highs in the 50s. Through eastern Arkansas, middle April continues, the redbuds the surest sign. As we drove northeast to Memphis and Nashville, the redbuds changed from full bloom to just an early deep purple.