Free Republic

Cold snap wilts crops, inflates market prices April 30, 2010 Discarded watermelons ruined by the unusually cold weather and lack of sunshine are piled next to a greenhouse in Haman, South Gyeongsang, while rain drizzles on Wednesday. [YONHAP] Baby, it’s cold outside. And that’s why you’re spending more at the fruit, vegetable and fish markets. Although the temperature yesterday was up a bit, Thursday’s high in Seoul, 7.8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit), was a record low for that date. The previous record for a cold day in April was 10.1 degrees in 1962. It even snowed in Gangwon yesterday....

Put away the hand sanitizer. It's not necessarily the grime, dust bunnies, cat dander or pollen causing those miserable springtime allergies. The culprit actually may be too much cleanliness.

Moderate snowfall fell Saturday night throughout the Dallas area, and a winter weather advisory is in effect until 7 a.m. With the temperature inching toward freezing, area roads figure to be slick overnight and early Sunday.

Nowruz 2569 (1389) will begin on: با شادباش نوروز - تحويل سال نوتحويل سال نو ۲۵۶۹ - ساعت ۹ و ۲ دقيقه و ۰۰ ثانيه بعد از ظهر شنبه اول فروردين ۱۳۸۹ در ايران Tehran: Saturday:      09:02:00 PM      March 20, 2010 New York: Saturday 01:32:00 PM March 20, 2010 Chicago: Saturday 12:32:00 PM March 20, 2010 Denver: Saturday 11:32:00 AM March 20, 2010 Los Angeles:      Saturday 10:32:00 AM March 20, 2010 London: Saturday 05:32:00 PM March 20, 2010 Paris: Saturday 06:32:00 PM March 20, 2010 Rome: Saturday 06:32:00 PM March 20, 2010 Berlin: Saturday 06:32:00 PM March 20, 2010 Athens:...

NORMAN, Okla. – A powerful storm began blowing through Oklahoma and the southern Plains on the first day of spring Saturday, bringing heavy snow and strong winds a day after temperatures reached into the 70s. Officials said gusts of up to 40 mph could create drifts of blowing snow and blizzard conditions in what the National Weather Service called "a potentially life-threatening" storm. The weather could also affect attendance at men's and women's NCAA tournament games this weekend in Oklahoma City and Norman. "I'm not going to risk getting myself killed going down I-35," said Kansas State fan John Blankenship...

The 3,750 cherry blossom trees that line the Tidal Basin and surrounding national parks in Washington, D.C., survived winter blizzards and will again bloom during the peak tourist season, according to the National Park Service. Agency horticulturalist Rob Defeo says only four or five trees were destroyed and that crews are working seven days a week to prepare for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from March 27 to April 11. The damage is nothing we haven't seen in 90-plus years," he said. "I guarantee you, by the time the festival comes around, you won't even know there was...

I have provided the Spring and Severe Weather Outlook in today's blog post. Also, I would like to thank those of you who have read my blog this year and commented. I realize some of you are having trouble reading the text due to the graphic background. I will be working to fix this issue and hope to make it easier on everyone's eyes soon. I did not realize the issue because it is not evident when I few it through firefox at the settings I have my browser set at but I took a look and saw the issue...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mud season has been extended. From North Dakota to Long Island, rain after rain after rain has dampened spirits and swamped roads. Picnics and kids' baseball games have been washed out, rescheduled and rained out again. Big-time sports, too. —In Farmingdale, N.Y., Tiger Woods' defense of the U.S. Open championship was delayed Thursday as rain pelted an already soaked course and postponed most of the first round until Friday. "Where's my canoe," England's Ian Poulter wrote on his Twitter feed. —In Bismarck, N.D., heavy rain swamped streets, stressed storm sewers and stalled vehicles. Roads were shut down,...

For the contiguous United States, the average temperature for April was 51.2°F (10.7°C), which was 0.8°F (0.5°C) below the 20th century mean and ranked as the 36th coolest April on record, based on preliminary data.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton canceled her appointments Monday laid low by her allergies, an official said, stressing she was not suffering from swine flu. "She does not have the flu, just a bit under the weather," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood. "She will be back tomorrow. She is suffering from allergies."

The annual garden club show is this coming weekend, at the St. John's County Agriculture Center. Things are looking good up there, the volunteer crew is putting on the finishing touches. It's early, lot's more good stuff still to come. Only one Magnolia is in bloom now, it's a little tree, but it sure is trying hard!

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The Chicago White Sox announced Sunday evening it has canceled Monday's season opener against the Kansas City Royals because of inclement weather. The White Sox postponed Monday's 1:05 p.m. game because of forecasted snow, cold and high winds, according to a release from the team. The game is rescheduled for 1:05 p.m. Tuesday. All opening day festivities will still take place Tuesday, the release said. One can see why the event was cancelled. It's really coming down at U.S. Cellular Field Sunday night. And the gloomy, cold weather is dampening the spirits of a lot of White...

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON. BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON. THE BLIZZARD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED. GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS TO 40 MPH COMBINED WITH FRESH SNOW FROM YESTERDAY AND EARLIER TODAY WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW THIS MORNING. THE THREAT FOR BLOWING SNOW WILL END BY AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES RISE INTO THE LOWER TO MID 30S.

The ponds are brimming, green is showing up all over, the birds are nesting, give thanks, Spring is here! My yard crew was busy yesterday, I tested a new camera on them. I finally moved up to a DSLR, A SONY A-200. I'll just eat a lot of beans and rice this month to pay for it, LOL

How to tell you're a compulsive gardener 1. When stuck in traffic, you want to weed the median strip. 2. On a walk in the neighborhood, you look at the plants so much that you trip on the sidewalk. 3. You find yourself worrying about your neighbor's plants. Especially when your neighbor is doing something stupid. 4. You are tempted to adopt those straggly, mishandled plants at the garden center because you think you can give them a good home. 5. You want to collect seeds from half the vegetables you eat. 6. You find yourself pruning, pruning, pruning because...

Preston will most probably be the state record holder for the weekend's snowfall with 30 inches reported, says state climatologist Mary Knapp. But it won't be official until the end of April. Knapp is still checking her numbers and is busy conferring with the National Weather Service, as well as searching through weather data to aid in the confirmation. "We still are waiting for reports from stations that might not have gotten through yet," she said. However, by the end of April, they should have it settled. When it comes to snowfall, "people will be arguing forever on what the...

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's celebrated cherry blossom, which for millions heralds the start of spring, is under threat from climate change, according to experts, who say warmer weather is causing early flowering. Cherry blossom season officially began in Tokyo this year on March 21 -- five days ahead of schedule and a full week earlier than the average for the last 30 years of the 20th century. Far from being a freak occurrence, the phenomenon of early blossoming has been happening for several years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Traditionally, the first sakura -- cherry tree -- flowers...

Whether it is toads blocking roads, salamander love songs, or a groundhog overcoming his shadow, many animals have unique ways of welcoming spring. How Birds, Toads, Groundhogs and Salamanders Start Spring Most people are familiar with the ritual of Groundhog Day; since 1887, every Feb. 2, Americans wait eagerly to learn if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow, which tells us if we’ll have six more weeks of winter, or if spring will come early. According to legend, Phil was chosen because he is the same groundhog used during the first Groundhog Day, and will live on forever. Early February...

I haven't done much the past few days. I was riding down a narrow residential street the other day and saw a little front yard surrounded by these lillies. The yard was shady but the flowers were glowing like hot coals. I shot these through the car window.

~ It's Finally Friday and The First Day of Spring!! ~ RIVER CROSSING U.S. Army Spc. Chad Brown crosses a river while on a dismount patrol mission near Forward Operation Base Baylough in Zabul province, Afghanistan, March 17, 2009. Brown is a medic assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, US Army Europe. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Mancini Canteen Mission Statement Showing support and boosting the morale ofour military and our allies militaryand family members of the above.Honoring those who have served before. BLUE VIEW U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Trinity Phillips observes an MH-60S...