Interesting... Spring is here now... so take some solace in that... I would say normal to maybe a week late... My Dad loves to tell stories of Hard Freezes even till July 4th up in Northern Michigan.... so late springs and cold weather is not totally unheard of... I don't think I could take that sort of Winter weather... but the Summers up there sure are nice... My peaches and plums are mostly all in bloom..... Apples aren't yet, though... My concern is late killing freezes since the flowers are out... Easter is our traditional "Safe" date.... I gotta say... I am thankful that we didn't get another super duper early spring - followed by WAVES and WAVES of Bugs and Disease like last year.... Thanks

It must be something in the air. Yesterday my Mister Big Froggie made his first appearance with a big splash when I went back to check the pond. He's been sleeping under a slate rock up till now. Later I saw him bobbing near the "off ramp" I made him. He looks good for fasting all winter long!

That's interesting, Andrew. Ae. Covata always blooms around this time of year here too, but we're moving into "winter" (such as it is). Some of my Ortho varieties that didn't bloom during spring or summer are coming into bloom now too. I'm wondering if some of these things really have anything to do with springtime. I've never seen an Ae. serrata with a reddish inflorescence, mine looks like the one in Pam Koide's photo (see link), i.e. silvery lavender. Yours looks a bit like Ae. Raspberry, or possibly a hybrid with Ae. gigantea. It's very nice, whatever it is. Here is a link that might be useful:

-4 at 3:30 this morning with a -25 wind chill. The wind was insane last night. Thought we would get blown off our little hill. Right now at 5:37 pm eastern time it is +6 degrees. My kitchen window was frozen this morning also LIly! Has never done that before. I was afraid it would crack or break.