“Each March since 2020, the ivyleaf speedwell has returned and reminded me of a time of simplicity, anxiety, joy and boredom.”
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“Each March since 2020, the ivyleaf speedwell has returned and reminded me of a time of simplicity, anxiety, joy and boredom.”
Chef and author Susi Gott Séguret invites a poet, a painter, an instrument builder and a chef to consider the meaning of appetite and offers guidance on preparing a spring risotto.
The Western North Carolina Orchid Society’s 2014 Orchid Show is taking place right now at the North Carolina Arboretum. Check out our photos for a preview.
As spring weather returns to Asheville, so does the risk of dangerous levels of ozone pollution. To raise awareness and help notify the public when ozone levels become hazardous, environmental agencies will start issuing daily air quality forecasts Tuesday, April 1, for Asheville and other metropolitan areas across the state.
Comedian Noah Gardenschwartz performs Sunday at Pulp.
Our wet spring has helped to bring an amazing display of color across the region as the Rhododendron are in bloom across many of the higher elevations. If you’re socked in, listening to the Sunday rain, keep in mind that colorful flowers may soon follow.
It seems like it took forever to get spring going this year. The wet and cool conditions we’ve experienced during the late winter and early spring in Western North Carolina made it feel like winter just refused to leave our region. (But — even now — there’s a possibility of frost Thursday night, April 25.) They say that good things come to those who wait, and it must be true, because many locations are enjoying gorgeous blooming trees.
It’s amazing how different each year can be as the ever-changing seasons unfold before our eyes. You may remember that the spring of 2012 was warm — very warm, with average temperatures last March that were over 9 degrees above normal in Western North Carolina. This year has been significantly different.
No doubt about it, late winter and early spring in Western North Carolina have been cooler and wetter than we normally expect. But it looks like the coming weekend should bring some much needed sunshine and a return to near normal temperatures. Just remember: The risk for frost and freeze is not over just yet.
Significant snow fell again over the higher elevations earlier this week (just before Easter), which, honestly, produced too much of a good thing for many folks in the region. I could use some “hair of the dog,” or in this case, some “green of spring” to get me over this snow hangover.
No doubt about it: March is off to a chilly start so far. Today’s sunny skies are almost enough to fool you into thinking that spring has arrived … until you step foot outside and the brisk breeze and cold air reminds you that it’s still late winter. If the clouds cooperate, I encourage you to bundle up and take the opportunity to spot the comet PanSTARRS low on the western horizon after sunset for the next week.
Summer’s bounty may seem far away, but Beaverdam Community Garden is gearing up for the spring season. Team up with students, volunteers and YMCA staff at a community meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 15. Photos by Abby Smith.
One of the most amazing transformations in nature is on display right here in Western North Carolina as trees and vegetation come alive in the spring.
Spring brings the return of afternoon thunderstorms, but the impact of the rain can last long after the storms move on.
For many of us in the mountains, it seems that spring has sprung almost overnight as trees are flowering, birds are singing and allergies have hit full force (cough, cough). Another sure sign of spring: Scattered thunderstorms that pop up in the heat of the sun.
You know once you finally realize the grass is not going to mow its self, get the mower to start, start pushing through the tall grass and onions — yeah, it was that kind of day.
As we say goodbye to February and hello to the coming spring — you’ll notice how changes to our environment seem to happen very quickly this time of year.
Photographs of early spring wildflowers at the Asheville Botanical Gardens. Photos by Jonathan Welch
Take a virtual tour of the Botanical Gardens at Asheville.