The Return Of Blue Sky And Near Freezing Temperatures With No Texas Tulips

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell you can see that the morning of the third day of May has dawned cleared of clouds, allowing the return of a bright blue sky.

With a temperature only 8 degrees above freezing, heading to a supposed high of 70.

It will take a few days to dry out my favorite hiking zone after yesterday's deluge.

I think the high yesterday was only 51. The 24 hour average does not quite meet my 50 degree requirement upon which I base if swimming is doable. But, I think I'll give it a try.

We've been in a bit of a drought in these parched parts, which is likely, I think, the main reason this spring's Texas wildflowers have been a bit muted.

Speaking of flowers. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival just wrapped up. Last weekend Carlotta Camano headed north to the Skagit Valley to tour the tulip fields.

I've not done this in well over 10 years.

Around a million visitors come to the valley during the Tulip Festival. It is a big sprawled out deal. Over the years methods have been found to manage the massive traffic flow.

I think I may have seen a tulip in the ground in Texas, but I'm drawing a blank as to when or where.

What I do know, for sure, is looking at Carlotta Camano's pictures of the Skagit tulips, this morning, made me a bit homesick.