Typical Alberta Weather....

The first seven photos featured here were taken in the back yard yesterday afternoon. It was a glorious day, warm enough to be outside without a jacket as long as you were in the sun.  

Later in the afternoon the breeze grew a little stronger and cooler.

 It may not be obvious from the above photo, but we have a couple areas in the back with snow mold.  It is hard on the lawn and on people who have respiratory ailments and allergies.  Cure:  raking in early spring when the lawn no longer feels spongy underfoot.  I swear we did rake last fall but those lovely *@*@* Swedish Aspen next door had more leaves to shed....again and again.

 The rhododendron has unfurled its leaves to enjoy the warmth of early spring.  During cold weather, the rhododendron curls its leaves tight and remain that way through the cold winter.  It has also begun to green up a bit too, with obvious promise of this spring's blooms evident in plentiful buds.

 The grass in the back corner has begun to green up too.  (silent cheer:  I love spring!)

 This is what that cool breeze brought with it.  As the evening set in, the temperature dropped and this morning we awoke to this.  (Happy April Fools Day:  the jokes on us)
At the time of this writing, it is still snowing lightly, otherwise interpreted as light flurries.
This is today's garden.

It can't possibly last long, according to the forecast, but we do need the moisture.  

I was talking to a good friend Friday night and she was saying in her perfect world it would rain, rather than snow (and always overnight - never during the day), and never get cold enough to freeze.  Should she decide to let it snow, it would only snow on the grass and gardens.  Never on the road nor sidewalk. 

 I added rooftops to that.  Aren't we a pair?  Lol!  If only!  There was the one year we had to shovel our rooftops.  We had about 3 feet of snow on our house, thus necessitating the removal.  

How's that for a "make the world my way" idea?

I am so grateful for a mild winter this year because last year's (2010/11) was a doozy!!  Yet, in the same breath, I pray for adequate moisture for the garden but most especially for the farmers.  Oh, and please let it arrive at the right time, after seeding, and not too much at a time.  Is that too much to ask for?  Probably.