“Encouraging Signs”, a copyrighted post, was written for my WordPress blog called Always Growing by Jan in Covington, Louisiana
My last post was about being a little tired of deary, winter days. No sooner had I written that then the next two days were bright and sunny. But, an even more encouraging sign that more good days are ahead, was finding one of my canna blooming. It is an old-fashioned one with small flowers, that I have growing in a container until I can plant it in the ground. Last weekend, I noticed a plastic drop cloth had been placed next to the container and was partially covering one rather large, new shoot. After quickly uncovering it and noticing how fresh and green the leaves were, I forgot all about it until Thursday. Thursday, was the first day this week when I arrived home early enough to take a stroll around the garden. Lo and behold, there was already a flower showing at the top of that stalk.
Now, I am sure the plastic covering that stalk, upped the temperature enough to stimulate a flower, but still, a canna blooming in the beginning of January! Unheard of around here. I hate to speak too quickly, but I think we will have an early spring.
One more encouraging sign that deary days will soon be leaving is that it is staying lighter in the evenings. Today, I noticed that the sky was still very light at 6:00. The mornings, also, are showing signs of an earlier sunrise. I leave my house for work around 6 AM, and up until this week it was dark until about 6:45. Today, I noticed it was fairly light around 6:25. Not a big difference, but enough to notice.
Even though rain is predicted for this weekend, I am still encouraged that it won’t be long before all these wet, cold days are a memory and warmer, sunnier spring days will abound.
Always Growing 
Racquel said,
January 9, 2009 at 8:48 pm
What a beautiful tropical bloom in January. A nice surprise to come home to at the end of a day. I hope our winter is short too.
Chandramouli.S said,
January 9, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Well, all seems to be well. It must’ve been a warm welcome!
Jon said,
January 10, 2009 at 1:43 am
Jan, seeing your nice photo of this canna flower (which I have and love and call “wild canna”) reminds me of a dear old very Southern lady neighbor who always exclaimed in the thickest Southern dialect when seeing or hearing something strange or unusual or unexpected….”Well, I nevah”! Most all her words ended in “ah” and she could stretch saying the phrase “a nice glass of ice water” for at least a half a minute. I miss the speech patterns of those ladies of my grandmother’s generation who were from the old, old, old school in every way. It is a pity I never tape recorded some of their conversations. That said, I liked this post of yours….as I always do…very much….and I have NEVER seen any cannas blooming in January in this region either. Let’s do hope for an early spring!
Jon at Mississippi Garden
Alex said,
January 10, 2009 at 11:20 am
Wow….that Canna is looking beautiful already!! 🙂 I hope you have a good weekend. Thinking of you and eager to start work in my garden…soon…although I still have a few more months. We just had freezing rain again here. hahaha 🙂
Jan said,
January 10, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Racquel, when I see the snow and freezing temps that so many people are under right now, I imagine everyone is looking for a shorter winter.
Chandramouli, it was a nice surprise and a reminder that I need to get that planted in the ground.
Jon, I, too, miss the speech patterns and esp. the idioms of the older generation. Their speech was so colorful compared to today. The phrase “Well, I nevah” certainly applies to this canna flower.
Alex, I was watching the weather on TV and saw that you will be getting a lot more cold weather. I know you are eager to work in your garden, but, hopefully, it won’t be too much longer until you can go outside and play in the dirt.
Jan(ThanksFor2Day) said,
January 10, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Hi Jan, What a nice surprise! Canna’s don’t survive in the ground in the winter here. It’s uplifting to see them so soon where you live, isn’t it!!? I’m glad to hear the sun has been coming out, it sure helps with the gloomy feelings that come from dark days;)
Jan