Snow in May

Snow on the daffodils

This morning the weather here in southcentral Kansas couldn't decide whether to rain, sleet or snow, so it went for a light mixture of all three.  The cold front came in yesterday about the time I got off work, and all night we heard blustery winds.  Even though the ground is warm enough that the snow doesn't accumulate, it's still extraordinary to have snow in May! 

All of these late-season cold spells keep reminding me of what I've read of the "Year without a Summer," which was 1816.  That year, extreme cold during the summer months ruined crops across the northern hemisphere, and many people died from the resulting famine.  Read about the causes and its impact on people on this fascinating webpage.  This isn't the same pattern as what is happening now, but certainly this weather isn't what we typically expect at this time of year.

I'm glad that I hadn't planted out most of my flowers and veggies yet.  Most of them are still safely tucked away in my pop-up greenhouse.