Florida is all mixed up!

January is usually the time of nice cool weather in Florida. We get a reprieve from the intense heat which is great if you live here, but not so great if you are visiting. We usually have several frosts, just enough cold to kill everything and make it brown. Not this year, Florida is all mixed up. Yesterday we had a record high of 85 degrees. Now I know I should not complain to all of you in the bitter cold and snow, keep in mind I know I live here where it is warm. You see we need a change in season and temperature. I want to put on jeans and a sweater, or even a pair of boots. I'd like to put my flip flops away, even for a few days.

We have leaves still changing color and falling from the trees. This usually happens in December. Our color is not vibrant like you see in the north, we have lots of browns and golds, with a hint of red here and there.

There are leaves still clinging to branches as new buds are appearing on the same branch.

There is a hint of red on the maple trees as the buds are making the transition into bright green leave clusters. This usually happens in February, not the second week of January.

My petunias are still blooming, usually they are a shriveled mess by now. I even saw one of my azaleas had a few blooms on it. I went outside to my back porch area this morning after work and saw everything covered in green pollen, wow, it is really early for all the oak trees to be blooming. Now I have to schedule time to clean up all the furniture, bummer.