The Five Winters of East Tennessee

Hello friends. We are smack in the middle of Blackberry Winter. I know you are probably getting tired of hearing me talk about these winters but they really are a thing that has been happening for many many years. Some people call them “cold snaps” but I call them winters. The funny thing about these “winters” is that they all happen after spring arrives. Each winter usually lasts for a few days to a week or so. As I have told you my husband poo-poos them and tells me the cold snap that we are having has nothing to do with:

Redbud winter in late March or early April
Dogwood Winter in late April
Locust Winter in early May
Blackberry Winter in mid May
Whippoorwill Winter in late May (this one has also been called Woolen Britches Winter)

Let me tell you a little more about them.

Redbud Winter happens in late March or early April. The Redbuds bloom out beautifully. They actually look purple once they have bloomed out but the tiny bud is actually red, giving it the name of Redbud.

Dogwood Winter happens in late April. Although, it can happen at different times in different parts of the area. We had Dogwood Winter this year in early April. The temps had been really warm in early April and then plunged and we knew we were in Dogwood Winter. Also the Dogwood trees were blooming like crazy.

Locust Winter. In early May the Locust bloom and we have a temporary cooling of the weather. For us this year, in East Tennessee, this one came along around the end of April. The Locust blossoms look very similar to blackberry blooms. But the Locust blossoms are usually on a larger bush and the blackberry bushes are more spread out and usually grow together with several small to the ground bushes.

Blackberry Winter, which is what we are experiencing here in East Tennessee now, is around the second week of May and almost always around Mother’s Day. The temps today and the last few days have been wonderful and cool. I even wore a jacket this morning. Now just because the Blackberries are blooming does not mean we have blackberries ready to eat. Those won’t become ripe enough until around late June and early July.

Whippoorwill Winter. When you hear the song of the Whippoorwill in the early mornings and late evenings you know that summer is truly on the way. This is usually the last of the cool weather. It is also called Woolen Britches winter because years ago, just when people put away all their winter clothes, the temps would turn cold again and they would still need a sweater or something warmer.

I recorded this last year out on my driveway. The Whippoorwill can be very loud.

The Whippoorwill is actually a very small nocturnal bird. You never hear it during the day. In the daylight it sits in the trees and on the wooded paths. It is hard to believe such a sound comes from such a small bird.

Check out my previous posts about Redbud Winter And Dogwood Winter

Many years ago early settlers did not have the weather channel or google to let them know when the last frost would happen. When would it be safe to plant their crops? They relied heavily on these different signs to let them know about planting their fruits and vegetables. I remember hearing my parents talk about the best time to plant certain things in the garden. If the Dogwood had bloomed then the last frost was over. There is a lot of folklore and legend around these winters. I cherish all of them.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!