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127.

1942.

January opened mild like December, but between 10th & 20th there were several hard frosts or frosty nights, with intervening wet or very fine sunny days and only one day on which it froze throughout the day.  A little snow on the hills at times, but all gone by 14th. when on a very fine day we took 2 P.M. bus to Old Barn & walked up E. side of Glenasmole to the school & down past Mrs. Saul's to upper dam & back to bus.  On way down saw ♂︎ Hazel in flower just above Mrs. Doyle's, but had not time to stop & look for ♀︎ flowers.  Neither had I time to look for any hymenoptera.  Much rain following this date up to 22nd. 

Snowdrops.  The early plant which had flowered in Dec. 1940 & 1941 did not appear this year & it was not till Jan. 20th that a bud appeared beneath drawing-room window, but this not yet open on 22nd.  Daisy reported a snowdrop out in Highfield Rd. however, before Xmas.  On 24th Jan. two snowdrops were out & a few days later what I believe to be the early one suddenly appeared & flowered.

Lesser Celendine.  On 25th there was one flower on plant by road & stream between Rathfarnham Castle & the Narrow Walls, 


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& on 1st Feb there were 3 flowers on same plant. 

Although England had experienced very cold weather & heavy snow during the 1st 3 weeks of January we had no snow in Dublin & only a few frosty nights, only one of which froze the canal, while snow only lay intermittently even on the higher hills.


February 1942. 

After much wet & alternately mild & colder spells the glass began to rise about 12th Feb. & a dry coldish spell set in, mainly dull with northerly winds.  On 16th the wind was southerly or SE. & still cold, with much sun; on this day the first of the old Snowdrops under dining room window in front garden flowered & on the same day the first yellow crocus by path to front gate flowered; Sax. apiculata & S. opp. both well on but no flowers.  The small seedling bush of Daphne mezereum at hall door opened its flowers about the 12th-15th but date not noted.  This is its 2nd year to flower & it is now 4 or 5 years old. 

Cold winds from E & very dry continued until 21st when snow began to fall, this increased on 23rd when it fell +/- steadily all day, but a burst of hot sun & rise of temperature melted it during the afternoon;  later on 23rd snow again fell heavily so that by morning of 24th there were several inches over everything & roads dangerous to cycles, by mid-afternoon hot sun had nearly melted it in exposed places.  

Barometer fell from 17th to 22nd & did not begin to rise till the 23th.  Buds on Sax. opp. (Binevenagh plant) ready to open on 22nd before snow fell.