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223.)

13.2.1951, cont.

over 2,000 feet quite white with heavy snow & patches on N. slopes down to about 700 ft. & on S. slopes to 1,000 feet.

14th Feb. 1951. 
Went by 2.5 bus to Templeogue & walked to Firhouse, across footbridge to Balrothery, & back to Templeogue to pick up 3.30 bus, picking up eggs on way.

15th Feb. 
Went by 2 P.M. bus to Whitechurch & walked to Kilmashogue & up lane on W. side of hill to about 1,000 feet & back to catch bus at Whitechurch at 4.30. 

16th Feb. 
Went by 2.5 bus to Old Bawn & walked to foot of Glenasmole & up lane towards Ballymaice to highest farm, then crossed the Slade of Ballymaice & back across fields to Marlfield & Old Bawn & to Firhouse where overtaken by 4.55 bus from Tallaght.  These "excursions" undertaken to test my ankle, sprained coming off Lug. on 10th August 1950.  It stood the tests well - better than expected!

Saw Barren Strawberry in flower on 13th & 16th & Lesser Celandine in bud on 15th in lane above school.


224.

17th to 22nd. Feb 1951 
Cold, usually with keen wind, much sun - hot in shelter; rain, sleet, hail & more showers, but on the whole not too bad weather, though not conducing to growth amongst plants. 

On 22nd first flower opened on Chionodoxa in front garden in usual early place & on same day Sax. oppositifolia buds in back & front garden just about ready to open if favoured by weather to do so.  The Sax. apiculata whose first flowers opened on 29th Jan. (& subsequently picked off by sparrows, I believe) has opened no more since, no doubt owing to cold winds, night frosts & frequent snow falls.  Yellow Crocus now generally in flower throughout the district & we saw a few White Crocuses & Purple Crocuses in a garden in Eaton Square, Terenure, on 20th.

25th Feb 1951. 
Small-flowered Sax. oppositifolia from Snowden in W. border back garden with first flowers open.  Both large & small in front garden in bud.  Many Chionodoxa now in flower. Forsythia nearly out. Daphna bleggiana in back garden with a few flowers open, after being in bud since November. 

27th Feb 1951. 
The first ♂︎ catkins on Salix cinerea, on left bank of the Dodder below Rathfarnham Bridge, & just above the river, showing yellow from right bank, & evidently with ripe pollen.  Very hard white frost on night of 27th-28th & lovely sunny day on latter, on aft. of which we walked from Ballyboden bus via military rd. & Woodtown back to Firhouse.