My Tulip Magnolia is in bloom

Remember last spring when I wrote that it felt like spring was here and I posted this blog post.  Well that was done on February 26, 2011.  I was amazed at how early spring came last year.  Well it started even earlier this year and this has me so concerned.
Here's some pictures of the same tree.  I feel like if I didn't take them now it would be too late.  The sad thing was it started to bloom and then we got some freezing weather and it caused the blooms to turn brown and are now falling off.  It is not going to be as spectacular as it has been in the past. But it still is impressive.

 The tulip magnolia just starting to bloom on Feb 8th 2012.

 One week later
 And here's how it looks like today.

 

Tulip magnolia or Japanese Magnolia.

Tulip Magnolia or Japanese magnolia Feb 26, 2011

 See how spectacular it was last year.

 Another picture taken last Feb 26, 2011.

It used to be I never expected the tree to bloom until March because of when I first saw it blooming.

Here's a picture on March 16, 1994 showing the Tulip tree in full bloom.  We had moved into the house the year before during the summer and we never saw this tree in bloom.  We were amazed by it and had to get some photos.

 
 I just happened to write the date on them so I would remember when it bloomed like that.  Can you believe its 18 years later and blooming one month earlier than it did before.  I know the flowers will be long gone by the time March rolls around.  Already so many pedals have fallen off our yard needs to be raked.

2-25-2012 I've taken a couple of more pictures of the tree since it was so pretty.

 

 
We've had a couple of very windy days and now here's all that's left on the tree and on the ground.

 

 

Another thing I should note that we've been having record breaking weather too.  On Thursday Feb 23, 2012 the temperature got up to 87 degrees.  To me that's just plain crazy weather to have for February.

the almanac enhanced

Now I muse upon the fact I'm glad I took the pictures that I did when I did.