In Bloom

Well that does it, zero moisture fell from the sky in the month of March. I really wish it was a n April Fools joke.  Due to the abnormally warm temperatures some plants are ahead of schedule and are in full bloom. The tulips may complete their bloom before Easter!

But if you are like me you know spring is here because of those watery eyes and running nose. National Jewish Health monitors pollen levels at its main health campus in Denver, Colorado. On weekday mornings, a technician retrieves a slide from a Burkard pollen and spore sampler. The slide is covered with a sticky substance to which pollen grains have adhered during the previous 24 hours. The technician then stains the slide, puts it under a microscope, and identifies and counts pollen grains to determine what kind and how much pollen is in the air.

The resulting pollen count is then distributed to various National Jewish Health physicians, the National Jewish Health clinical research unit, the local media, and it is also posted here on their website.
The pollen counts help inform physicians’ discussions with their patients about allergies and symptoms. They are used by clinical researchers at National Jewish Health who are evaluating potential allergy medications. The pollen counts are also tracked year over year to identify and compare trends.