We definitely have had milder winters. 2 years in a row, shit starts blooming and then we get 18 degrees in March. Bam, peaches and blueberries take a hit.
My blueberries are looking good this year. Same with the wineberries. Last year was a bust. Not sure what the difference is. I'm a laissez faire gardener, and don't pay close attention. Noticed my cherry tree is dead dead. Not a single bit of green. I'll take it down this fall, and burn it before I get into the oak. I have a weeping cherry out front that's clinging on for dear life. It doesn't know its dead yet. I'll leave it til there's no green left. My daughter really liked that tree. I leave it up... in her honor I guess. Don't see her much anymore. She's busy with school, work, and whatever. I don't give too many fucks about anything anymore. A friend of mine came by a few weeks ago. He said he laughed when he came up to my place. he was driving past manicured lots, then sees the wall of green at my place. That's the way I like it. My green cloak that blocks out the world. If I didn't grow up here, I'd GTFO, and find some place more to my liking. As it is, I make due with what I've got.
edit:
One of the few things I planted; a lavender plant, got squished when my oak came down this year. I was looking forward to seeing what it would do too :^/ I might do the whole back hill in lavender so I don't have to mow it. That'll have to wait til I'm finished with the tree. I also have an apple seedling I want to put in the ground somewhere. I was getting pink lady apples from aldi last year that had sprouted seeds in the middle. I have one that took off, and I need to get in the ground. The persimmons I started didn't make it through the winter :^( The three trees I really want are persimmon, pawpaw, and river birch. I wouldn't mind chestnut either. If I were younger, I'd make this lot look like an eastern hardwood forest, with lots of oak and beech. I'll never see them do anything at this point though :^/