lit up with anticipation

You'll remember that last Saturday, the tulip trees down Irmo drive had begun to break open their blossoms exactly a week earlier than last year. All week long we've had beautiful but quite chilly weather. Temperatures have been below freezing four nights in a row, and daytime highs haven't been high enough when combined with winds from the first week of March to keep one's lips from quivering when walking across campus.
Well it's a week later. Its 9:00am and the sun is shining brightly. It's 57 degrees and the weather man is promising 68 this afternoon. So far, the Bradford pears haven't not yet blossomed and the air is still clean and clear of pine pollen. Any guesses on what time today the pear trees will burst?