March got here so quickly this year it feels it came almost without warning. We have had an unusually cold winter here, although nothing to compare with our friends of higher latitudes. I think it has been a harsh winder all around, exacerbated by political unrest in the middle east and earthquakes in New Zealand. But wait, this isn’t about Winter but rather Spring. Mardi Gras i but a few days away timed well to help shake off the winder doldrums.
In the last week of February I put out seeds in my small garden and this week am rewarded by tiny leaves peaking from under small flakes of soil as so many small children waking from slumber tossing off blankets.and bed sheets.
A week or so back the bulbs sent up green spears and Sunday the hyacinths showed off explosions of blue-purple like so many miniature fireworks in the back yard. With a little more aplomb the jonquils have added bright accents of yellow and white. The daffodils are still teasing us with anticipation and, as expected, the amaryllis are waiting to make a royal entrance.
The pecan trees are bare limbed backdrops framing the show but the nearby maples are painted with red and the pear tree outside the kitchen window is exploding with pale green (still almost yellow) leaves and buds pregnant with soon to be white snowy flowers.
The lawn lags a bit but we are thankful for that just now because of the labor involved with its trimming and care. There is more than enough Spring cleaning to do clearing the winter’s effects. Deadwood still falls from the oaks and many of the tender leafy plants were burned in the cold.An, there is is the very present chore of topping and correcting minor flaws in the shape of the ground for run-off.
I find myself stiff in the evening but it is a pleasant soreness, one earned by a good day’s work with the hands invested in as good a sure thing as ever there is – Nature.