Spring

March, while retaining some of its fickleness, seems doing her best to get us to believe the groundhog’s prediction of an early spring. Many days are in the 60’s, although freezing at night continue to be common. “Pothole weather,” Terry grumbles.

I did my last blog post from the basement, as we were under a tornado warning. This was one occasion when we did not care one bit that the storm split and missed us to the north and south. The sky was black, but not that hideous gray-green it gets before a tornado. Inexplicably, two deer came out to grab a last bite before running to the shelter of the woods.

Deer grazing in front of an advancing storm

The migratory birds are coming back. Robins are everywhere. I have seen four kildeer in the south field. Sandhill cranes are flying north in flocks. A red-wing blackbird scolds me from the top of a small oak tree every morning when I go out for the paper. Downey woodpeckers drum on the dead branches of the fourth oak, which was struck by lightning some years ago and struggles along with the live branches that remain.

Spring has come to the inside of the house as well. I have a number of native species scarifying (pre-treating for better germination) in damp sand in the downstairs refrigerator.

Cold treating native seeds

Terry’s sticks (a.k.a., grafting scion) are also in the refrigerator.

Twigs of fruit trees for grafting

And my onions are sprouting on the downstairs kitchen counter. A sprouted seed is hope for the future. In this case, it’s a cautious optimism. Kate says that El Nino is strong this year, and we will have a hot, dry summer. She’s a geologist. She understands these things. My poor babies! For now, though, they are at a comfortable 68° in damp soil. I think they look happy.

Onion sprouts

I will start the peppers soon, and the tomatoes in a month. In spite of the lovely weather, I will not plant outside until at least mid-May. Spring is a trickster—you never know when she’ll throw a late frost at you. We just hope it isn’t after the fruit trees blossom. Fingers crossed!