Spring is on the Way

Note to friends: Obviously Spring has come and almost gone, but thought you might enjoy the missive anyway.  Sorry, my blogs come in fits and spurts.  :)

Mother Nature has redeemed herself with the glorious temperatures and expansive blue sky, fulfilling the seasonal expectation that spring is waiting around the corner.


The vigilant voice of caution whispering constant admonishments of the dangers that lie in hope and fruitful expectation was for once silent. Tentatively, I stepped onto the dead grass of the lawn, now pleasingly absent from its winter coat of snow and proclaimed, “Yes, winter is over!”

It was time to don the gloves and show the wintry world of dark, heatless days, slippery footing, spoiled food and agitated attitudes that I was better than that; with the assistance of spring, I rise to survive.

Even the tractor was back in the game, once my son-in-law blew the debris from the fuel lines, that is. Don’t you just love the merits of skilled know how? Finally, the scraper blade was attached, and I was ready to tackle the road.

It is a little like washing your hair before going to the salon or cleaning and straightening the house before the cleaning service appears. The road had to be prepared before the gravel trucks arrived. Some of the stone was salvaged and all the ruts, bumps, and holes were smoothed beyond recognition. I was even able to rebuild the crown, well, somewhat.

The road was ready and the gravel company promised they could get the job done before the predicted monsoon commenced. As I write, I am waiting for the last load and occasionally walk to the front door to admire the improvements. But, wait, there is more.

The onset of spring brings a very busy part of the year, on the farm, around the house, in the classroom or in the office. With a high level of activity comes the inevitable gremlin known far and wide as STRESS.

We just cannot escape all of it; like a parasite, it thrives on a host body. Some use eradicators and others simply get sucked dry. My solution is diversity; I close the computer, hang up the phone and hit the dirt, literally.

No master gardener by any stretch of the imagination, but I find it extremely therapeutic. In a 24 hour period, the rose bushes were thoroughly pruned- they will either be brilliant or succumb to sudden death syndrome- and the yard was relieved of several truck loads of limbs.

The flower beds were next and the task was to rake away the dead foliage from the last season. Once again, I was reminded of my failure to do the desired separating and transplanting that I always plan to do in the fall. As I pulled last year’s lifeless growth from the plants, I thought, maybe, it was not too late.

But, then, I saw it, the most remarkable discovery of the day. Nestled just beneath rotting debris of 2009 was the new growth and promise for my 2010 garden. My day was complete.



Until next time, be well.