Spring won’t officially get here until March 20th, but the poor bulbs don’t know it. Like most of the country, we’ve had unseasonably warm weather and hardly any snow.
Growing up in California, I never really appreciated spring until I lived through my first Maryland winter. Actually, as far as winters go, most of ours aren’t too bad. We do get snow, but it tends to not stay around for very long.
When you get the chance to really experience the seasons, you learn to savor the changes. The glorious colors of fall. The simple beauty of a blanket of snow, the long-awaited glory of a spring garden, and lastly, the experience of the first farmer’s market of the season, when all the early crops are ready to be turned into tasty meals.
I think the seasons are also a gentle reminder that we don’t have control over everything, as hard as we try to convince ourselves otherwise.
I’ve learned to find things I appreciate in each season, and I capitalize of the uniqueness of each. How dull would a garden be without a few daffodils, tulips, and crocus? Could you really make it through the summer without corn on the cob and heirloom tomatoes? What could be finer than a long drive to see the fall colors? While I don’t like to drive in it, I love to watch the snow fall, and see my dog’s excitement, even in her old age, as she plays in it.
But in the end, spring is my favorite season of all. Just about two months to go… I hope my spring bulbs can hold on a while longer.