Signs of spring

Our weather has been all over the board, as February usually is here. We had balmy weather and tornadoes a couple of weeks back, followed almost immediately by snow. This weekend, the March winds settled in and appear to be here for a while. This town is known for its flat land and still air, so we always find high wind a bit alarming. When I lived on coastal Long Island, I never quite got used to daily winds of 40-50 mph.

I'm pleased to report that, despite the recent temps in the 70s, we don't seem poised for an unnaturally early spring. The daffodil shoots are coming up, but some years they've started blooming by now. There's nothing creepier than an unnaturally early spring. Last year, we had a late frost that did serious damage to the flowers and fruits.

I'm also pleased that we've had a good helping of cold, sunny days. My favorite kind of day looks warm and cheery, but when you go outside you remember you're alive because of that little crackle in the air. Today, the wind is blowing hard and the clear sky filled with fluffy, and increasingly dark, clouds in just an hour.

So I took a walk around the yard Saturday to check things out. Everything seemed right on schedule--a few early daffodils budding, a tiny bit of green showing on the quince, the camellias getting ready to pop out any day. All appeared as it should. I love fall and winter, but the stark beauty of early spring (quince and redbud blossoms vibrant on drab branches) is singular and brief. I'll be paying attention, waiting for it to happen this year.