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| Frosted crocuses. |
When I was a child, I remember my father reciting a silly poem that went, “Spring is sprung, the grass is riz. I wonder where them flowers is.” Well, it looks like spring has sprung at the moment. But even so, I’m beginning to suspect that we are entering another Ice Age. I read reports last week that in Chicago this has been the coldest April on record in the last 100 years and in Detroit in the last 143 years. I don’t know what the statistic is for Gold, but I know from looking back though eighteen years of photographs that by the end of April spring is usually more advanced than it presently is. The last Ice Age, according to the geologists, ended 11,000 years ago. During that Ice Age, the place where I now live was covered by a glacier. The evidence of that is ample – anytime you dig more than an inch into the soil you’ll find an unending supply of rocks. There have been “Little Ice Ages” more recently than that in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. I think we’re headed for another one right now. And here I had my hopes pinned on global warming kicking in and moving me up to Zone 6. I guess I won’t be planting peach trees anytime soon after all.
All week the weather flipped back and forth – snow would fall, mostly at night, and then melt away during the day. It never really warmed up much, but the sun is getting stronger and, given a chance to actually shine, will melt the snow and ice. It looks like the days ahead will be a little warmer – we warmed into the 50's yesterday and it looks like we might stay there for a while, at least during the day. I’m trying not to get too excited about it. I avoid disappointment that way.
All week the weather flipped back and forth – snow would fall, mostly at night, and then melt away during the day. It never really warmed up much, but the sun is getting stronger and, given a chance to actually shine, will melt the snow and ice. It looks like the days ahead will be a little warmer – we warmed into the 50's yesterday and it looks like we might stay there for a while, at least during the day. I’m trying not to get too excited about it. I avoid disappointment that way.
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| Thursday morning. |
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| Thursday afternoon. |
Stacey returned home on Monday after a weekend trip to Utah to attend the wedding of one of our nephews. She had a great time. While she was there she got to spend some time at The Family History Library, which always makes her happy. She reports that the wedding and the reception were very nice and it was wonderful to visit with family. I’m glad she’s home again.
Yesterday my onion order arrived – 180 plants. The weather was nice and onions don’t mind a little cold, so Stacey and I planted them right away. The garlic I planted last fall is coming up now. And my rhubarb is emerging. It looks like the Garden of 2018 is underway outdoors at last. Those are all very hardy plants. They can take quite a bit of cold and even snow, which is a good thing the way this spring is going.
Yesterday my onion order arrived – 180 plants. The weather was nice and onions don’t mind a little cold, so Stacey and I planted them right away. The garlic I planted last fall is coming up now. And my rhubarb is emerging. It looks like the Garden of 2018 is underway outdoors at last. Those are all very hardy plants. They can take quite a bit of cold and even snow, which is a good thing the way this spring is going.
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| Planting onions. |
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| Emerging rhubarb. |
I inspected the orchard yesterday. All of the trees survived the winter. None of them look like they’re budding out yet, which is a blessing since they would have been frozen many times over had they budded out before now. So it looks like apple blossom time will come late in May. I’m hoping we’ll have a good crop of apples this year. Last year was not so good. I need to replenish our supply of applesauce and fill the freezer with cider this year.
We found out last week that the Genesee Natural Food Store is closing. When we moved here, we were thrilled to find this store here. Located in a rambling, ramshackle building just outside of Genesee, it sells all sorts of health food, vitamins, personal hygiene products, and so many other things. There is nothing else like it within 80 miles of here. We have been faithful customers all these years. During their high school years, Rachel, Sarah, and Miriam all worked there at one time. The store will close at the end of May and we are very sad about it. We’ll probably have to start ordering things online now, which will be more expensive and less convenient.
We found out last week that the Genesee Natural Food Store is closing. When we moved here, we were thrilled to find this store here. Located in a rambling, ramshackle building just outside of Genesee, it sells all sorts of health food, vitamins, personal hygiene products, and so many other things. There is nothing else like it within 80 miles of here. We have been faithful customers all these years. During their high school years, Rachel, Sarah, and Miriam all worked there at one time. The store will close at the end of May and we are very sad about it. We’ll probably have to start ordering things online now, which will be more expensive and less convenient.
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| The Genesee Natural Food Store. |
Last night we heard peepers for the first time this year. They were few and faint, but it was wonderful to hear them at last. Other harbingers of spring arrived last week. The northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) have returned. One morning I looked out the back window and there were seven of them on the lawn. They are a woodpecker that feeds on the ground, mostly on ants. I don’t know what they were digging up on the back lawn – I haven’t seen any ants yet. The first of the swallows, the northern rough-winged swallows (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), have been reported in the area, but I haven’t seen one yet. And along the roadsides the first of the wild flowers, coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara), is finally blooming.
It’s sunny and warm – well, 54° which is warm compared to what we’ve been having. The world looks bright and springlike, as it should since we're at the end of April. I haven’t been scheduled to go to school tomorrow (that could change at a moment’s notice) and it looks like the weather will be nice, so I have hopes to do a lot of work out in the yard. After that it looks like it’s going to rain – which is fine as long as it’s not snow. On Thursday Miriam and Daniel are flying in to Pittsburgh. Stacey and I are driving down Friday after work and we’ll all be at the Thayn’s for a short visit and be back home on Saturday night. It will be nice having Miriam home and Daniel here for a while. Then the big projects will begin. I have a long list of them.
With the day so bright and lovely, I think we’ll go for a walk this afternoon. The world is stirring to life. It’s spring. And I want to revel in it while it lasts.
