Triumphant Spring

 Here we are in the middle of April already. Although we had some snow flurries during the week, they didn’t amount to anything. It looks like spring has taken hold at last. I say that hoping I haven’t jinxed myself. Other parts of the country are still getting clobbered by snow, but at this point it looks like we’re done with the nasty stuff, for a while anyway.

We’re at the point in our yearly flower progression where the snowdrops are gone and the crocuses are fading. I’m always sad to see them go. They bring me such happiness when they appear after the long and dreary winter. Now the glory -of-the-snow (chionodixa) are truly glorious. Pure blue is not a common flower color and they are a delightful shade of pure blue. The daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips are all in bud. The forsythia should bloom soon. Along the roadsides the coltsfoot is flowering, the first of the wild flowers to appear.

The crocuses when at their best.

A patch of chionodoxa.

Out in my woodland garden and up in the woods the wild leeks (Allium tricoccum, called ramps in some parts of the country) are up. Many of the locals go crazy for them. They dig them up and have ham and leek dinners in their homes and at the fire halls and churches. Many people have cherished family recipes using wild leeks. I’m not fond of them. They have a strong, almost skunky garlic taste. I prefer my more refined domesticated garlic and onions. Speaking of garlic, out in the vegetable garden my garlic has come up. And my onion order should arrive in the mail this week.

Wild leeks in my woodland garden.

There are signs of life out in the orchard too. The buds on the apple trees are swelling. The hazel hedge is in bloom although you can’t really tell unless you look closely. Their flowers are subtle and odd. The male flowers are long brown catkins that drop yellow pollen on tiny red female flowers that you almost need a magnifying glass to see.

The male (top) and female (bottom) flowers of the hazels.

All around the yard there are other buds swelling too. The lilacs, honey berry bushes, kiwi vines, and currant bushes are all breaking bud with the promise of flowers and fruit in the near future.

Buds: currant, honey berry, and lilac.

We heard spring peepers for the first time last Sunday night. That night they were few and feeble but every night since then their singing has grown stronger. It is one of the happiest sounds I know of.

On Monday we brought Miriam’s peacock home. He is now happily established down in the barn. We are hoping that after a period of assimilation we can let him out with the chickens. Our worry is that the rooster might try to fight with him. We’ll have to see. Our good old reliable hen, Lola, has gone broody again and I have set four eggs under her. They should hatch sometime around May 6th.

Bringing the peacock home.

Our war with the skunk continued all week. Every morning when we went out there was more damage. The lawn looked like it had been tilled. Shillig’s lawn too. Josiah tried to wait up for it on several nights, but the skunk seemed to know when he had given up and gone to bed. That’s when it attacked. That changed last night. Just after midnight Stacey shook me awake and said Josiah had just shot something out in the yard. A few minutes later the scent of skunk filled the air and we knew he’d hit his mark. Shortly after that, Josiah came in the house reeking. He didn’t get sprayed, but just being in proximity to the carcass when he disposed of it was enough. He threw his clothes into the washing machine and headed for the shower. Even now we can still smell the skunk, but the odor is diminishing. I’m so glad Josiah took care of the skunk on his last night at home. I hope there was just one skunk and that the war is now over. The lawns will take a long time to recover from the damage.

Skunk damage.

Yesterday we went to the temple. The drive through western New York was lovely with all the greening hills and spring flowers. When we got home from that, we had an evening with our friends the Dunns. We had a family history party. Stacey showed them how to create an account and access sites online. We played a family history game and shared information that Miriam had gathered on their family. We are actually related to them through our Carpenter line. After the family history party we had dinner and a nice visit.

At the temple yesterday.

Today is a gray and gloomy day. There is a cold rain falling. The house feels a little sad. Hannah and Josiah are leaving to go to college. This afternoon they are driving down to the Thayn’s house. On Tuesday they will fly out of Pittsburgh to Salt Lake where Geoffrey will pick them up. They will stay with Geoffrey and his family until Saturday when they will take a shuttle up to Rexburg. Their school begins on Monday the 22nd. This is the beginning of Hannah’s last year of college. Josiah is just starting. We’re glad Hannah will be there with him to get him oriented. It will be very quiet with just Stacey, Miriam, and me here at home. Hannah and Josiah will be back at the end of July and then won’t return to school again until after the new year, so it won’t be too long before they are back. I will really miss having Josiah around. I have so many projects I wanted him to help me with – raised beds to build and fill, trees to cut, and the greenhouse (still!) to build. Now Miriam will have to be my main helper, but that’s good. She is a strong, hard worker.

This week we will be preparing for Easter. We are traveling down to the Thayn’s house for the weekend. The Fosters will be there too. Unfortunately, Hannah and Josiah will have already gone west by then. I love Easter. I love the traditions we observe in celebrating the triumph of Christ over death and hell. I especially love the music I listen to every year at Easter. On Friday I will listen to Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, an event I look forward to all year long. And I will listen to Part II and Part III of Handel’s Messiah. The Tabernacle Choir is broadcasting an Easter concert on Saturday and we will listen to that. I love the food we eat at Easter. On Friday night we will have our traditional family Passover seder with all the wonderful food involved – apricot chicken, matzoh ball soup, potato latkes, kugel, and haroset. Then on Sunday we will have our traditional Easter feast – ham, funeral potatoes, zesty carrots, pickled eggs and beets, fruit salad, rolls, and other treats. It will be wonderful to be with two of my children’s families. I’ll tell you all about it next week. I hope you have a joyous Easter!