Semi-random wanderings/wonderings about this Spring of ours.
Northern Hemisphere, Vernal Equinox: astronomers say it’s Spring since yesterday. What do astronomers know? (How we can let astronomers and accountants–quarterly reports, etc.–run our lives, I dunno. Probably an artifact of public schools.) The daffodils* have called it Spring for nearly a month and a half here in America’s Third World County. The ugly, wild purple clover has agreed for easily as long. So far, robins have not cast their vote, but many plants are budding and (apparently) hardier birds than robins have been making their presence known.
So now, snow. Go figure. Of course, at the rate it’s coming down now, we can expect to have around 2 or 3 hundredths of an inch accumulation. *meh* Not enough to sneeze at. We need more slow-melt moisture right now–or at least I would prefer more.
My gardens already planted won’t mind a few days of cold, since they still have a couple of weeks left before I’d expect any sign of growth anyway. A blanket of snow would be just the trick to hold in what warmth the ground has and then provide some slow watering. One can but hope the rate of snowfall picks up a bit.
Well, it is time for Spring cleanup outside and in. A nice cold day like today encourages the “in” part.
Snow and freezing rain, with a low just reaching freezing temps is forecast for tonight. Folks are talking about this being atypical for Spring weather, but folks have poor memories. Just since we’ve lived in America’s Third World County–a wee tad shy of 20 years–I can recall March weather that was similar.
Maybe I’ll hit the outside long enough to at least mulch the two wee garden areas I’ve planted. Yeh, they’re already covered with garden cloth (with cutouts where I’ve planted seed), but mulching on top of that might be a Good Thing, anyway. We’ll see how it goes. Should have light enough later this afternoon, still.
I wonder if Spring’s pretty much the same as always in West Texas. . .
West Texas Spring–Boing!
*Oh, the asterisk on “daffodils”? When I was growing up, I called them “jonquils” because everyone I knew called ’em that. Regionalism, I guess. Or not. Maybe just a variant name like Narcissus–pretty much the same plant/flower. Orson Scott Card has a gentle not-quite-a-rant on Spring where his take (mentioning jonquils instead of daffodils) is similar to mine.