That is one good thing about this world…there are always sure to be more springs. — L.M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables (1874-1942)
We sat in silence letting the green in the air heal what it could. — Erica Bauermeister, author of The School of Essential Ingredients (1960-)
Storms made the last couple of weeks feel like we were living the “Little House on the Prairie.” Not just the aftermath of the storm with mountains of limbs down, sticks and leaves but the coming of spring. Spring brings with it outdoor chores. They are delightful chores as soft winds breeze by, the heat of the sun warms your back and the brightness of it all. The birds still ravage the birdfeeders. Woodpeckers have begun their rat-a-tat-tat. A small squirrel runs and jumps from tree to tree outside the window, a path we call the “tree highway.” Butterflies dance on the black cherry and pear tree blooms, bees hum and butterflies flit on the yellow jasmine. Tiny pale green leaves are sprouting on deciduous trees by the minute. Hooray to spring after the long chill of winter.
Sam raked leaves and picked up sticks all winter long but every day there are more. The burn pile was leveled in the fall but it’s bigger than ever now. I don’t mind it at all. The pile is across the field and makes nice habitat for little critters. Fall is the time for burning wood piles.
The goldfish in the garden pond have been submerged most of the winter and are surfacing now. I can see how they’ve grown and how many there are. We also have a momma bullfrog and a baby bullfrog. I have seen the baby peering just above the waterline. If I don’t come too close, she’ll allow me to talk to her. Momma bullfrog I have only seen after the sun goes down. She is much more wary and vanishes immediately.
There’s been no planting yet and the greenhouse plants have not moved into the fresh air. Tradition tells us not to put out tender plants until after Good Friday. There’s always a cold spell before Easter. That gives us plenty of time to prepare and there’s plenty of preparing to do.
Grass has greened and most of it has been mowed at least twice. The flowerbeds were raked of the leaves and weeded. It’s good to see what is emerging and what may not have survived the winter. An inch high of hostas are pushing through hard ground. A little deadheading needs to be done. Wildflowers, thistle, and ant beds popped up.
I love the yellow dandelions especially because Hatcher, the rabbit, loves dandelions. She enjoys clover as well. I feel like a bonafide Prairie woman when I grab my apron, pick up my basket, and forage the ground for wildflowers either for the kitchen table or feed to Hatcher. I’ve started pocketing my phone so as to have my camera ready. I’ve learned the hard way: The most beautiful butterfly will appear right in front of you while the camera remains inside on the kitchen counter.
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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