Scents of Spring

Day 59
The Daily DuBrule

I was pulling out of the Natureworks driveway this evening after two fun-filled yet exhausting classes. As I was about to put up the chain, I looked down to see the entire shade garden in full bloom with daffodil flowers. Happy St. Patrick's Day world, this is a first in my book! I treated myself to a huge bouquet to take home. As I gathered the flowers together, I plunged my nose into the giant yellow trumpets and smelled, for the first time a year, the intoxicating scent of narcissus blossoms. Ah yes. It's all coming back to me now. Spring. The feeling of new life rushing through my veins. I must admit, it got to me. 

I came home and couldn't go in the house. The glow in the sky was gorgeous. The peepers were so loud I couldn't believe it. The evening bird song joined the chorus. The setting sun made my gardens glow. I just sat on my deck and relaxed and realized: spring is truly here.

I then wandered around the yard, checking the progress of my emerging plants. The bleeding heart is currently exploding out of the ground. The monkshood is already in leaf. The Iris reticulata and snowdrops are finished. The Lonicera fragrantissima continues to flower, impressing me to no end with it's long blooming season and sweet scent. Tons of tulips have appeared in the last couple of days.

More fun than a barrel of monkeys is my garlic patch. Last fall I tried a creative planting experiment. I love purple tulips but I am not crystal clear on the differences between the varieties. So, I planted a row of garlic, then a row a tulips, a row of garlic, etc. all the way across one of my raise beds. I labeled both the tulips and the garlic. They have both emerged in the last 24 hours. It makes me smile to see this.

Next week is supposed to be in the 70's. What happens if the cherry trees and star magnolias open 3 weeks early and then we have a cold spell? Well, they will probably freeze. If you hear that may happen, pick tons of branches and put them in vases and bring them into work and share them with everyone you know. It may not be the best case scenario, but at least they won't go to waste and the folks that don't have these trees in their yards to enjoy will be thrilled.

We are living in crazy times. We can't change the extreme weather we experience. All we can do is go with the flow, enjoy every drop of color that we are given, and not worry too much about it. The only thing constant in life as change. I guess we might as well get used to it.