The First Harbinger of Spring 1991
It’s cozy and warm where I sit on the sun porch – unlike what it was when I was fooled yesterday by the bright sunshine. I thought I could get out and walk without my protective clothing, but was I wrong! The wind at the Windy Knoll was icy.
Beth and I wanted to take a look in the wildflower area in my favorite scope of woods. We let the loggers get in deeper than we planned, and it’s heartbreaking to look at the damage. When John came to the house and found his spouse in tears, he drew a line on the tree cutting and, as a result, saved at least part of the woods just to enjoy. We both agree that there are some things more important things than money – and my favorite scope of woods is one of them.
We found a beautiful hot-pink blooming flower that I cannot identify to my satisfaction. Only a little plant called Spring Beauty should be blooming now in the wildflowers and Spring Beauty foliage does not look like the foliage on what we found. This is part of the fun of wildflowers – the quest for identification.
One true harbinger of spring is the Trailing Trillium, and it’s up and shining. It’s mottled leaves of green and white rest on the ground and is a thing of beauty. But how these plants can stand the cold, freezing temperatures is a mystery to me.
We stopped and admired Mother’s jonquils that have migrated across the road — another pretty sight, but also a reminder of how much my mother loved flowers. Fresh cut flowers were always on her dining table when they were available. Now she has a granddaughter, who keeps cut flowers on her desk at work. It’s interesting how we see the continuance of things passed down through generations.
As we returned to the yard Garfield, the big yellow cat met us. He has been gone for several days. Isn’t it strange that “in the spring a young man’s heart turns to love?” Garfield always comes home bunged up and he needs food and rest. The last time he came in with a bloody nose, but this time he just looks thin and tired. I told him he’d better hang around here and rest up because courting was getting too much for him. He answered with a “meow”, but I think what he was saying was that he didn’t want a lecture, just food. He does stay around long enough to keep the ladies who live here happy. It looks like both our other cats are in a family way. Oh my, what will we do with another crop of kittens?
As we look at the greening herb bed and perennial beds, I’m reminded of how much work there is to be done there, too. “There’s no rest for the weary and the wicked want none.” That will have to wait for another day. Company, cats and work – that’s country living.