Just two days after I wrote my  blog “Starting Seeds, Staying Positive”, the weather turned from gray, dreary, dreary, dreary winter to lovely Spring.  We had an amazing sunny day in the low 80’s – and Wonderful Husband and I made the most of it!

Taking Advantage of the Weather

He ran the mower to pick up the billions of gum balls and the trillions of tulip poplar seeds, then fertilized the grass.  The flower beds looked more like a neglected weed field. I was getting a wee bit embarrassed, figuring the neighbors were beginning to worry about declining property values.  So, I decided wildlife could manage now without the dead flower seed heads that I’d left for them to forage upon during the winter.  I tackled all the dead stalks and leaves with the enthusiasm of a starving man at a Las Vegas buffet.  It felt great!  The air was crisp, the sky was perfectly blue and the sun was warm on my back.

Five minutes later I was breathing hard, sweating and coming to the annual conclusion that I was really, really out of shape!  If only the ground was closer or my arms were longer!

Mini-Miracles

The following day, I paid the price for being so out of shape and couldn’t honestly say what part of me hurt the worst.  The next day, it rained again and the next day was another gift from Mother Nature.  Suddenly forgetting my aches and pains, I went out to the gardens and realized a true miracle had occurred!

Three days before, there was little green showing, except the weeds and the Autumn Olives (Elaeagnus umbellata), which are terribly invasive in southern Indiana.  Now, the native red bud trees (Cercis canadensis) were in full bloom, glowing like magenta rubies in the sunlight.  The Jane magnolia was blooming in a softer pink shade and the daffodils were gloriously yellow.

Ferns had put up their first fiddleheads, the oakleaf hydrangeas were trying to leaf out and the azaleas had flower buds.  The lungwort (Pulmonaria) had suddenly emerged from the ground and was nearly in bloom.

Neighbors were blowing leaves and mowing their lawns; the sweet scent of cut grass mingled with the daffodils’ perfume.  Everything seemed normal and good and wonderful. It was easy to pretend – at least for a while – that the corona virus had been just a nightmare.

Stay Green (and Healthy), Good Friends!