Margaret Renkle wrote a piece about the non-winter in the NYTs. She lives further south somewhere, and is unsettled by it there as we are here. I have been struggling with local television anchors sounding chirpy about record warmth and lack of snow. I want them to sound alarms and make at least as big a deal about the long term consequences of climate change as they do about five inches of snow in March. My anxiety about the climate runs deep and steady. And then a tiny, purple iris blooms in Susan's yard and it makes me catch my breath and whisper a "thank you" that I get to see another spring.
That's me, all over. I do not live in New England to enjoy mild winters. I'm here to live through difficult weather so I can feel like I earned the spring. I did nothing to earn this spring, and yet here it is, a gift.
I am an absolute fool for Iris reticulata (whereas I'm merely an extreme fool for most bulb flowers). If that's one of my preferred cultivars it smells like violets, though obviously you have get low or pick it to know. It looks like Harmony, though.
I'm enjoying Braiding Sweetgrass, now about a seventh into this book, and struck by how well it's conveying the difference between systems thinking and carved off everything-else-taken-as-set thinking, and how well Kimmerer explains the distinction between a market/commodity economy/relationship and a gift economy/relationship. In this context, to be obvious, that iris like many other plants depends on winter cold and precipitation to gather strength for the coming spring-- when it will gather strength from the sun and build sugars, some of last year's having been lavished on the nectars that attract pollination.
It's beautiful. When there is just one, I notice the details - like how beautiful the yellow with black dots and white sprays are against the violet on the gently bending petals. I love it. Happy almost spring!
Having grown up in North Texas, our one "big" snowfall was quite enough for me. Numerous snowdrops and yellow and purple crocuses are blooming along my morning walk, and daffodils are starting to poke their leaves out of the ground that never quite froze. The longer days make me happy. Still, it was a little disconcerting to hear that tick season never ended this winter.
Margaret Renkle wrote a piece about the non-winter in the NYTs. She lives further south somewhere, and is unsettled by it there as we are here. I have been struggling with local television anchors sounding chirpy about record warmth and lack of snow. I want them to sound alarms and make at least as big a deal about the long term consequences of climate change as they do about five inches of snow in March. My anxiety about the climate runs deep and steady. And then a tiny, purple iris blooms in Susan's yard and it makes me catch my breath and whisper a "thank you" that I get to see another spring.
That's me, all over. I do not live in New England to enjoy mild winters. I'm here to live through difficult weather so I can feel like I earned the spring. I did nothing to earn this spring, and yet here it is, a gift.
Oh yes sigh
Spring….flowers bloom, animals and birds begin mating, meanwhile humans continue with their scorched Earth ways - war, environmental neglect, etc……😢
Yes, but doesn’t this look like a little splash of hope?
Indeed! This is why I love it so much! The contrast between winter (however meek and brown) and spring excites me more than anything else!
Aw, thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Susan, for showing us this welcoming bit of color amidst the unrelenting sea of mud.
I am an absolute fool for Iris reticulata (whereas I'm merely an extreme fool for most bulb flowers). If that's one of my preferred cultivars it smells like violets, though obviously you have get low or pick it to know. It looks like Harmony, though.
I'm enjoying Braiding Sweetgrass, now about a seventh into this book, and struck by how well it's conveying the difference between systems thinking and carved off everything-else-taken-as-set thinking, and how well Kimmerer explains the distinction between a market/commodity economy/relationship and a gift economy/relationship. In this context, to be obvious, that iris like many other plants depends on winter cold and precipitation to gather strength for the coming spring-- when it will gather strength from the sun and build sugars, some of last year's having been lavished on the nectars that attract pollination.
I’m now reading “An Immense World.” I highly recommend it.
It's beautiful. When there is just one, I notice the details - like how beautiful the yellow with black dots and white sprays are against the violet on the gently bending petals. I love it. Happy almost spring!
Happy almost birthday to you!
Having grown up in North Texas, our one "big" snowfall was quite enough for me. Numerous snowdrops and yellow and purple crocuses are blooming along my morning walk, and daffodils are starting to poke their leaves out of the ground that never quite froze. The longer days make me happy. Still, it was a little disconcerting to hear that tick season never ended this winter.
That and mosquitoes. Yikes! (Mosquitos? Get me copy-editing, STAT!)
What are those little blue flowers that are all over Texas? Driving along you look to your left and BOOM! Acres and acres of blue.
Bluebonnets.
They're just beautiful. Thank you. I've heard them called only "blues."
They're a lupine species.
We travel through that part of Texas often, visiting folks in NM! The hills are aliiiiive!
Cannot wait to be outside in the light at 7 and then 8. Longer days are an immediate boost to my mood.