IS IT SPRING YET?

It’s funny how I start out heading one direction with an entry and it ends up someplace else, so someplace else.

It’s the between time of the year in the Southern Willamette valley. In a way it’s an odd time too. They grow a lot of grass seed and forage in the fields around down and up the little valleys. It’s been harvested, plowed and reseeded. If we get enough rain and sun this time of year some of the fields turn a glorious emerald green. It feels just a little schizo driving by the fields on the way home from work. One field will be bright green while the pasture next to it is still autumn brown.

Most of the trees haven’t started to turn yet, but they’re getting a cast to the color that says “it won’t be long.” Funny thing is, a few trees have made the change and are on their way to leafless. Our dogwood is half the way to leafless while the maples on the hill behind the house are still green.
The ornamental trees I drive by on the way home are flaming orange on their way to leafless and the poplar plantation out by the airport is still green. Go figure. And when we do finally get some really great color going, we get a herking rain and windstorm and all the leaves turn into mulch.

Goddess, I am so not ready for winter this year. I don’t know if the it’s the crappy economy or the endless political campaigning, I just want to skip winter and head straight into spring.

We had company this weekend and I didn't get my usual dose of dirt under my nails. Maybe what I need is a good session in the garden.