Spring has SPRUNG!

We went away to Florida for a few days and came home and spring had sprung in Winston Salem, N C. What happened? I don't even remember the tips peeking out from under the leaves and being drawn to watch daily as they grew into flowers. We came home and lo and behold there are full-blown crocus and daffodils everywhere! I feel like I've missed out on something. I can't tell you what I have been doing that I missed those first peeks, but I have gotten back into writing the book about Brookberry Farm. In fact, I went to lunch with Beverly Hamel today, the writer of the historical book on Bethania. We are going to meet monthly and encourage each other to keep on keeping on with our writing. We met at the Olde Salem Tavern and had a lovely meal of quiche and salad, then off we trotted to the Moravian Archives building, where I happily researched the Moravian diaries for information on Matthew Brooks, who was the local tax collector back in the 1700s. He supposedly conducted business from this property we call home and was a friend to the Moravians by all accounts thus far. I've heard differently, but do not have the documentation at this time to refute that comment. The diaries are riddled with comments about Matthew Brooks collecting grain, corn and property taxes. I thought times were simpler then, but taxes are taxes, so I guess it's wise not to assume too much.

I noticed as I sat in my office upstairs, the sound of crows cawing outside my window. It sounds like fall, but the chill is definitely a spring chill as opposed to a fall chill. I think I am the only person in Winston Salem saying, "I'm not ready for spring! We didn't suffer enough!" It truly has been a 3 month summer, fall and winter these past 9 months. We have not had an early spring since we came here 3 years ago, so I am praying that there will not be another snow. I read in the Moravian diaries today that they had a snow in March and all the cherry blossoms were frozen prematurely. We had a late snow last year, but I don't remember it messing up too many plants. Could just be selective memory. Well, happy spring to all of you, and fyi...if you didn't plant your bulbs earlier...then buy the ones flowering in the stores right now and plant them in the ground after the flowers die...then wait until the leaves turn brown before cutting them back, and you will have nice flowers next year. I promise you...it's worth the wait!