Who'd have imagined we would be
basking in the warm afternoon sun
on a March afternoon in Montana.
In the midst of the worst winter in
memory we locals enjoyed a brief
winter vacation. After sinking 37
degrees below zero a week ago -
a sunny day in the high thirties felt
almost tropical. Warm enough to be
hit by a light case of spring fever.
However with snow forecast again
today, it's obvious spring is still but
an elusive dream. Patience please...
The Montana green thumb rule is to
plant nothing of consequence out or
about until post Mother's Day. Yet
it's hard to remember when we las
sat in the sun to tan prior to Saint
Pat's. All good things must come to
an end and hence our brief interlude
was just that. Which didn't mean we
didn't take advantage of our dose of
global warming. All day Frank was
out cleaning the yard, chopping ice,
and poking about his garden. In full
anticipation of spring's true arrival.
We all want something we can't have.
When Mother Nature plays a short
term trick on us, many take the bait
hook, line and sinker. It's amazing to
see the plethora of pasty northerners
donning shorts once the thermometer
hits fifty. Then just as suddenly they
are back shoveling snow in a parka.
If one flipped their frocks a la spring
they may now resemble a fruit salad
in Antartica. Quite irrelevant and out
of context. Thus one must remember
to not jump to radical seasonal shifts.
Trying to force anything beyond
bulbs is usually for naught. This
deep into winter we Montanans
must remember that patience is
not only perfect. In truth it's our
only option. It's all too easy to be
tempted by the warming trend of
a Chinook breeze. Deferring our
spring fever for at least a couple
of frigid months. Shoveling the
snow while our heads are filled
with green seed catalog dreams.
All too soon spring will be here.
There are no guarantees. Much like
weathermen, our forecasts are often
wrong. While we can't change our
final destination on life's journey -
it's fairly easy to alter our itinerary
along the way. So even if it's only
a spring break why not plant some
seeds indoors & watch them grow?
Like Jack and his magic beanstalk
they might take you to places you
never imagined. Rather than suffer
your winter of discontent, dig deep
and spring forward! Get growing!
