Here in north Louisiana some of us have a saying. “If you get bored with the weather, just stick around; it’ll change pretty quick and often.” We’re in February, when some places north of us are still dealing with frigid temperatures, snow, and ice with no hope of spring arriving for awhile yet. Here, we have all colors of Azaleas, many varieties of yellow and cream Daffodils, and white Snowball shrubs blooming, with white Bridal Wreath and sunny yellow Forsythia soon to follow. On my walk in the yard today I even found some purple Vinca Minor struggling and blooming in the old dead grasses from last fall.

The winter can appear bleak with the barren deciduous trees and dead grasses for a landscape, even though we have plenty of pine and cedar varieties intermingled. Many of the trees are beginning to bud even though it is still winter. We have very little real winter here even though we have stretches of cold days and nights. From now till summer we will have cool temps with stretches of temperatures and sun enough to make trees bud. The earlier in the year the fruit trees bud the more risk there is of losing crops of fruit. We usually have our last frost around the first of April or a little later, but we have had them even later.

All the early buds and flowers get my blood pumping and my plans for planting on my mind. We have just enough pleasant to warm days that I want to plant all that I plan to and more. It’s hard to hold back on some things that really should be planted later for lack of warmth in the soil. For now I’ll do my best to really enjoy these early blooms in the stark barrenness and drink it all in while trying to be patient with waiting a little longer for some of my plans. I’ll allow the beauty around me now to bring the coming spring in my soul while looking forward to the coming growing season. Wherever you are I hope you are enjoying whatever season you are in and find things to look forward to.

Have a very blessed week, friends.