Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Ode To A Winter's Day

            Henry David Thoreau said; “Live each season as it passes, breath the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”


          I have a hard time resigning myself to the winter season; the cold, the long nights, the frost; did I mention cold?   I love the spring!  Green shoots pushing up through the dirt, buds ready to burst, a green tinge appearing on tree limbs….so much anticipation.  I love summer!  Plants filling in everywhere; so much color, sounds and smells.  I love fall!  Cool mornings, cool evenings, and amazing fall colors.  Winter, not so much! 
             While I pine away for those long daylight hours of summer, these shorter hours actually trigger plants to prepare for the cold months ahead by becoming cold-hardy or ‘hardening-off’.  While I am putting on an extra pair of socks to warm my feet, the plants roots are busy taking in nutrients and growing throughout the winter.  While I am curled up on the couch watching old movies, eating popcorn and counting down till spring, my plants are getting ready to burst forth in spring glory at the right time. 


As spring explodes around us, I resign myself to the fact that I really should have spent my winter getting my garden ready for spring.  So this winter, I am not going to hibernate my time away, I am going to be ahead of the game and have everything ready for spring….just as soon as it warms up a little.

6 comments:

  1. That's what I say every year! And every year - "when it warms up a little" is my motto! haha Bad habits are hard to break!

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  2. I know it has to be too but I do not like it much. LOL! Is it snowing there? Good grief. We are suppose to get some in the next couple of days. It has been a nice winter so far here though so I cannot complain. A good book and popcorn are always nice on a long evening.

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  3. I spend a lot of winter making plans for the upcoming season. It's like virtual gardening. Actually, I just end up torturing myself. Watching movies and eating popcorn might be a better alternative. :o)

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  4. A lot of things to do in the garden, but it'so nasty there. I don't think I will be prepared for spring!

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  5. I could sit and eat a bowl of popcorn and watch the snow. That is nice, at least once a year. The rest of the year I could do without the snow. :-)

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  6. I am so thankful for a bit of cold. I don't feel guilty sitting inside reading and planning. Also if I gardened all year long I think I would throw my hands up and quit. I enjoy the rest and hibernation.

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