No matter how arm and sunny early spring can be, it is just a brief preview. Those of us who heat with wood know that winter will interrupt spring at least once with a return to cold temperatures and an accumulation of snow. We know that the cold and snow will not last too long but there are some concerns with these final gasps of winter.
One of the major problems with an early spring warm spell is that many trees, flowers, and agricultural crops may begin to bud, bloom, and grow. When those buds and blooms come on too early that new growth can be damaged by an extended cold snap. That may result in a smaller harvest. In extreme cases the tree or plant could be killed. Thankfully this kind of negative outcome only occurs rarely. Most years see the plants remain mostly dormant until the true spring warmth is consistent.
We can almost always expect that as winter winds down and the snow slowly melts that there will be several warm days in a row. Sometimes those days are much warmer than expected and we can begin to believe that spring has arrived. The calendar has turned to “spring”, our spirits are ready for the end of winter, and we can allow ourselves to be fooled. But we can surely expect that spring will be interrupted by at least one more blast of winter weather. There will often be several inches of snow that fall, sometimes more; and multiple days of deep chill. Spring has not quite arrived and we are not done with wearing several insulating layers and heavy boots. We need to persevere a little longer to be rewarded with the warmer weather we desire.
Snow shovels and ice scrapers remain part of our lives for the immediate future. We feel like down vests and long underwear will remain wardrobe staples forever, even though we understand that the end of winter is in sight. Soon the transition from winter into spring will be complete, snow will change into rain, and grass will replace snow. The transition from one season to another will certainly occur and we can breathe a metaphorical sigh of relief.
Often during this chilly and damp transition from winter into spring we can observe birds pairing, building nests, and laying eggs. This is definitely a sign that spring is on the way and we understand that the instincts of birds and animals have been triggered by the increasing amount of sunlight. It really doesn’t matter the temperatures, the lengthening days are the true harbingers of spring. Winter conditions may return for a brief period but we know that spring is truly on the way. And that knowledge often brings joy. We have made it through winter and are cruising into spring.