Green Age

The force that through the green fuse drives the flower. Drives my green age; that blasts the roots of trees Dylan Thomas

We are having a spectacular transition to spring with temperatures in the sixties. I only recently discovered this excerpt from a Dylan Thomas poem which really articulates for me the sense of energy that comes with spring- like a current crackling through roots and branches exploding into leaves and buds. It surprisingly bookends my post at the end of last summer- fleeting green. In the photos, the reverse is in effect- I couldn't help thinking that the shadows on the lawn looked crisper because the grass seemed a lot greener than I remembered. Everywhere in the garden green things poke their heads through the dull winter palette. At last the green age of spring.

+ GreenKraft: Farm Tables

March Tempest

A March tempest roared through Westchester over the weekend, taking down trees, ripping down powerlines, flooding yards leaving many homes struggling to deal with its fury- flooded basements, damaged homes and power outages. I saw two homes with trees crashed through them and curiously noted that they were both Pines. Apparently evergreen trees that carry their foliage are heavier and therfore more likely in rain soaked and windy conditions to fall. I did see another tree- maybe an apple tree uprooted and toppled over due to the thawed snow and and rain drenched soil allowing the winds to unearth it- but the huge Pines crashing through houses- yikes and duly noted.

Pushing Through

These crocus were a lovely sight, a little patch that had spilled over beyond someone's garden in Mamaroneck. There were more in the garden under the trees albeit not quite as spectacular as the ones I saw in Brooklyn a couple of years ago. Nevertheless it was still uplifting to see the season beginning to push through into spring.

Stirrings

Up in Mamaroneck, two things stir the gardening impulse. Bright green chive shoots emerge in the vegetable garden to kick the year off. Later in the year they will drive me crazy keeping them in check, but right now they remind me of how dependable a tenant they are here. The other is the Schlumbergera which was in a sorry state last year and got a long overdue repotting. This year it returns the favor with a mass of fuschia blooms.