2 weeks Ago By Ann Bailey
Though our farmyard has been covered by snow for as many days as not during the past few weeks — about 12 inches had fallen by the end of the first week in April — signs of spring also are beginning to pop up. The tulips on the east side of our house, for example, have poked through the ground and are in a valiant battle with the rabbits that keep munching on them. The tulips so far appear to be losing as the bunnies eat the green shoots when they start reaching toward the sky.
I haven’t counted them down and out yet, though, because this hardy variety that my Grandma Anna planted more than 60 years ago keeps coming back and shooting out stems with tops that are ragged, rabbit-eaten edges. Besides the tulips, some of the lilies have also emerged from dormancy. So far, the rabbits have ignored them.
The grass in our yards, meanwhile, appears to be greening up (at least it looks that way when it’s not covered by a layer of white.) The willow trees surrounding our farmyard also have turned golden, a sign that they will be leafing out in the not-to-distant future. We also have seen a few signs of spring in the form of wild creatures.
The fox that lives in our shelterbelt has been out sunning itself and hunting for food near the barn. I am hopeful that the balance of nature will result in the fox eating the bunny that is eating our tulips. It’s all part of the circle of life.
I wouldn’t mind, either, if a predator also found the skunk or raccoon that is tearing up our lawn looking for grubs. I know it’s nothing personal, but it chagrins me that the bunnies, skunks and raccoons have 11 acres of trees and grass that border our lawns and flower beds, but they amble and hop in to wreak havoc on the latter. Besides the critters, there have also been flocks of dark-eyed juncos and a lone robin that have returned from their southern winter home.
One of the most obvious signs of spring, though, is mud. As anyone who lives on the farm knows, mud could be a season all of its own. The humans in our family have rubber boots that we can wear around the farmyard and leave outside, but I wear tennis shoes when I walk down the “gravel” roads.
I put the gravel in quotes because while the substance used on the roads technically is a mixture of stones and sand, a good share of it ends up on the side and in the ditch, so when the roads get wet, they turn to mud. The roads also have ruts, where water pools, which means that my shoes and socks not only get muddy, but also soaked when I take our two golden retrievers for walks. Nova and Casey, too, get muddy and wet even when I keep them on their leashes because their feathery fur collects anything and everything in which it comes in contact.
Besides water and mud, twigs, dried grass and the occasional cockle burr cling to their fur and, eventually, end up on our kitchen floor. Yes, I know we should brush the dogs outside before they come into the house, but by this time in my life I’m pretty immune to getting too worked up about having a messy kitchen floor. We brush them inside and then vacuum and sweep up the hair along with whatever was in it.
The most joyful sign of spring and what my family and I will celebrate on Sunday, April 20, is Easter, the resurrection of our Lord. Jesus’ resurrection brings us hope, demonstrates to us unselfish love and guarantees everlasting life for those who follow His commands. Happy Easter! Ann Bailey lives on a farmstead near Larimore, North Dakota, that has been in her family since 1911.
You can reach her at 218-779-8093 or [email protected]..
