April showers, they say, bring May flowers. But this Spring has been a dry one for my area. The data shows that compared with annual averages for the last four months, we are running at a 4-inch precipitation deficit. That hasn’t stopped my feet. They somehow make it their mission to sink my shoes into every puddle, damp spot, or hidden sloppy mucky area within walking distance. There are few things more annoying than wet, cold, squishy feet.

Right now, I don’t mind too much. Birdsongs fill my daily walks, and tender green shoots, tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths make me smile. Lilac, Viburnum, Honeysuckle, and Purple-leaf Sand Cherry bushes provide pleasant scent sensations, and they motivate me to return to enjoy the short-lived fragrances. I monitor the azalea bushes and the dogwood trees as their buds swell and burst into bloom. The slushy swale at the bottom of my backyard always surprises me and sucks me into the muck, even though I know it is there.

Soon, summer blooms will replace spring blossoms, and my vegetable garden’s demand for water will exceed Mother Nature’s supply. Any summer rainfall is a welcome relief, and one less gallon I need to carry to ensure a steady supply of tomatoes, basil, and peppers. The prediction for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday is rain, and I, for one, am happy to endure the showers so my plants can grow.

What is your favorite part of Spring?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer