Sunday, March 16, 2014

Rites of Spring


Yesterday we hit 72º F. and rain was predicted for the evening. Our thoughts turned to sowing grass seed, a March ritual for us, futile though that effort usually turns out We set off to town to purchase a big bag of seed, hoping to spread it before the rain came.

The sky looked smoky and, sure enough, when we reached the county road, we spied a huge column of smoke.


Burning off the dried grass in pastures is a spring ritual practiced by farmers, and smoke columns are a common sight in March. By the time we returned, the pasture was blackened and only a few wisps of smoke remained.

Back home, Dennis spread 50 pounds of seed. We were ready for the rain. The rain didn’t amount to much, a fierce wind blew from the north, and the temperature plunged below freezing. We woke this morning to a skiff of snow. It seems we will have to wait a bit longer for spring rituals to produce results.

Copyright 2014 by Shirley Domer

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