Green

This Tuesday I was out in the lower pasture. It was late morning. Cloudy, jacket weather. But even so, it smelled green.

Seems like every spring there is one day in particular which emits a green smell. Not an icky green, but a lively, sweet fragrance, that is pure essence of springtime. I wonder if it came from the willows? They are covered in their little catkins, and the bees are quite happy.

Yesterday, Ribeye, the big steer, rubbed against the gate to the lower hay field and managed to open it. The cattle were more than happy to walk through that gate and down to the far side of the fields. Why is that one tiny section on the neighbors' property so darned delicious? I walked down to round them up and wire up the gate so they couldn't open it themselves again. The air didn't smell green yesterday morning, it was breezy and wintery smelling. As if it were blowing in a bucket of snow blossoms.

Seems like the fruit trees have managed to survive the little blast of cold with minimal damage. Even so, we are having to keep the fires burning. Things are damp and chilly. Poor Mom. Why couldn't we be enjoying the 70 and 80 degree temps the week they are here for their visit???

At least the fields are a bright green and the forsythia and redbud and crab apple and bradford pears are exquisite. Dogwoods should be blooming any day now. Before you know it, we will wake up one day, the sun will be shining and the trees will be covered with leaves.

PS We are enjoying so many eggs! The chickens know it is springtime. Fried, scrambled, boiled, omeleted, made into cakes and brownies, we sure do love our eggs.