Sweet Signs of Spring
Hello!
This week started with yet another winter storm warning and wind advisory. So yes, a few more canceled evenings and single-digit mornings. That groundhog’s six weeks are certainly stretching our patience and challenging our balance.
But there are signs of spring — even under another 10 inches of snow.
Last weekend, during the melt, our dog Daisy spent just about every moment she could out on the porch in the sun. “Talk to the paw, folks. I’ve been cooped up in the house too long.”
She’s a pretty Zen dog, but there are a few things that get a rise out of her: the UPS truck (which she loves), chipmunks (aka “squeakies” that she likes to chase), and robins (which she most definitely does not love). Suddenly, from the porch there was a full bark-o-rama: the first robin of spring!
Another gentler, optimistic sound of spring is the drip of maple sap being collected in large vats. It’s not unlike that faucet you’ve had running to keep your pipes from freezing. But instead of signaling super-cold nights, this drip means the days are warming up.
Plants have a complex network of tissues that transport water, nutrients, and other substances throughout the plant. The system consists of two main parts: xylem and phloem. Xylem carries water and dissolved minerals from the roots to the leaves (what we think of as “maple water” or sap). Phloem is the vascular tissue that conducts sugars and other metabolic products from the leaves to the rest of the plant.
It’s all very wondrous — if a bit too cellular for me. I’ll just enjoy the signs of spring. And go with the phloem!
Let there be flowers!
Lizz
P.S. Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts about herb preferences. I so enjoyed your enthusiastic, appetizing replies. I’ve updated my order with your suggestions in mind. If there’s another herb you’re hoping to see this spring, it’s not too late — just hit reply and let me know.