This week, on the 18th day of the year’s second month, the sun reaches a \halfway point to equinox. The sun enters Pisces at the same time, and initiates the season of Early Spring, a six-week period of changeable conditions, infiltrated ever so slowly by warmer and warmer temperatures that finally bring the first trees and the early bulbs to bloom.
In many years, moss will be growing a little more on old logs, and crocus, daffodil and tulip foliage will have pushed out above the mulch. Garlic planted in late November will be at least six inches tall. The first rhubarb leaves could be unfolding. Weedy henbit can be blossoming in the alleys, skunk cabbage in the swamps, aconites and snowdrops in a yard or two.
The softest days of Early Spring tell Canadian geese and mallards to check out sites for laying eggs. And the milder afternoons call out water striders in woodland pools.
Ragwort and dock grow back in the swamps during Early Spring. A few deep red peony stalks appear underneath the mulch. Then more yellow aconite, white snow drops and yellow and purple snow crocus bloom. Pussy willows open wide.
This is Bill Felker with Poor Will’s Almanack. I’ll be back again next week with notes for the second week of Early Spring. In the meantime, find the signs around you, puddles instead of ice, the first melting snow, a south wind, the warmth of the strengthening sun, the ground muddy and soft instead of frozen. When you have enough signs, it will be spring.
