by Curt Kovener
What a difference a week can make in southern Indiana.
March came in like a lion…a white, frozen lion… with snow and cold temperatures. On the first Wednesday in March we were struggling through snow pack and slippery footing. Up in the wilderness, there were a single wide set of tracks to follow on the lane. Get off the beaten icy path and the snow monster would grab your tires and try to pull you into the woods.
But on the second Wednesday in March, where I previously stood in shin-deep snow the week before is now clear soft earth. The snow melt has sent the lake’s emergency overflows to work. And there were some insects flying about in the upper 60-degree temperatures over the piles of snow cleared numerous times from the walkway.
The lane has gone from ice and snow to spongy mush thanks to the freeze-thaw cycles. Loads of rock will be needed but loads of rock are heavy and the dumps trucks would cause deeper ruts now. So, I will slog through until dryer weather firms up the lane for heavier truck traffic.
And I will confess, I have been thumbing through the seed catalogs thinking about sowing some early lettuce, radish, peas and herbs in pots on the back deck. Planting there makes it easier to harvest for me and not so easy to harvest to the deer and rabbits.
And I thought I heard my mower clear its throat to gain attention to remind me of the pre-season maintenance it will need before being put back into use.
What a difference a week can make in Southern Indiana. And goodness knows what may be in store even by the time you are reading this: Snow? Floods? Freezing again? Continued warm temperatures?
And we still must go through the spring rains exercising ditches and creeks.
But if we were greeted by March’s White Lion I take solace in the folklore that March will exit like a lamb…I hope.
