SPRINGTIME IN THE MOUNTAINS
Last year, my first year in this glorious section of the country, I didn\'t take much notice of the miracles of nature outside my window. Instead, I was huddled under the covers for two months with that nasty scourge: Shingles! But this year I was ready for the mountains and the fields, the hills and valleys, to put their show out for me as they sprag into glorious Spring. And what a show they are putting on! In February we had our daffodils come poking their cheerful little heads
out of the leaf-covered ground. Of course, those courageous pansies with
their happy llittle faces were with us all winter.
We had an unusually cold winter this year - four snow falls. Not too
heavy on the white stuff and it soon melted in the 50 and 60 degree
temperatures. We even had ice hanging from our bushes and trees - that
soon puddled up. The winter sun in these mountains amazes me - it feels
so warm (almost hot) on your head and back. Of course, the sun is
usually sailing through a field of cloudless bright blue and can gather
steam on its journey.
Then came April and plentiful rain - we moaned about it, but cherished
the water that was nourishing our soil. And, lo and behold, after about
four days of grumbling about the wet weather - every thing suddenly
burst into bloom!
Our deciduous trees which looked so stark and barren a few days before
had suddenly a coat of delicate pale-yellow-green leaves. All along the
highway from Brevard to Asheville we were amazed by grove after grove of
fruit trees in bloom - pink and white. I even saw a lavender tree (that
was a first for me).
The banks along the sides of the roads were covered with pink, rose,
white, and lavender - just spilling out all over.
Amazing. And inspiring.
The trees are still lacy and we can see the mountains in the distance.
The very tops of those mountains still have a rusty appearance, just
waiting their turn to catch up with the forest below them.
This is a particularly interesting part of the country. We are at the
climate line which supports both pine and deciduous trees - all of these
interspersed by huge rhododendron and azalea bushes. And by huge, I mean
way over my head. 10-20 ft. high and more.
They have not yet come into bloom. My poor rhododendron in front of my
house! These huge plants bravely put out big buds all winter - and four
times they were nipped by frosty-ice.
I was out there giving them the once over today, and there are plenty of
buds there. Hope they forgive this fickle winter we had, and come out in
their blazing magenta magnificence as they did last year. And so, I am
filled with awe, again.
I asked the editor of our local paper if she ever tired of looking at
the mountains, or got so accustomed to having them there that she barely
gave them a glance after all these yeas of living in close proximity.
She said, \"No, never\". Good, may I see many more seasons and enjoy this
bounty that nature has just saturated our surroundings with beauty.
Lorraine - end of April. 2003