False Springs

The way I see it, I've seen spring about four times this year. Must be some kind of record.

That is how many times I've been to California since Christmas. Each time I leave the PNW it's cold, snowy or rainy. Each time I arrive down south it's in the mid-60's.

Mid-60's is what the PNW calls shorts weather--or at least that is what one of the people I met in the airport said. I tend to agree with that, but find it hilarious that my 84-year-old mother in California calls it "the cold rainy season."

"As soon as we get through the cold, rainy season, I can get some work done outside!" she complains. "Brrr!! Did you bring a coat?"

When the temperature dips to the low 60's, my dearest friend who I've stopped to see at the beach in California says: "Wow! There's really a chill coming on!"

I'm the one standing there in a t-shirt and jeans, looking towards the sunset.

I've been back and forth so many times in the past few weeks, that it was inevitable that one day I'd come home and find signs that spring could really be on the way here. The photo above is not from my garden, but it could be. I have grape muscari and baby daffs and lots and lots of tulip leaves popping up everywhere. This is the time of year, when I'm always surprised by what comes up. ("Wow, I don't remember planting that there...) It's also the time of the False Spring.

The False Spring is a wonderful little season in the PNW that comes several times between mid-February, (I'd say it's early this year,) and May. It's when skies turn blue, bulbs poke their heads up, daphnes perfume the air and the temps shoot up to the mid-60's. (Like I said. Shorts weather.) People are scrurrying around saying: "Wow! Beautiful day! Spring is finally coming!" It's the time I prune my perennials, dream of planting sunflowers and cosmos, and clear my garden paths of weeds.

But, of course, after almost 10 years here, I know it's just a few days before we'll be back into a cold rainy pattern--with maybe even a few more frosts in store. If we're lucky, we'll get another false spring or two to tantalize us. In fact, there's usually one during the week before Spring Break :)

Don't misunderstand me, I am not complaining about this cycle. It was actually one of the many reasons we moved to the Northwest. I wanted to live in a place where there are actually four seasons. And, despite what the rest of the world thinks about us, (two seasons: rain and less rain,) sun is highly overrated, my friends.

Down south I enjoyed spring, but here I experience spring. I'd never known what it was like to take a dead twig of a plant, broken apart in two storms, stick it in the ground and, despite rain, cold and snow, watch it start to turn green again and grow up into an entire vine filled arbor. Yeah, bulbs came up in California, but never like this.

So, I'll take those false springs ,then, I'll enjoy sitting back with my cup of chai and my warm fire and my sewing when the rain starts falling again.

Spring's Coming. Eventually. And if it's anything like the last nine springs, it'll be worth the wait.