“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” - Charles Dickens

March is a very quixotic month for us here in Southern Oregon. You never know from day to day what kind of weather is in the offing. Indeed, it is not that unusual to experience two seasons in one day: winter's cold and snow, and spring's sun and warmth. Daffodils dare to open their blossoms only to find themselves covered in snow soon after. 

   This morning I saw several signs that spring is on its way. Our brave daffodils are waving their golden heads in the breeze, and a few cherry trees have started to bloom. Buds are swelling on our crabapple trees, and the male Northern Flickers have started to hammer on the hat that protects our chimney to declare that they are looking for a lady friend. Naturally they always choose to do this in the very early hours of the morning. This then causes a grumpy person to get out of bed to open and shut the damper, a noisy process, in the fireplace. The Flicker may be frightened off by the racket, but more often than not it will cease its drumming for a while and then resume, with great gusto, a few minutes later. Needless to say this spring 'music' is not appreciated by the human residents on our farm. To be sure, there are many "joys of spring," to be enjoyed. The noise made by an amorous Northern Flicker is not one of them.

THE COMING OF SPRING

Up the hills, and over dales

On Winter's frosty, cold coat-tails 

Spring is drawing ever nearer

Sweeping through the countryside, what could be dearer...

Than little birds, tending to their nests 

Singing loudly, after Winter's rest 

As up from the South, Springtime flows 

Through the moors and valleys, and hedgerows 

All it touches, comes alive again

Whether warming sunshine, or refreshing rain

The bright yellows of the daffodils 

With the their fancy, floral frills

And crocuses, primroses and snowdrops 

Baby lambs in fields, and bunny hops 

All signs of the coming of the Spring 

Touching the land- can you hear it sing?

As every shoot and bud, and leaf's affected 

The light returns, and is reflected

In this most magical, life-giving, time of year 

Spring's on it's way, it's nearly here!

JK

Painting of Northern Flickers by Teagan White