Some of the bulbs fighting false spring

Some people believe summer ends on August 2 with the first harvest festival of the season, welcoming in autumn. It kind of makes sense. Why would the equinox be at the beginning of the season and not the middle? If you are of this belief, then I apologize for this post being late.

I admit that I’ve been putting off writing about summer because I don't particularly like it. I am very heat-sensitive, and it can trigger migraines. And as a ginger, the sun and I have never gotten along. In California, everything would die off, and it would be brown and hot and smoggy. The beach and the pool didn’t provide relief because it was hot, crowded, and I would be the cool kid wearing a T-shirt over my bathing suit to swim in. These are the days before super cute rash guards, of which I now own many, despite the fact I rarely go swimming.

The things I do like about Arizona summer – the thunderstorms and cicadas – exist in Kansas, too! I really do love a summer storm, and even though the cicadas are so noisy I can’t use my Merlin app to identify bird song; there’s something about them I find so cheerful. And everything is so GREEN! Arizona and Colorado were mostly evergreens, so seeing all the plants and deciduous trees in peak chlorophyll production is new and exciting!

Of course, in between the storms, it is hot and very humid. I’ve given up on my hair. I’m just a giant frizz ball and nothing I have tried has fixed it. I guess that’s what hats are for.

I feel like I am being reintroduced to summer in Kansas, a kind of summer I have never experienced before. On days when it isn’t so hot, it is lovely to be out and see the wildflowers and listen to the cicadas and occasionally catch the high-pitched peeping of baby birds in a nest. Maybe this is the beginning of an appreciation for my least favorite season.

Stay cool out there!

Yes, I know spring officially began last week during the equinox when the amount of daylight matched the amount of night, but here in Colorado Springs, we are just starting to see signs of the change of season.

I’m used to things beginning to green in December and starting to search for wildflowers in February when I lived in Los Angeles. Where I am now, we could still receive snow as late as Mother’s Day! Luckily, we have had some beautiful warm weather and spring is starting to show itself.

When I start to see fresh green growing things begin to pop out of the ground, I am reminded of one of my favorite books as a child, The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. As spring arrives and things start to grow, the character of Dickon describes the earth as “wick,” or alive as it wakes up after winter. You don’t need a windswept moor to experience this either. There are signs in your own neighborhood.

As lawns and meadows start to turn green, keep your eye out for the bright green shoots. Look at the end of seemingly dead trees for buds emerging. The animals will clue you in, too! Birds will be more active as more food becomes available. You will start seeing insects as the first flowers bloom. Those proactive gardeners among you will also see the fruits of your bulb planting in the autumn as they emerge from the ground.
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Enjoy the warmer weather, longer days and keep your eye out for all things “wick!”