March spoiled me last year. Warmer than normal, I was able to work outside almost everyday, and lulled into subconsciously thinking I was living in zone 6 or 7 instead of 5. This year brought me right back to reality. The colder temperatures reminded me of the Marches of my youth, when the ground upstate could still be covered with snow when the calendar optimistically announced it was spring. I did not enjoy them. Waking up Friday to the beautiful but disheartening whiteness of the latest snowstorm, I was ready to book a flight to Florida.
Backyard of Schoolfield, March 8th
Even the magical effect it had on the driveway into work did little to dispel my gloom.
Driveway at Clermont State Historic Site March 8th 2013 Luckily, things brightened up quickly. By Sunday much of the snow had melted, revealing not only sunny yellow patches of wood anemones growing at Clermont,
wood anemones, Clermont attracting higher spirits (and the occasional malnourished bee), 
Clermont Beethe crocus blooming on the south side of Schoolfield reminding me that, maybe spring truly is around the corner!
Corcus at Schoolfield March 10th
