Taking the extra day to catch up on things left by the wayside lately (like the blog, and more seedlings, and the new work in the studio, and spring cleaning) is welcome despite the nervousness of a bad business month. I’m calling it the Spring Snow Doom Storm, though it is not so doomy or gloomy, just snowy at the wrong time for function; all of town is closed and the roads are too slippy and unsafe to travel on (not to mention our town does a horrendous job of cleaning the streets, just a mile or two up the road the snow is generally clear and the roads passable but here — nope, not so great).
I woke up the other morning with the baker on his late day at 5am to see the Full Moon streaming in the bedroom window, low on the horizon, sinking into the west but still bright. This Snow Crust Moon or Spring Moon, or even Worm Moon (though not for earthworms, more like Grub Moon) is not the end of chilly, snowy, wet weather here in New England but just a shift toward the end. Many a year I have not been able to get my peas in the ground in April because there is still too much snow in the garden. We won’t feel the real ‘springiness’ of Spring until May when everything outside needs to be done at once in one fell swoop.
Until then, D decorates her Spring eggs (and thanks to our wonderful farmer friend who cobbled together a dozen white/light eggs for us from the rainbow boxes of organic farm fresh egg cartons) — she likes to blow them out, dye them, and this year cover them in gems and metallic paint markers (homestead bling). And then we hide them (again and again) inside the house for her to find (she loves it). There was a day or two that was beautiful and sunny — I was out and about gathering usnea and photos of other lichen, tiny fungus, and impending Spring growth while D & J practiced archery and played frisbee (because there was actually some yard to play on for a day).
As the snow falls and our lovely members and customers graciously await our return to the shop, we will make plans, check in with each other, and move forward, regardless of the weather or season.
Happy Spring.
Rock Bottom Homestead 