Busy Bees

Last Friday (3/19) Miles and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and we went to see my dad while he was working in his garden. When we drove up we were greeted by the most beautiful display of yellow crocuses filling the garden beside the woods. They were the most brilliant sign that spring is here that I have seen so far. In contrast to the still barren tree limbs and brown leaves covering the forest floor they were so vibrant they took my breath away. My immediate reaction was to get closer! And as I did I noticed one at first, them two, then two more. All over there were bees busily scurrying about dotting from flower to flower. I could tell that many had been hard at work for awhile as evidenced by their "knees" already covered in electric yellow pollen grains.




That made it official for me! If the workhorses of pollen transfer are back on the job then the stuff of springtime has truly begun! Now the business of seed making can start, and so will the promise of the future generations of plants. (I know, I am waxing philosophic about pollen transfer and seed heritages, but it was just that kind of day!)

It felt so perfect to sit in the long awaited sunshine with my son and watch my father get a jump start planting seeds in the garden. He planted peas, and beets, and even a hearty lettuce. The garlic shoots have emerged from last fall's planting; tall green spires in the brown soil. All around us the pulse of spring could be felt and the buzzing of busy bees could be heard. In the skies above us a large flock of Sandhill Cranes flew over, and so did the resident Red Tailed Hawk that has taken to eating koi out my father's pond.
Back at home the sun set over downtown and the weather threatened to turn cold again. We will have to wait and see if the cold snap that followed last week damaged the seeds that were planted. That's OK though because in addition to the seeds we put in the ground, I also hope we planted a seed for the love of the outdoors in Miles. I imagine that more experiences like this one will also start the seeds of patience and hope and wonder in his heart. At least these are all the things that spending time observing nature inspires in me. I am sure that he has many many more years in the garden with Paw Paw in his future to learn these lessons and more!