The thermometer on the balcony claims it is 20 degrees Celcius, but I think it’s full of baloney. It feels more like five degrees (or less).
I’m pretty sure I saw a yellow crocus shivering, although I suppose it could have been a breath of wind that shook it.
The sun is shining, so it will warm up as the day goes on. Actually if it stays this chilly, the blooms on the flowering trees should hang on for a bit longer, which would be lovely. They really are beautiful this year.
Enjoy them please, because we almost certainly are going to get a blast of wind and rain soon which will cover the sidewalks with pink flowers, and leave the trees bare until they can cover their nakedness with a few leaves.
Nature has its own time table and I won’t try to interfere, nice as it would be to have those lovely blossoms for a little while longer!
Since this is now March, we can begin to plant some things that are hardy and can stand a few chilly nights.
Oh, wow! Isn’t it wonderful to think we have a whole growing season ahead of us ... digging over the vegetable beds, getting rid of the mounds of chickweed that took advantage of the mild winter to get an early start, raking the beds over, adding compost and maybe some chopped saweed (kelp is the best) and re-digging (saving some worms in a tin of soil, for future fishing trips (keep this soil moist, but not wet).
Now, add the compost and re-dig the beds to mix it all up. It’s now time for a cuppa tea, or coffee, and a slice of that still-warm chocolate cake you smelled cooking earlier. Take a big slice. You are going to be in trouble for cutting into it anyway! Claim you didn’t realize it was to go to the church bake sale this afternoon.
Cut a slice for me too, please.
We’ll face the music together! There is greater safety in two greedy people, than in just one, when facing a thoroughly angry baker.
Helen Lang has been the Peninsula News Review’s garden columnist for more than 30 years.