Mountain Winters

Since writing last week’s blog, we’ve had a snow.  It fell on the Easter flowers, but of course Easter isn’t for another 5 weeks – it’s a late Easter this year.  Then, the sun came out and warmed us up into the 70’s for a couple of days and today we’re back at 45 degrees.  Whew, wintering on the mountain is a little like riding a new roller coaster – up and down and unpredictable.

We don’t just have 4 seasons, nor do we have a single winter.  I’ve counted 5 winters, and I look for you good readers to send word of even more.  Here’s what I know about:

Three winters are named for things that are blooming when the mercury heads downward.  Red Bud and Dogwood winters may be a little easier to bear because the blooming trees promise springtime is near and add a little beauty to the bleak winter landscape.  Blackberry winter offers the same promise, as well as a reminder that fruit for pies and jelly is on its way.

The Easter Squall seems destined to run afoul of every lady’s wardrobe plans.  It seems time to dress in a pretty spring dress, but you’d better plan a coordinating sweater because the chances are good you’ll be adorned with chill bumps if you don’t.

Chunk Winter will wrap the whole season up – that’s when you’ve burned up all your winter’s wood supplies and you’ll be burning chunks to get through this cold snap.

Winter is a sneaky thing, hiding for weeks at a time then popping out just when you’ve decided it’s safe to plant vegetables or pack away everything warm that you own.  I don’t know about you, but it’s taken my whole life to learn these lessons and I’m not guaranteeing I won’t again be caught cold, but I’m much more practical and hopefully a little more patient than I once was.

That doesn’t mean I’m particularly happy that I was out starting vegetable plants just a couple of days ago and now I’m huddled by the fire.

I’m curious to hear from you – do you know of any other “winters”?Do you doubt me when I name all these different seasons?Please click comment below and let me know.

Spring Fever

About this time of year, I begin to get Spring Fever.  I’m past enjoying white, fluffy snow and the swing of temperatures has me freezing when it’s in the 40’s despite weeks of teen-temps.  Perhaps most influential, the garden has been plowed. 

Those deep furrows beckon me.  Yet they are awfully muddy right now, and too cumbersome to grow more than weeds.  Everyday this week has been in the 60’s and a little voice in my head is saying, “Ain’t it a waste not to plant on these days?”  Yes!  It is a waste – a waste of most of the seeds I might plant to chill and never germinate.  If I work that soil up now, it will undoubtedly be rock-hard by July because the spring rains will beat it down… are you convinced to stay inside a little longer, and hold onto those seeds?  If so, please keep reminding me.

I sat down to talk with you about healthy foods and the health I hope to coax out of my garden this year.  But then the fever took over I suppose. So, let’s talk about early gardening.

You may remember me sharing with you a story from Callie Melton about Goin’ Sallet Hunting.  As I look at my garden spot, I am reminded of her description of the women-folk scouring the fields for spring’s first edible greens.  She says this excursion was more important than even making soap.  I can’t help but wonder if it was as much for their mental health as the family’s diet.  After the cold dark days of winter, the sunlight beckons something deep in my soul.  I think that’s why I want so badly to plant something right away. 

We’ve talked here before about how I realize that my winter days have been vastly different than those of Ms. Melton’s mother and grandmother.  Electric lights, central heating, motorized transport and well-plowed, asphalt roads mean wintertime living isn’t nearly as hard or isolated as those women endured.  Still, shorter hours of sunshine and barren trees are never as nice as summer – even when longer days and warmer temps mean bring on planting, weeding and canning. 

We like to think of the “good ole’ days” as sitting before a crackling fire, visiting with family, and eating comfort foods.  And that’s all true, until spring’s sunshine freed them to go sallet huntin’!

As soon as it’s dry enough to work up a row or two I’ll get out some gravelin’ potatoes – that’s taters that you plan to eat as soon as they are big enough, with the skins still soft.  Boiled with salt and pepper and served with fried squash and ripe tomatoes, they are a summer delicacy on the mountain.  If you’ve been peeling last fall’s shriveling spuds then you, too, are looking forward to new potatoes.

Mountain summers are milder than the valley’s but there are still some vegetables that won’t thrive in the hotter months.  Therefore, spinach, lettuce, peas, broccoli and cauliflower will need to go out as soon as we’re safe from hard freezes, or a late snow.

Oh my, the more I write, the worse the spring fever is getting… we’ll talk about mountain winters next week!

This Hydroponic lettuce bed is my modern answer to sallet huntin’