March 24th

What a difference a week makes!

last Friday night the big storm they said was coming
came.
lots of gorgeous snow fell
then sleet.
early Saturday morning
it seemed more light was streaming upward  than down
the pristine icy earth illuminating
the pale, blue-white, pre-dawn sky.

with gloved hands gripping the shovel handle
i cleared a path out the door
into the garden
and toward the shed and cars
wondering all the while
about the crocus that had opened in the spring warmth
preceding the storm.
the snow was very heavy
i knew the next round of buds couldn't care less
but wondered if the first gentle flakes that fell
had settled in and around those first flowers
nestling
bundling
building a cushion of crystalline protection
from the several inches of ice that fell as the storm raced on and away.
in the piercing light streaming up into my face
beneath the blazing sun
as my muscles stretched and strained
with each shovel full
i dreamed of the blue-white under world of
waiting crocus.

SundayMondayTuesdayWednesday warmed in the sunshine
each night dropped below freezing.
Thursday morning: 14 degrees at 5am.
at 8am it was already 40 degrees
and when i went out to the car
i spied these peeking just above the snow:

when i returned midday
the thermometer says it is nearly 70.
rivulets of water running everywhere
the giant mounds of piled snow noticeably diminished
and:

when i went into the garden later in the afternoon
only slushy remnants of snow on the lawn
and these:

already beginning to close up for the night
i had almost missed the "Tommies" wide open faces!
Crocus tommasinianus
i love the music in their name
tommasinianus
one of the first pieces of gardener's Latin
that made me think
i want to know more.

Comments

[Linda M]

Isn't it just incredible how these sweet little flowers are really so very sturdy? I remember years ago, when we first bought our house and I really "got into" gardening, I would just panic when the weather forecasted a spring snow. I would cover azaleas, just in case they were in bud, worry about the poor little wild geranium sproutings, weep over poor tulips which were surely breaking under the sheer COLDNESS of it all... now I just shrug and think, "if they can't make it through a normal spring snow, then they don't belong in MY yard!"
I'm so glad your crocuses did well!
:-)

[Terri]

Vicki, you described this all so beautifully. I felt like I was sharing it with you. Such lovely little paintings too. Love how you captured the look and feel of snow. Really nicely done. :o)

[marly]

Always pleasant when a zephyr floats by!

I hope we have brave little souls standing under our snow mountains. Little vegetable heroes and heroines, thrusting up the hills.

I have seen people shoveling their yards, sick of the white stuff...

[Peruby]

Bravo! Bravo! Very nice.

The Latin name reminded me of the old movie about the cat "The Three Lives of Thomasina".

[Elaine]

Crocus tommasinianus is named for Muzio G. Spirito de Tommasini (1794-1879), botanist & mayor of the city of Triest, shown in the little portrait at the right.
http://www.paghat.com/crocustommasinianus.html

can't really help any further .... I love the way these little ones follow the sun - such pretty faces.