March has brought us a variety of weather. Finally, a few days before midmonth, we got our first snow of the season. It was only a dusting but, with the accompanying light freezing rain that evening, Jim had to scrape some icy particles off the windshield before we headed out to church the next morning. I didn't like the weather getting so cold but it was nice seeing a few snowflakes fly. After all, we haven't had much of a winter at all. The pristine white of the snow cover in the raised bed beside the patio was the perfect background for a bright red male cardinal perched on its edge. Our resident birds often provide such beautiful views as we admire them from the windows.
High winds the first week of the month brought down a few large limbs and several smaller ones from the big maples in the front yard. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, just a few days before the snow, Jim and I got out and dragged them to our brushpile out near the plum trees. We took out several wheelbarrow loads of leaves and smaller debris and I got a mattock from the garden shop and dug up a thistle I spied nearby. I took advantage of the warm weather to clear the dead vegetation from the peony bed. Finally, I cleared the dead tomato plants and pulled up the tomato cages from the raised beds in the back yard. I was pleased with what we accomplished, but soon my back was telling me it was time to quit for the day.
My sister Nancy came by the day of the snow. I had gone out for a little shopping trip, so I missed seeing her, but she left a loaf of bread. Her husband, Marlin, had been taking an artisan breads class at NWACC and we have sometimes reaped the benefits of his class assignments. In a phone conversation a few days later, I learned that, unfortunately, the artisan breads class had just ended. But this semester, Marlin is enrolled in cakes and cake decorating and chocolates classes, so maybe he'll share some of the results from his lessons there too. He and Nancy usually plant a big garden and he often cans and prepares their homegrown produce. She reported that they already have broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage plants waiting to be planted.
We had some lovely warm days over the weekend, a fitting prelude for the arrival of spring on Monday. The birds have been singing sweetly as if to herald the new season, and I spotted a cottontail hopping around north of the house a few evenings. The peonies are growing ever taller and the forsythia has joined the flowering almond in bloom in the south yard. The Oklahoma redbud and plum trees have all begun to blossom. Walking in a nearby neighborhood on Sunday, we were treated to the sweet scent of tulip trees in bloom.
In the front yard, out near the driveway, a few bright yellow dandelions have popped up. Although many consider them a real nuisance, they have a certain beauty all their own. Daddy used to carry a forked stick and dig up each one he found. He'd probably be quite alarmed to discover the number in our yard. Looked upon as a troublesome weed by some, the dandelion was considered by ancient herbalists to be one of nature's best cures. It has been used in folk medicine to remedy everything from itchy skin to liver and gallbladder ailments. Folklore reveals that a syrup, believed to be wholesome, was made from the flowers. Women also boiled the leaves and roots, using the strained juice on their faces to promote a youthful appearance.
We enjoyed the St. Patrick's Day meal from the senior center last Friday, with corned beef, cabbage and O'Brien potatoes. I returned to the center in late afternoon for their baked potato supper and ordered a spud topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, green onions, broccoli and cheese sauce. It was mighty tasty and definitely a full meal! This time there was a bowl of blueberry cobbler to top it off. Then I ended the evening with Irish coffee and an entertaining movie at a friend's house. A very enjoyable day!
College basketball is in the spotlight now and we followed some of the "March Madness" games over the weekend. Friday afternoon we listened to the Hogs game on the radio while watching OSU on TV. We were delighted that Arkansas beat Seton Hall, but I was disappointed that the Cowboys lost by only one point. Jim watched more basketball when I went with friends to our circuit assembly at Springdale on Saturday. Then I joined him again on Sunday evening as we listened to the Razorbacks' second round game and watched the Kansas-Michigan State contest. Regrettably, the Hogs were not so successful that time around and North Carolina came out the winner. I was happy that the Jayhawks moved on to the Sweet Sixteen though, especially knowing we had friends in the stands cheering them on at the game in Tulsa.
Susan Holland is a longtime resident of Benton County and a reporter for the Westside Eagle Observer. She can be reached by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 03/22/2017