I have to admit that on my rainy ride home from the airport last week I despaired of seeing spring anytime soon here. Anyone who has ever ridden down Rt. 24 between Boston and Fall River knows “bleak” – even on a sunny midsummer’s day that’s a dreary drive. But now that I’m off that highway and back at Blithewold I’m convinced that something is really actually happening spring-wise. And it seems like it’s happening a lot sooner than last year. Look at this post from last April 9. – And this is now – almost 2 weeks sooner.

But it all depends on the weather. Last year I noted in my calendar that the 1st daffs were spotted in the Bosquet on April 3 but that peak wasn’t until the week of the 23rd! In between we had had a few monster storms and I sprayed shading on the sweltering greenhouse twice. This year, who knows? (anyone? anyone?)

I think the early Easter has me all unstuck in time – I had to look up how the Church determines the date: It’s set to be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. This was the earliest Easter in something like 95 years. Is the early full moon affecting our gardens or just my mind? (–There is a discrepancy some years between the astronomical and ecclesiastical dates of the equinox – to test my early moon= early spring theory I’ll have to start paying closer attention to the sky rather than to the date breakfast is served with a side of jelly beans and marshmellow peeps.)

But I swear something’s happening and it seems early. The birds are making a racket, Gail has heard peepers and we’re all getting out of the house. The volunteers got outside this week to clean up Display Garden beds and start on the Rock Garden and the Florabundas got started with lots of laughs and some Rose Garden pruning. And the guys, who flinched and fled before my camera like paparazzi plagued rock stars, have been busy lifting heavy things in the Display Garden and initiating Joel – I’ll only call him “The New Guy” this once. (Welcome to Blithewold, Joel!)

According to my calendar, we’re right on schedule…

Do you keep a calendar from year to year? Have you felt a difference in timing only to discover from your notes that it’s going like clockwork? Do you dare to make bloom time predictions in your garden?