Fog in the Forecast
Debbie Teashon
Fog is in our forecast for tomorrow—Groundhog’s Day. How confusing it will be for the groundhogs when they come out of the ground. Not seeing their shadow, they may believe that spring is here to stay. Can a groundhog discern between fog and a cloudy day?
Some of my deciduous trees think it is spring. Their buds are breaking open and leaves are starting to grow. They do not use shadows as their guides like certain rodents do. The consecutive days of warmth has lulled some plants into complacency, believing spring has sprung. Well, we know that plants do not think, it is simply a matter of unseasonably warm weather triggering their buds into breaking open.
I may see my shadow by mid-afternoon when the fog lifts. But even if it is a typical Northwest season of clouds and rain, I am not ready to break my dormancy and begin spring clean up. Mother Nature is testing me, however, I will remain undestracted and let others read groundhog signs. Who knows what the next six weeks will bring? I highly recommend you borrow a lengthy novel, prepare a fire in the woodstove and curl up under your favorite down quilt. With fog in tomorrow’s forecast, I remain unwavering in the knowledge that officially there is six more weeks of winter left.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton
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