Friends and family are the first to tell us that spring has arrived. They boast of warm sun, daffodils, blues skies, and buds on trees. We have to leave the farm to experience this kind of spring. For while spring has come in full force in other parts of the country, it stops and hesitates here on our Vermont farm. It allows winter to linger, leaving us longing for warmth.
Here it is, the end of April, and patches of snow cling to the corners of the farm, reluctant to leave. The sound of rushing water fills the stream bed, a stream that will be a mere whisper in the heat of summer. Cars meander their way up the road, drivers carefully choosing their course, so as not to sink deep within the muddy ruts. Day lilies brave the cool weather, stretching for the warmth of the sun. Spring enters slowly, a little at a time, giving us a full appreciation for what is to come.
