April Showers…
“April showers bring May flowers.” Remember that old saying?
Well, here we are in April, experiencing a variety of showers from the drizzle
today to the downpour a few nights ago. The early bloomers are drinking it up
while the soil is warming up and loosening for Spring planting.
It’s nice to have the illusion of predictability that the
saying implies, especially as the seasons have been a little different lately –
hardly any snow in winter (at least not around my backyard though some places
had whopper storms that slammed them with feet, not inches) and eighty-plus
degrees before Spring had a chance to take a deep breath. But plants are not
relying on the saying to do what they do. It has as much to do with where they
are growing, whether they are annuals or perennials, when they develop their
bulbs or seeds. Even so, rain does bring warmer temperatures and moisture that
stimulates plant growth and energizes the earth.
If we look deeper into the saying, however, we can see that
it is as much about us as it is about rain and flowers. It hints of sunny times
following clouds, of the value of patience, and of keeping a positive outlook
even when things seem dark and dreary. Sort of a prompt to our growth as well.
Not a bad way to start the season, whenever the season starts for you.
An overview of how flowers grow: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2008/04/do_april_showers_bring_may_flowers.html
And a look into the origin and symbolism of the saying:
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