Springtime Visitors

Aren’t you glad God created springtime? Friends in Wisconsin wrote recently that they just received 4 more inches of snow. Friends in Nigeria reported more days of seasonal dust storms. Friends in New Zealand said that they are considering moving to NZ’s South Island, where 4 in 10 days are cool and overcast. We are grateful for Northeast Texas’ short winters, long summers, and too-short spring and falls.

We finished pruning last week, so orchards, berries, fruit vines, roses, and flowering perennials look great. Light green leaves pop everywhere, and the landscape changes every day. Mexican wild plum has bloomed, dogwoods are just beginning their display, and redbud trees are brilliant. The first Paintbrush appeared this week. Wild violets make us smile.

We welcomed human visitors to our orchards last week. It’s always good to share gained agricultural wisdom with those eager to learn. It’s encouraging to hear new fruit tree growers say, “Oh, so that’s what it’s supposed to look like!” It is disheartening to explain about the dozens of types of fruit trees that grow and produce well here in Northeast Texas and then to hear, “I know you told us that _____ will not grow here, but we’re going to try.” God bless them. Maybe they know something that Texas A&M Extension does not yet know.

We prepared well and invited a prospective beekeeping family to our apiary. It was joyous to hear each person say, “I felt comfortable in my bee suit, and I forgot to be nervous!” Honeybees are incredible creatures, and they have much to teach us, if we will watch, listen, and learn. We all sighed when we saw several mockingbirds sitting on pear branches near the hives, waiting for the tasty snack of a honeybee coming too close.

We were surprised by the numbers of pollinators on their shopping trips to tiny flowers: black butterflies, honeybees, and several sizes of bumblebees flew by. The pollinators were busy, and so were we, so we all went about our tasks.

One springtime visitor was quite bold: a young Greater Roadrunner ran to within 10 feet of us, stayed for 2-3 minutes, and ran into the woods. The orange and blue lines of skin still showed behind the eyes, so it was young and inquisitive.

Springtime on the farm in northeast Texas. Thank You, Father!