Dogwood Winter

Spring and my semi-retirement have arrived. Poor timing on my part but who could have predicted our current situation.  All those plans I made and now I wait ...

Well, I did have a goal to increase my activity and get in better shape. So I've been getting out and walking more. I need to increase my activity and endurance so when the restrictions are lifted I'll be in good shape to tackle some of those planned adventures. Several weeks ago I went on a hike with my daughter and her family and realized just how out of shape I had become. I also remembered how much I loved hiking years ago and got to thinking once more about hiking and backpacking. So for now I try several times a week at least to walk further than I normally would. 

Walking this week was especially nice because the dogwoods are in full bloom. I love seeing them wild in the woods or manicured in somebody's landscape. With the dogwoods blooming we always have a "cold spell" as my Granny would have said. She called it Dogwood Winter and it was just one of the "winters" she would recognize during the spring and early summer. There was also blackberry winter and strawberry winter that I recall. So many times since I wish I had paid more attention. 

Several years ago I reflected on this very thing and I began watching the weather in the spring. Specifically I paid attention to the cold snaps that occurred. I developed my own theory based on my grandmother's teaching and what I observed and it seems to hold true year after year. At least in the region where I live I noticed that anytime something is blooming white in nature we experience colder than usual temperatures. Now I don't know if there is any scientific basis for this and I've never really checked to see if anybody else has made this association. But this had to have been observed by people years past or they wouldn't have named all these colder temperatures after whatever happened to be blooming at the time. I don't believe I've discovered anything new but just started paying more attention like my ancestors had to do before me when they couldn't turn on the local news and weather reports.  

I don't think it's true for just anything that blooms white but only for what is native to the region and blooms once a year. My region is the Ohio River valley where it divides Kentucky and Illinois. What about where you live? Pay attention to your surroundings this year as the Spring progresses into Summer and see if this same association holds true there. I'd love to know if that were so. And if nothing else maybe you'll find a way to enjoy the outdoors that much more by watching for the patterns and associations of nature. Think about things your Granny shared with you.

Honeysuckle