Springtime, and thank goodness it has arrived, is always a fascinating time of the year for me. The transition from the bleak look of winter to the vibrancy of spring is an age-old ritual worthy of study, poems, and keen observations. It is truly a wonderment how the dim, gray caricatures of seemingly lifeless trees burst forth with various colors of spring blooms and buds. One can take a fair census of timber stands from afar just by noting the various colors of tree buds.
Down on the forest floor, bloodroot, trillium, anemone, trout lilies and the like are adding their splotches of springtime coloration. One old feller’ use to proclaim to me that; “When the bloodroot shows her white, the turkeys will start gobbling and strutting. Oh what a sight!” I have found that to be uncannily accurate in my woodland forays.
My daughter has quite a bit of bloodroot growing around her home. I brought one little sprig of that stuff home with me from Cooper Ridge in Claiborne County back in the early nineties. It has thrived and multiplied. Rebekah noted to me recently that it was in full regalia, bloom wise, and that I should start listening for turkey gobbles. That was kind of a proud moment for me that she has added this old mountain folklore to her remembrances.
The Wilson’s snipes have packed up their long bills and dainty yellow legs and moved on to who knows where from the swampier fields of Highcliff. “Frawgs”, thousands of them, have replaced the yammers of the snipes. I really enjoy hearing the frogs “in congress” on mild spring nights. The echoing whistle of a passing freight train through the Clear Fork Canyon can bring a hush over the frog bogs in an eerie sort of way. As soon as the last clickety-clack of train wheels fades into the distance, froggy starts courting again in song, soon joined by thousands of amorous like-minded friends.
Another favorite thing for me about spring is traipsing to the river to ply my fishing lines. Kingfishers are once again skimming up the waterway’s surface and making their calls. Occasionally, an otter will drift by and curiously check out my presence. They make an almost bird-like chirp that I have learned to associate with their presence. Another “oldtimer” of Highcliff once told me that; “When the bats first come out in the evening time, that’s a good time for fish to bite”. I have found that somewhat to be true. At times I have reeled multiples of finned creatures in when bats were zig-zagging around. Mostly though, I have just stood and watched the flying mammals while fish showed zero interest in whatever lure I was throwing. I think fondly of that “oldtimer’s” wise words when the bats are flying and fish are biting. Conversely, I think contrarily of him when I never get a single fish tug on my line and am getting my blood drawn by hordes of mosquitoes.
As always, discussion gets intense this time of year about all the “little winters” we experience in spring. Serviceberries and redbuds have already burst forth in our area. During such blooming, we did experience some frosty mornings. So, as per Highcliff, I think we have already gone through Redbud and “Sarvuss” Winters. Depending on where you reside, the blooms in your locale may bloom on a different schedule and your “little winters” may happen on a different timeline.
Spring is a great time to enjoy the outdoors. Flowers are blooming, butterflies are flying and birds are calling! Stay tuned to Mother Nature for more exciting seasonal twists and turns of weather and the tug-of-war between the changing seasons.
