Hints of Summer

This weekend gave Maine, or at least my part of Maine, a hint of summer.  We had gorgeous sunny weather for four straight days. Two days we were in the mid 60s, and two days we made it to the high 70s.  Yesterday even hit 80, unheard of in an April Maine. Best of all the winds were calm so that we really could enjoy the warmth and skip the usual sweater.  The kids and I worked ourselves to the bone in the yard. Leaves from last fall and winter raked and dumped.  The screen porch cleared off and set up.  The patio cleaned up and set with table and chairs.  Worst [or best] of all, we got all the stuff out from under the house, and out of the storm shelter, and out of the furnace room, to sort and take care of.  On Saturday five, count them F-I-V-E complete packed carful trips to the dump later, the change was remarkable.  Even my sore muscles and aching joints feel good when I think about all that stuff GONE.  

The hard part about hints of summer in Maine is that they can trick you into thinking summer is almost here.  Every part of my being wants to fill the planters with geraniums and other colorful flowers. As the sun beats down on us we rake and mulch the gardens but the temptation is to plant them.  Ahhh, but the old rule still applies.  When I first moved to Maine I was told not to plant before Memorial Day.  Sometimes I have broken the rule and pushed the season a little.  Sometimes I have succeeded, but more often I have been caught by an unexpected nighttime frost and lost it all.  Mid-April [or even end of April] is totally impossible for plants here.  Stores don't even have their flower pots and geraniums out for sale yet.  That's a strong clue.  The only flower plants I have seen are in one store that has put out a few early pansy plants out for sale.   

When I talk to my daughters in Boston or in Portland, Oregon, or remember my college days in Ohio I yearn for those early spring flowers and gardens.  I can force the forsythia branches in vases inside but that is nowhere near as satisfying as looking out my window and seeing bursts of color.  Until late May the only bursts of color outside are the balls or bicycles or gloves etc. that my kids have left outside!  Not the garden blooms I'm looking for!  Oh well, I plan to enjoy the psuedo-summer weather while it lasts and when the 50 degree high days return I can go back to cleaning inside the house and dreaming of the real summer to come.  This weather is much too good to waste on wishful thinking.  It is too good to spend on anything but enjoying each hour of it! The weatherman says two more days of this before the bubble bursts so , I am off to the yard! .... Enjoy the day!

Gail