It's official

While spring has not yet arrived according to the calendar, it certainly seems to be springing around here. Yesterday found the first daffodils of the year blooming in the yard of a home in Parkersburg's historic district, and two days this week were warm enough for wandering around without a coat. The big Dutch crocuses have joined their small-flowering relatives in the front planting bed, and while our narcissus haven't bloomed, there is color in the buds. The mock orange has teasing hints of green and is threatening bud break, as the redbud would be if the deer hadn't eaten it nearly to the ground.

But spring is officially here when the first whiff of skunk wafts through the neighborhood, and this week skunk musk has wafted on more than one occasion. (Hey, it's been a long winter, and we take what we can get.)