The Real Southland—Water, Snow, and Stubborn Spring

There is a distinct reality to life in Southland during the tail end of winter, and it’s not always picture-postcard perfection.

Stepping outside this morning, the ground is completely waterlogged with pools of standing water sitting heavy across the property. Stubborn patches of snow still refuse to melt because the chill refuses to loosen its grip, and a light, persistent rain is falling. It’s cold, it’s damp, and it makes you question why you ever thought moving to an old rural church was a good idea.

The Daffodils signalling that Spring is on the way

And yet, right through the mud and slush, life finds a way to announce itself.

True to form, the daffodils and Forsythia are leading the charge, acting as the reliable vanguard signaling winter's end. Down in the damp earth, the Mugwort and Anise Hyssop are showing their very first hints of new growth, and the old-species rose cuttings I planted are waking up against all odds.

The cold isn't just testing the garden, either. Out in my workshop, I’ve had to keep the heater running overtime just to keep things functioning. The cold snap turned my infused resins completely solid, and oils that are usually smooth and fluid have gone cloudy and thick.

Forsythia about to burst into bloom a definate sign of winters end

It’s raw, it’s messy, and it requires a bit of extra warmth here and there, but watching the first green shoots push through the Southland frost reminds you exactly why we're here.

Anise Hyssop starting its bid for life among the weeds

Mugwort making a claim to life in the waterlogged ground