Start your (floral) engines
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Squill at the start
A little more warmth crept into the air, and a little more snow disappeared, leaving brown, spongy earth and the first of the earth smells in its wake. I got in one last afternoon of cross-country skiing, then, sadly, put away the skis to dry, perhaps for the season. Instead of giving in to gloom, however, I started to explore the ground for signs of life, and in short order, I discovered a cache of Squill bulbs that had been frost-heaved out of the soil. A few of them had sprouted slender roots and thick green leaves. Somehow, these harbinger plants are able to feel the slightly increased temperatures and the added hours of daylight and respond accordingly. If you listen at ground level, you can hear those tiny plant motors starting to crank.