The Leading Edge of Spring

It is raining pollen, so it must officially be spring in East Texas. As I walked the neighborhood on the last day of March — hard to believe that the year is already one-fourth gone — a steady breeze swept a mist of yellow dust across the landscape, and clumps of oak clusters fell on the pavement. My nose began itching, eyes watering. Yup, it’s spring all right. Our neighborhood’s foliage looks a bit battered after the mid-February winter storm. Brown shrubs stand forlorn in front yards. Already, some folks are hiring landscapers to dig out and replace them. Not me. Not yet. Our yard...

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