Okie Wheel of the Year: April 12 2021

The Iris-ening Begins!

Happy New Iris Storm Moon! That is my name for this moon because I could not decide between “iris moon” and “storm moon”. Irises explode into bloom around the state this time of year and in many places are finished by Beltane. Most of the state’s average last freeze dates are before April 12, except for the panhandle, and severe weather season ramps into full gear over the next few weeks. Some places have already seen storms, but according to the most recent USDA crop report much of the state is running a little behind on rain. Wheat, oats, and rye are growing, canola is beginning to bloom, and corn and soy planting is beginning. Just about everything is getting a slightly later start than last year. That’s no surprise. All the blooming things appearing in my FB memories show that my plants are lagging a little, too, but knowing it’s not just me gives me hope for the stragglers.

baby blackjack oak

The oak trees are leafing out.  I love how the tiny leaves start out fuzzy with a pink tinge.  Oak trees are often one of the last trees to lose their leaves in fall and sometimes they can be one of the last trees to sprout new leaves in the spring.  This year some of the elms in more exposed locations are still working up energy they used staying alive through winter though and the oaks are budding out first.   Although I live in the Cross Timbers ecoregion, the land was cleared of any trees decades ago.  Faster growing trees have returned over the years, but now I scout baby oaks this time of  year as the leaves return but before the grass covers them over.  With enough protection from lawnmowers and other trees, eventually the blackjacks, post oak, and maybe chinquapin oak will return.  Blackjack oaks specifically help give the Cross Timbers the reputation for hard living - if you see a squat gnarled tree with missing limbs and few leaves on a desolate prairie hill, it is probably a blackjack.  They'll be the last thing standing after an ice storm-wildfire-tornado!

Passionflower

For the first time, I've finally been able to grow passion flower and I'm watering the heck out of it until the spring storms finally come.  Whether I'll get any fruit remains to be seen.  That's the gamble of the harvest.  It it such a unique looking flower with an important history as a food and medicine plant for humans and pollinators.  The internet says the plant is special to the Cherokee.  That may be true.  I'm in no position to know one way or the other.   I do know that if you live on top of a hill made of red clay and sandstone, it's hard to grow plants that like growing in ditches.... but not impossible! 

baby Chinquapin oak?

Okie Wheel of the Year: April 5 2021

Blooming Redbuds and the moon

Last quarter of the Redbud Moon and the redbuds are out in all their glory. The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve says that Easter weekend is a typical time for new baby bison to be born. They had one born a little earlier than usual on March 23 and I expect their FB page will feature more adorable baby bison pics soon. The Wildlife dept says spring turkey hunting season opens April 6 for parts of the state, but turkey numbers are down so they have information for hunters on what areas are least impacted by low numbers and ongoing research into the reasons for decreasing populations.  The Oklahoma Biological Survey started their citizen science Spring BioBlitz, where citizens around the state can participate by recording the birds, trees, fungus and things they see online to win prizes. 

fringed puccoon

Meanwhile, thanks to the lack of recent rain and incredibly low humidity levels for this time of year, I’ve been out watering my gardens every single day. That’s not usually necessary this time of year. The Forestry dept reported thousands of acres burned due to wildfires around the state last week. The end of March tends to be windy, but usually those winds come with sleet or hail. I still have a few trees and plants that I’m not ready to give up as winter storm casualties because they may be waiting for spring rains to wake up.  But other plants are right on schedule and filling the land with life.  The drier weather wildflowers are starting to wake up.  The scent of lilacs fills the air.  My haphazard garden is sprouting.  

I spilled the radish seeds

I find myself outside every day busy with some task or other while the crows swirl their social dances in the gusty wind and graceful turkey buzzards float high on the strong currents.  Every day it seems there's a new sound: a bird returning from winter homes, waking insects, new frogs.   And every day I find myself with some new project or gathering or idea sprouting up for the future.  And every night I'm tired, but a good tired.  Too tired to think of anything else to write. 

a froth of lilacs in the air