The following is a piece titled “Third Winter is Underway This Month” regarding weather changes in the northern part of the country.

By: Lindsay Lenser

As the gray skies, cold winds and dead grass encompass our landscape for yet another month, we try to remind ourselves that we live here for some reason. Right? There must be a reason we choose to wake up and trudge forward through yet another dreary winter month in our northern climate. I ventured out into my garden on this teasingly warm lie of a day. In summer months this patch of dirt is overflowing with vigorous plant (and weed) growth. Everything is successful here. And come to think of it, is it fair to pull the weeds? Who determines they’re weeds? Does a weed know it’s a weed? I always struggle here. I’m getting off track. Today, the garden was still dead. Dead. As I gazed off into the distance, lost in the memories of long ago, when the sun used to shine and the clouds produced rain instead of snow, into my sight line appeared green. Something green! Something was green in my garden! And lo and behold, shooting for the sky from my little garden bed, were the chives that had suffered a failure to launch last season. I’ve never been so inspired by an onion. This must mean there’s hope. The chives have reason to believe there may be a break. If we can all just hold on a little longer, wear that coat a few more weeks, keep the heat on (or don’t, I’ve heard of some of you stubborn misers who shut your furnace off on April 1st no matter what…) Anyway, hold on, folks. There’s hope. If the chives have the will to power through, I. Will. Too.