March is Spring on the wing,
birds returning to nest.
March is cold mornings, warm days,
March wind stirring budding tree limbs
And dancing through rippling grass.
March is capricious,
Teasing us with near-summer days
Only to turn and freeze us with the biggest snow
And winter storm of the winter season.
March is friend and foe, lover and hater,
Tempestuous and unruffled, furious and quiet.
March is the final end to winter
And the harbinger of spring.
—Ethelene Dyer Jones – March 2017
We’ve been having March weather exactly like Ethelene described…well minus the snow.
Last week was mostly wet, but balmy enough to wear shirt sleeves and one day even felt like summer with a hot sun burning down. Those type of March days make me want to put away all my winter clothes and pull out my flip flops, but I know they are fleeting.
The weekend brought a fierce cold wind with temperatures well below freezing. Sunday morning the rain from previous days formed into a solid sheet of ice on our back deck making a treacherous walk for anyone who ventured out early.
Later in the day the cold wind howled as it rushed down the mountain ridges and pushed trees hither and yon. If you were inside when the wind laid for a spell the view outside made you think the warmth had returned, but a walk outside was all that was needed to remind you winter isn’t quite over just yet.
The sky was a startling blue and the new blush of spring green along with the bright sunny yellow bells made for a startling beauty.
Tipper
Subscribe for FREE and get a daily dose of Appalachia in your inbox
We sure are enjoying the warm weather that we are getting. I don’t like all this rain though. Around here so many people have started mowing their yard. We can’t because of all the wetness.
Tipper when will you be in Ringgold, GA? My husband and I want to come see you. We read all your posts and watch and love your videos. Praying for Granny and the girls and babies. You are going to love being a grandma. I sure do, I’m a Nana and Larry is Grandaddy.
Thanks for the info.
Tipper such a beautiful poem, thank you for posting it. On Tuesday 3-12-24 we had some fine weather the temperature got a little over 70 some degrees here in Bassett Va. Supposed to be in the 70’s all the rest of this week. Both of my forsythia bushes are bloomed out so pretty, that to be means Spring is in the air. Praying for Katie to have a healthy little baby boy, and for her pregnancy to go well. God bless all the BP&TA group.
March 26, 1955, a major ice storm hit the Southeast. My parents were married that evening at a parsonage in Kennesaw, Georgia. They went to a car wash to wash off the “Just Married” & the water froze on the windows. They headed to Clearwater for the honeymoon. Citrus crops in Florida were damaged by the storm. The Blizzard of 1993 was March 13 where we had been enjoying temps in the 70’s & boating! Thunder snow, a rare phenomenon, awakened us to thick snow blowing sideways here on our wooded ridge. My daddy had never experienced such. Vicki Davis, Northwest Georgia
Here in Appomattox County, Va the weather has been summer-like since late February. We pruned grapes, rose bushes, hydrangeas, and other trees and plants in the middle of February. The three peach trees we have are arrayed in beautiful pink blossoms and the forsythia, hyacinths and daffodils are blooming. I just hope we don’t have any more freezing temps.
Hello Tipper and bunch. Please tell Corrie and Austin Happy anniversary. I did not pray for snow this year. We are having beautiful weather in south western Virginia. Hope you are having the same. Keeping y’all in prayer. Hello to all. Sandra
Tipper,
I haven’t been getting notices for a few days about your blog going up, so I guess I was like Kim thinking you all had gone with Katie to the hospital!
MawMaw-Check your spam/junk folder the emails may be going in there 🙂
What a beautiful poem and the perfect description of March!!
I’ve seen 82 Winters (assuming I see this one through). The worst snow I ever saw in Raleigh was in March, on each of the first 3 Wednesdays. The total snowfall was over 30 inches and didn’t melt until the first week in April. Yes, it stayed below freezing for 3 weeks.
Yes, it seems like March has all the seasons rolled up into one month. I am also getting antsy to get some plants in the ground, but Grandma always said we have a cold snap right around Easter, so better hold my horses a few more weeks. Love and prayers to Granny and Little Mamas and all of you too.
Here in SE Texas the weather is up and down some but mostly beautiful. The purple martins are building in their box. The grass is getting green. How blessed we are.
Ohio weather in March has been for the birds… quite literally! I’ve never seen so many red breasted robin at one time in March…EVER! Driving to the store I saw 10 in the field down below my house! Hopefully that’s a good sign for spring!!!
Blessings ❤️
Tipper,
Where I live, Spring is usually windy days, 60 + weather temperatures, also some rainy days.
I have already started quite a few seeds indoors, vegetables and flower seeds. This year I’m going to try my luck with a new vegetable, 1 Okra plant and 1 Sunflower.
How is Granny doing? I pray for her everyday.
Warm regards to the beautiful pregnant sisters. Hilary H
I am one that really loves spring. March is the lion fighting with the lamb. I guess we all know who wins. Dear Katie, we’re all getting anxious about baby boy and our labor pains can be annoying. Have a beautiful birth soon and love him like nothing you’ve ever loved before. Our new baby will be here soon, around the 18th of March, our Great Grandson will join his two little brothers. It’s a truly special time for us all, but mama and daddy, first above all. Bless you all today and everyday. Jennifer
Perfect description of the weather here in Cherokee County. I fir one am about tired of being cd and wet. on the plus side the cherry blossoms. peach blossoms are beautiful as are the many flowers popping up daily
I don’t mind the March weather. It’s such a joy to see the trees come alive, spring flowers are poppin out and grass is getting mowed for the first time. Those full sun days, with the warmth on my face. But then a cold day when I grab a heavy sweater for maybe the last time. Love it all. Blessed to be in East TN!
So very well said, and beautiful. ♥️
This has been the coldest winter or at least my cold feet and hands think so. I need to make more fires in the woodstove but my allergies cause me more suffering than my cold feet ever could. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the high 70s, days like that and March Madness is about the only thing this month is good for except the excitement of a precious little boys birth.
Her poem perfectly describes March. We had fierce winds in Richmond, Va. on Sunday. We’re supposed to have highs in the 70s this week and no rain.
My mom always said “in like a Lion, out like a lamb” describing the month of March.
Tipper,
Here in Colorado we claim to be the flip flop and hoodie weather state, but I think your area is the same way. You dress for it all and enjoy it.
Have a great day.
Mrs.DYER-JONES surely described March in the eastern US! It’s the same as what you describe, Tipper, in WV. The sinuses don’t know what to do. Lol I ordered sunflower seed and zucchini seed yesterday and I’m gonna try buckwheat just to try it out. I used to eat buckwheat pancakes as a child when we could get the flour. They were tasty for sure! I just think the white flowers are pretty. We shall see. I tried corn and it was pitiful. It was tiny and had black ants all in it. Forget it! Is Katie alright? I surely pray she and her son are fine! God bless you all this close to spring morning-I think it’s officially March 19 that spring starts! Goodbye and good riddance winter. I will not miss you or the misery you bring…lol
Sadie-she is doing good 🙂
Her description of March weather is spot on for us over here along the Cumberland Plateau, too! I left to take the kids to school and go to work yesterday and forgot a coat. I had to wait a minute or two extra for the defroster to work its magic on the car window and nearly froze plumb stiff from the cold! By yesterday afternoon though, it was right balmy and nice! I gave the yard the first mowing of the season while it wasn’t raining and I had the time (it was looking awfully shaggy and awful) then I spent a little time on the porch soaking in the extra daylight and warmth. But as soon as the sun started dipping down into Nickajack Lake and behind the mountains — it was quite airish if not downright just cold! So, this morning I thought ahead and wore a vest-type jacket for the extra warmth and that worked quite well. I think we’re supposed to be near 70 degrees here today and in the upper 70s by the latter half of the week only to see a big March cold snap next week! Yep, Ms. Jones’ poem is spot-on!
Well said
I’ve never read a better description of March! It’s certainly unpredictable here on the Cumberland Plateau. Winters dying gasps and the anticipated arrival of Spring all rolled up in a crazy tangle.
Any of you all ever think March is all the year’s weather in a month? Sorta anyway. It is the month when winter and summer battle it out, making spring. One wins for a few days, then the other. And in the fight we get things like those cotton ball clouds Tipper wrote about the other day and the two rainbows here just at sundown a few days ago. Guess you could say March is a month for weather lovers.
Sounds right to me. Easter is late this year and down here in upstate Florida we seem to always have a ‘cold snap’. I just hope it isn’t too much of a ‘snap’ as I have a lot of small baby plants already in. Prayers for Granny and lots of God’s Blessings for you guys. BTW, when are the ‘grands’ estimated to be here???
Glenda-Katie later this month and Corie in June 🙂
Tipper- Ethelene described March perfectly in her poetry, as did you, with your writing this morning. Your descriptive words make beautiful pictures in my mind. The only difference here is we got quite a snow storm this past weekend in these West Virginia mountains. We had 5 inches or so of beautiful snow, accompanied by howling winds that caused whiteout conditions—with freezing gusts that cut through my coat like a sharp knife—and left me chilled to the bone. Then, yesterday the sun came out in full force, and melted all that snow—but the wind chills were still very much March. Now we are gonna have some gorgeous days for the rest of the week. March is so moody!
We in Minnesota have been having fake spring for sure 60 plus degrees yesterday!
I too have been thinking of Katie and the wee babe! I will pray for her ! Have a blessed day Tipper!
The worst thing
about winter into spring,
is mud,
mud, m-u-d, mud
“mu double ud mud”!
Just that very last line came from a song I heard long long ago. I can’t remember any more of it or who sang it and I can’t find it on the u tubes. Sounds like a Ray Stevens creation don’t it? Does anyone remember?
The poem hits the nail on the head for the March weather around here. It was 29 degrees yesterday morning and 33 this morning but an afternoon high of 70 degrees predicted and then turning cold again next week right before Easter. We have been getting a lot of rain every few days.
We’ve had unusual weather here. I hate getting those really warm days that confuse the trees and make them sprout early, only to be frozen and ruined a few days later.
I’m so antsy, I want to get out to the garden and start turning over the beds, but I can’t yet for another month or two. I will just enjoy watching ya’ll get started.
Enjoy this day and God bless!
good morning! I love waking up to your messages in the morning! it’s a wonderful start to the day!
I just started receiving these so I’m not quite caught up and was just wondering if katie had had her baby yet? such a wonderful, exciting time for all of you!! You have been in my prayers. Have a beautiful morning!
Kim-Not yet 🙂