Signs of Spring

It feels like someone flipped the Spring switch here. I'm hesitating to take the warm weather seriously. It might still snow! But in defiance of my hesitation, the crocuses are popping up from the ground. Even better, my favorite harbinger of Spring is blooming: Whitlow grass!

My parents were visiting over the weekend, and everyone but me decided to take a nap all at once, so I took the opportunity to do Spring cleaning in Gabe's Garden. Under a slough of old leaves and strawberry runners that were slumping onto the walkway, I found this shockingly green, plump caterpillar.



I said "Spring!" Chris said "cutworm". Mom said "cutworm". They both said "kill it".

I was rather busy taking care of toddler and parents, so the pest went into a mug on the counter. And, um, I'm afraid it's still there. Cutworm raisin, anyone?