Strawberry Time

A dismal spring. Late frosts, rain and gloomy clouds, dampness and a morning rawness, the heat on since September. Frost continued after Memorial Day, plants moved inside, and then out and slowly the leaves unfurled. Vermonters are miserly this spring and with good reason, for they have little income left after fuel oil and propane, town and state taxes. But we have had maybe three glorious days and the sugarers had the best syrup season in almost a half century and today local strawberries hit the market. Last year they were tasteless. This year they are sweet and juicy; a wet spring does have its blessings.