It's Official!

Do you see those tiny little leaves sparkling in the sun against today's lake-blue sky? Those are the official sign of spring's arrival in West Texas. Leaves on the Mesquite trees.

We see some signs of returning spring —

The redbird’s back and the fie’ larks sing,

The ground’s plowed up and the creeks run clear,

The onions sprout and the rosebud’s near;

And yet they’s a point worth thinkin’ about —

We note that the old mesquites ain’t out!

The fancier trees are in full bloom,

The grass is green and the willows bloom,

The colts kick up and the calves bend down,

And spring’s a-pear-ently come to town;

And yet they’s a point worth thinkin’ about —

We note that the old mesquites ain’t out!

Well, it may be spring for all we know —

There ain’t no ice and there ain’t no snow,

It looks like spring and it smells so, too,

The calendar says it’s plenty true —

And still they’s a point worth thinkin’ about —

We note that the old mesquites ain’t out!

— Frank Grimes