Daffodils beneath the Roxbury Russet tree.

Though the cold nights may leave some wondering, spring is most certainly here. The plums are in full flower, crocuses peek from beneath matted leaves, and the daffodils started blooming about a week ago. Grape hyacinths are everywhere — did my great grandmother plant them? At any rate, they edge the wood shed, burst between the stones lining the path, and spread across old flower beds.

Grape Hyacinths grow along the walkways.

More opportunistic still is peppergrass (also known as shotweed, or Cardamine hirsuta for the technically-minded). Just as last year, peppergrass has covered all the bare earth in our garden beds with tiny white flowerheads. We certainly don’t mind — I’ve caught Sola savoring its spicy delights, and even Aine has taken to begging for a snack when we pass by the garden beds with the thickest carpet of snow-tipped greenery. Erik’s fondness for the stuff is marked by his usual insouciance. He asked (having already sampled a handful) whether it was safe for human consumption.

Peppergrass grows in any unclaimed bits of garden bed it can find.

Overwintered broccoli in the garden.

We left some of our crops in the ground, rather than bringing them in with the rest of autumn’s crop. The lettuce harvested in late winter was the sweetest, most flavorful of any we grew, while the broccoli that survived several frosts is sweet, spicy and just about perfect. The kale is as healthy as ever, and the bok choy didn’t mind the cold but is turning bitter now that it’s covered in bright yellow flowers. We’re discovering a few leeks and onions that we failed to dig up last year — the orphans are volunteering cheerful green stalks to show us where they hid during the cold months.

Chard is only a little worse-for-wear after spending the winter in the ground.

Honeybees (not pictured) are the only ones who appreciate the taste of the bok choy now.

Cherry Plums starting to bloom.

The parade of fruit tree flowers has begun. The wild plums and cherry plums are glowing with spring's promise on every flower-festooned branch. Meanwhile, the pear blossoms are swelling with the cherry and apple trees gradually making their way into the season. This may be my favorite time of year.

Tiny white blossoms dangle off the wild plum branches.