Despite municipal travails, the sun still rises, and spring has come to Richmond. The goat pasture (without Big Floyd) has long since greened up, and even wildflowers are more rampant than usual. The bees are making honey from the wild Ceonothas as well as the blossoms of flowering crabapples, plums, peaches, nuts and cherries. 

The spring garden is sprouting, including tomatoes, beans, lettuces, radiccios, peas and onions. Strawberries are starting to bloom, and the raspberries are leafing out. The sweet Wisteria will knock you out. 

The recent, and uncharacteristic, warm nights on the patio remind me of where I grew up in Arkansas. Last weekend, I had to mow the grass for the first time in six months and had my first breakout of poison oak, an annual rite of spring. 

Somehow, I believe that life will go on and that Richmond will be okay.