survival

Okay. It has been a solid week of mild temperatures, often double digits, and warm sunshine. With no end in sight. The snow has melted. Perennials are beginning to push their way through the cold hard ground. It's all beginning to persuade me that spring might actually have arrived. Albeit early this year. Normally, I try to resist the deceptive lure of early spring warmth. I fight the urge to venture outside into the backyard for some garden planning and general clean-up. Lest my optimism triggers a devastating spring snowstorm. But day after day after day of beautiful weather has finally convinced me.

So yesterday, I opened up the backyard/deck/workshop for the season. A little raking. A little arrangement of deck chairs. A little analysis of winter's prop damage. Because, due to my unfortunate and well-documented lack of storage space, some props (those that aren't disassembled after Halloween) are forced to live outside all year. Stoically braving the elements. Withstanding the rain and wind and snow. Suffering silently through the long cold months.

And intrepid though they may be, there is a price to be paid. As I learned when I examined the graveyard fence. Last November, the fence was the prop chosen to winter outside. Too large for an indoor home, it was judged most capable of surviving the winter weather. Positioned carefully between the side of the house and the garbage container. And survive it did. But it didn't emerge completely unscathed. No, there was damage. Nothing particularly life-threatening, however. Broken slats. Twisted post caps. Chipped paint. All of which, I believe, just adds to its charm. Overall, it held up quite well. For a fence constructed from plastic venetian blind slats and leftover styrofoam bits. A good long stretch in the sun and a fresh coat of paint in the fall and it should be ready to face another Halloween.

Some props simply thrive on adversity.