Beth Salerno

Winter is Jealous of Spring

March 8, 2008 Author: Beth Salerno

Winter’s hold is finally loosening, though he is mighty reluctant to give up for the year.

Winter in Korea varies dramatically by geography as it does in the United States.  The northern province of Kangwondo has world-class skiing facilities; the city of Pyeongchang was a contender for the 2012 winter Olympics. On the other hand, Jeju Island in the south is semi-tropical, like a slightly chilly Hawaii.  Pyeongtaek is known for getting the least snow of anywhere in this province.  This is partly why Pyeongtaek is famous for pears and Anseong for grapes - the blossoms are rarely killed by a late frost or snow.

Apparently this winter has been harsher than most.  We have had bitter winds, but as promised, minimal snow.  I actually saw the most snow when I traveled all the way to the south of the country to Yeosu, a city made up of dozens of islands.  We got almost 3 inches on the way down, though there was none when we arrived.

Last week the temperatures began to sneak into the high forties.  Then Wednesday we suddenly had a freak inch of snow.  When I expressed surprise about this, I was told there is a name for this season “Winter is jealous of spring”.  I shared this with my husband, who agreed it was a good name for those “return to winter” days.  His name for the current season in New Hampshire?  “Winter is abusive of spring and keeps it chained in a closet.”

The lack of snow means winter has been very brown.  The cut rice straw litters the fields and the irrigation canals are dry or frozen over.  What were vibrant corner gardens have straggly, dead plants, blown litter, and mounds of rock hard dirt.  Snow was a blessing for covering everything in white and making it all shiny and clean for a day or two. 

But there are definite signs of spring.  I have seen farmers and gardeners out cleaning up their property.  One nearby farmers’ cooperative covered their fields in big white bags for two days.  Then they opened the bags and spread the contents.  My entire neighborhood has smelled distinctly of  ripe pig manure ever since!  The dry, spindly flower stalks in one corner garden have tiny green shoots at the base of every plant.  In larger gardens, scallions and garlic, which overwintered, are starting to come up, and some beds of spinach, left covered with tight reed mats all winter, are now putting out new leaves for spring’s freshest vegetable. 

Full spring will come when the pear and cherry blossoms explode into color - probably another month.  For now, the signs are smaller, less colorful, harder to see.  But perhaps for all that, they are more welcome.  They mean spring really will come. 

(For more pictures of winter, click any image in this entry, and then the little words that say “Korean winter set”.) 

Entry Filed under: Outdoors